Self-build?

[talksr]

I live in the South East where sadly, the house prices are unrealistic compared to salary rates.

I could either buy a run down place and have it done up, or I could consider the government backed "self-build". Provided I could find some land in my local area, would this prove more beneficial than struggling to buy a place?

The obvious bonuses are:
You can design your own place (subject to planning)
You get to the area you wish (if you can afford a piece of land for which a new build would be allowable).

I am sure there are lots of negative points too and I would be grateful to know of any of them.
In terms of cost saving, I have a quite serious back problem so would be unable to help in terms of doing any of the building work. I have no idea what sort of costs I would be looking at for an average sized three bed home.

 

[Doggit]

Pick up a couple of copies of "self builder", and that'll run you through a lot of the problems, but as you can't do much of the work yourself, you may find that you're only saving about 15% (at best) on normal house prices, but you will get a modern well insulated house that's more to your design and layout than anything you could buy.

 

[bernardgreen]

Self build is extremely rewarding if you go about it the right way. It is hard work if you do all the work yourself but the results can make it all worth while.

In 1980 / 81 ny wife and I self built a Walter Segal designed house and I can recommend the Segal Method as it works. The lightweight post and beam timber frame contruction can be built on sites that are unsuitable for heavier brick built houses. This makes finding a plot of land easier. Finding the land was for us the hardest task.

There is an article about the Walter Segal Method here ( the house on the cover is the one my wife and I built )

http://www.ianwhite.info/THE_SEGAL_METHOD.pdf

 

[empip]

Land is the expensive bit !

I like the Segal method... Found that very interesting.

-0-

 

[HawkEye244]

Something I've always wanted to do but finances are such that even if I sold everything I own to do it I would have to sell the finished article to not be homeless lol

Something that stuck in my mind was a couple who ordered a https://www.huf-haus.com/ on grand designs and the whole thing was done in about 6 weeks. German engineering at it's finest.

 

[big-all]

the biggest problem with self builds is cashflow
unless you have a largish buffer of maybe 50k its a struggle with staged payments from the mortgage company

 

[bernardgreen]

There is a large Huf Haus near here and that was asembled on site in less than 3 weeks. But the site preparation, groundworks and services added many weeks to the overall build time. The Huf system design is like the Segal method post and beam framed construction but in steel instead of timber.

One minor disadvantage of the Huf system is that the total design has to be completely determined, fix und fertig, before the factory begin to pre-fabricate the house. When self building one's home one often finds things that can be changed to improve the features of the home and with "normal" self build these changes can be made. With Huf House and similar pre-fabrication systems even minor changes such as adding an extra power socket can be difficult and expensive.

 

[HawkEye244]

There is a large Huf Haus near here and that was asembled on site in less than 3 weeks. But the site preparation, groundworks and services added many weeks to the overall build time. The Huf system design is like the Segal method post and beam framed construction but in steel instead of timber.

One minor disadvantage of the Huf system is that the total design has to be completely determined, fix und fertig, before the factory begin to pre-fabricate the house. When self building one's home one often finds things that can be changed to improve the features of the home and with "normal" self build these changes can be made. With Huf House and similar pre-fabrication systems even minor changes such as adding an extra power socket can be difficult and expensive.

You would think they would have made changes to this fundamental design flaw by now?

 

[Brigade77]

It strikes me as rather odd . . . that some folk can build a home at whatever cost they can affoerd, yet some folk struggle to build a house for £millions.

 

[bernardgreen]

Many who have struggled to build a house for £ millions have had grand ideas and wanted far more than was necesary to create a viable and comfortable home. They tend to include new and often un-proven construction methods and materials. It can be good for the ego to be seen using these leading edge techniques and materials but the construction then includes a learning curve in the use of these materials and methods. Delays and damage and re-designs add massively to the cost.

 

[gonch69]

have you checked with your local council as they do release land for this
http://www.self-build.co.uk/right-to-build
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/boost-for-aspiring-self-builders

 

[HawkEye244]

Many who have struggled to build a house for £ millions have had grand ideas and wanted far more than was necesary to create a viable and comfortable home. They tend to include new and often un-proven construction methods and materials. It can be good for the ego to be seen using these leading edge techniques and materials but the construction then includes a learning curve in the use of these materials and methods. Delays and damage and re-designs add massively to the cost.

Seems a lot of the flat pack prefab style homes such as Huff and Segal are primarily steel, thermal glazing and the odd timber partition.

I don't particularly understand why people want houses with floor to ceiling glazing all round, even if they are out in the sticks somewhere and it's daytime I wouldn't like the idea of someone being able to watch me walk around my own house from room to room, and blinds/automated shuttering etc is not enough of a compromise.

I'd sooner live in a subterranean property with 2-3 stories below ground level than a 'show house' style design where everyone can see in. Reminds me of a friend of mine whose dad lived in a normal 2 story semi detached on a cul de sac and never ever closed his curtains. He was a sort of extrovert type, and a pedophile mind you, a very odd odd character.

 

[bernardgreen]

Seems a lot of the flat pack prefab style homes such as Huff and Segal

The Walter Segal houses are NOT flat pack or pre-fab and definately not steel. The timber for post and beams is cut on site and then the posts and beams are bolted together to form the frames.

 

[HawkEye244]

The Walter Segal houses are NOT flat pack or pre-fab and definately not steel. The timber for post and beams is cut on site and then the posts and beams are bolted together to form the frames.

I should have opened the pdf before commenting, sorry.

 

[bernardgreen]

All is forgiven.....