Self Build Guide - Information And Resources To Help You
If you are planning to build a new home, you will need advice about planning permission, hiring a contractor and planning the project. Read our Self Build Guide for Information And Resources To Help You complete your project on budget and on time.
Your Guide To Planning A New Build (cont.)
Stages of self-building:
- Arrange a mortgage in principle
- Find potential plots
- Assess development potential
- Plan budget
- Arrange the valuation of the plot
- Arrange a site survey
- Purchase site
- Arrange site insurance
- Appoint a designer
- Create your design
- Get planning permission
- Apply for water and electricity
- Prepare detailed drawings
- Obtain Building Regulations approval
- Put a contract out to tender
- Select builder/tradesmen
- Arrange warranty and insurances
9. Appoint a designer
This is an important part of the building process which will largely influence the outcome of your project. To be able to get the best, you need to do a lot of research.
One of the best ideas is to ask for recommendations from friends and family who have successfully completed such a project before. After listing down some of the designs and builders, you have to make a point of meeting them and interviewing them personally and get to know about their services especially in terms of quotation.
10. Create your design
Choosing your own design is based on the budget that you have to complete the project. The best thing about a self-build project is that you will always get the best in terms of size compared to the standard developer home. There are factors that will affect the budget, but the general view is that you will always get the best for your budget.
Doing research on the designs available will give you an idea on the best one to fit your budget. One of the best places to search for design ideas is on the internet where you can also get reviews from people. This will help you to utilise your budget to bring out a project that will bring fulfilment.
11. Get planning permission
Getting planning permission can be done when you are buying the plot. It can also be done before purchasing or after purchasing the land. There are cases where some agreements incur charges. This is a process that one needs to be careful with because there are some cases of a scam such as land banking schemes and advertisements that will ultimately fail to get planning permission.
It is good to seek advice from the Local Planning Authority (LPA) prior to the application process. This will help you understand any restrictions on the land that may prevent development.
If you are familiar with the planning process, you can check this on the LPA website. If you are not familiar with the planning process, it is advisable to visit LPA personally.
12. Apply for water and electricity
The best time to do this is after you have acquired the plot and have the planning permission. Applying for water and electricity is a necessity regardless of your home design. You need to organise connection to the necessary services which includes supplies of water, electricity, telephone and broadband. You will also need a connection to sewage and gas if they are available.
Electricity and water connection will also be helpful in many other areas during the construction like powering tools, as well as lighting rigs.
13. Prepare detailed drawings
The first step requires you to appoint the architect whom you feel will deliver the perfect plan. Then conclude how you will work together to get the desired results for what you are looking for.
Before you begin, it can be helpful to get ideas from various sources such as online or magazines and share them with your architect. You could also ask for help from other people for inspirations of what to incorporate in the design. Although the architect is a design professional, your input will invaluably guide them to come up with a plan that entirely suits your needs.
14. Building regulation approval
The Building Regulations imposes guidelines which the building or structure must comply with to avoid future altercations with the law. There are various documents to present before construction commences. You can do it online or visit your local planning authority.
Once you have communicated with the council, you will be provided with some documents to fill in your building details. They will also guide you to the right place to drop the filled documents.
Note that the council usually charges a fixed fee for each application, therefore it is crucial that you allow flexibility in your budget to accommodate for this.
15. Put a contract out to tender
While the architect can design a bespoke, tailored space designed to fulfil your every need, you also ensure that it can be realised within a reasonable budget- more importantly, you need to ensure that it can be realised within your budget.
This is crucial for people who are working with a strict budget since it will be easier for you to get a person willing to work within your budget or even slightly lower than your budget based on your negotiations.
On your tender documents, make sure to list down what you need from the architect. This includes the specifications, drawings, project schedule, survey reports, and any other documents that the bidders may require for the most accurate bid.
16. Appoint a builder
From all the tender bids, you will be able to choose the best person to work with based on their profiles and qualifications. Some of the details to check when selecting the builder include their existing portfolio, years of experience, specialisms, and any professional qualifications.
Before committing into a contract, make sure to check their professional memberships to see if it is legitimate and valid. How do you know if the company is registered without requesting for their documents? Check with the Chartered Building Companies. This is the body which represents the professional building companies in the UK.
17. Arrange warranty and insurance
These are the other two documents that you must check on before hiring a building company. You need a company that assures you of quality services and therefore, make sure the company you choose offers a warranty.
Insurance is crucial for catering for the damages and accidents that may occur when the builders are on site. An excellent and professional company should have at least ten years warranty.
Are you planning a new home build in Cannock, Stoke on Trent or Staffordshire? Contact our building contractors today to discuss your project.