There is a lot to consider with a self build project from the early initial research, through to the all important design decisions, to overseeing works to achieve completion.
Beginnings
Once you have decided that a self build is the right option for you, making the necessary enquiries for obtaining a plot of land is essential. Without the plot of land, you have nothing to build on. There are many different resources to look for land that is for sale, either as land designated for housing without planning permission in place, or land that has already been granted planning approval.
Agreeing finances
During land searches it is a good idea to start thinking about your budget and how the project will be financed. There are options for specific self build and/or development finance, or you may be financing from a sale of another property or assets. Getting an agreement in principle can help give peace of mind that a lender is willing to provide the funds for the project.
The search for a plot of land
The search for land may be time consuming, especially if you are really holding out for the perfect plot in a small radius of your chosen search area. A suitable plot may go on sale in a location that you had not previously considered, so there may be compromises as the plot that fits all your requirements may not exist. Using unconventional means to search, could lead you to discover a developable plot that is not listed on the open market.
Viewing the plot and purchasing the land
When viewing potential plots, it is a good idea to fully appraise the site. We are able to accompany you on a site visit and advise on factors which will impact development, as well as areas which will support and make development viable.
Prior to purchase, the potential plot should be valued and a site survey or site investigation carried out. Once you have legally completed on your chosen plot or even a replacement dwelling, the necessary insurances should be in place.
Design team selection
If you have already engaged your design team then design work may already have commenced in the form of basic layouts and feasibility appraisals, if not then choosing the design team at this point would be a good idea.
Consultants and specialists that can be involved with a self build project:
- Aboriculturalist
- Architect / Architectural Technologist / Architectural designer
- Build system supplier
- Builder / Contractor
- Ecologist
- Interior designer
- Land surveyor
- Landscape designer
- Planning consultant
- Renewables installer
- Structural engineer
Set out planning and designing your new home
Engage with your Architectural designer to produce concept plans and design schemes to set out the basic principles of your brief. Maybe various options are explored, or maybe you know exactly what you want and the options are limited and the Architectural designer produces a suitable plan first time. Either way, this is the time to plan out each space and think about how it would be to live there, think about the building in use, in operation.
Design considerations
To set out the main footprint, all the site constraints will need to be thought through. Examples of typical site constraints:
- Conservation area
- Covenants and easements
- Entrance locations and types
- Existing buildings
- Existing circulation routes within the site
- Flood risk assessment
- Geographic location
- Hedges and trees on site?
- Legal restrictions
- Listing Building
- Neighbouring buildings
- Noise levels
- Pedestrian access near or across the site
- Previous planning permissions and applications
- Private access routes near or across the site
- Public and private access route near or across the site
- Rights of way
- Rights to light
- Services and utilities
- Site boundary
- Site security
- Site use history
- Solar studies: Sun paths, solar gain and shading
- SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest)
- Topography: Levels, gradients, key features/restrictions, exposure
- Tree preservation orders [TPO’s]?
- Vehicle access to the site
- Wind studies: Prevailing direction, exposure and shelter
Assessing the implications of the site constraints will highlight various aspects which can inform the design. With these in mind, design point considerations can be fed into the overall plan. Some questions that may already have been answered but should be addressed so that the design team can set about producing a scheme that closely matches your brief:
- How many people will be living in the house?
- How many bedrooms do you require?
- How many bathrooms do you require?
- Do you have any sustainability goals?
- Would you like to build to an energy design standard such as Passivhaus?
- Do you want open plan living spaces?
- Do you work from home, or wish to have a dedicated office space for working or studying?
- Are there to be renewable technologies installed, such as Photovoltaic panels, battery storage, Solar hot water, Heat Pumps?
- What storage needs do you have?
- Do you need a garage to park a car in?
- Do you do lots of cooking? If so, maybe a good sized kitchen is part of the plans.
- Do you like to entertain? If so, maybe allow for open plan spaces where people can relax and dine.
- Do you enjoy spending time in the garden? If so, maybe plan good access from the house to the garden, allowing for patioed areas for seating to enjoy the outside space.
- What materials do you like, is there a desire to match local architecture?
- Do the site constraints affect how many stories can be provided?
- Are there any level changes on the site, and how will this be dealt with?
- Are there any nice views that means spaces should be designed to maximise the outlook to these views by utilising larger windows, doors or balconies in these areas.
- Access to site for construction – will there be any obstacles or restrictions that could affect the construction process?
- Consider how does the site drainage work, is there access to mains drainage or will waste need to be treated on site?
- Do wayleaves and easements affect the position and layout?
There is a lot to consider, however, all the necessary questions and design points can be addressed during key design meetings.
Apply for planning permission
After you have agreed and preferably ‘frozen’ and finalised the design, concept designs can be formalised into embellished design documentation in the form of:
- Floor plans
- Elevations
- 3D Views
- Street scenes
- Sections
- Site sections
- Site plans
- Roof plans
- Access strategy layouts
- Landscaping layouts
- Solar/shading studies
- Design and access statements
- Phasing plans
- Material palettes
- Initial energy assessments, or preliminary and iterative design if opting for Passivhaus
Reports and surveys that may be required to support the planning application:
- Ecology survey and report
- Arboricultural survey and report
- Bat survey and report
- Topographical survey and plan
- Site investigation and soil tests
- Flood risk assessment
- Environmental impact assessment
- Heritage impact assessment
- Noise impact assessment
An outline planning application will require less information to be provided at the planning submission stage, however, any information that has not been presented will be required once and if the outline application is approved. The outstanding information will be conditioned within the approval, and those conditions will need to be cleared either prior to commencement, prior to completion or prior to occupation.
Addressing the conditions by providing the required information to the local authority is what’s known as ‘reserved matters’. After the successful condition approvals from discharging, the conditions will allow development to commence.
Building regulations
Although the granting of planning permission with conditions cleared, or at least pre commencement conditions, allows development to take place, no construction works should take place until the initial notice has been accepted from the local authority. The building control approved inspector will obtain an initial notice acceptance from the local authority after which the building regulations application is submitted. Following receipt of the initial notice acceptance letter, it is advised to allow 5 workings days prior to works commencing on site.
Building control will be required to check and approve technical design information and ensure the project is in compliance with the building regulations. The building regulations are a legal requirement and cover many areas of construction that are called ‘Parts’. The various Parts set out performance and technical requirements and the extent of what is applicable depends on the type and size of the project. Areas such as structure, fire safety, resistance to sound, ventilation, drainage and waste disposal, conservation of fuel and power, access and overheating are covered.
The design team’s clear set of technical design documentation will enable building control to assess the project according to building regulations. Documentation may include:
- 3D Views
- Access strategy layouts
- Building energy specifications
- Construction details
- Drainage layouts
- Elevations – dimensioned and annotated
- Excessive glazing calculations
- External works layout
- Fire strategy layouts
- Floor plans – dimensioned and annotated
- Mechanical and electrical layouts and specifications
- Overheating calculations
- Roof plans
- SAP calculations
- Sections – dimensioned and annotated
- Site plans
- Site sections
- Specifications
- Structural design and calculations
- Thermal modelling or detailed PHPP modelling if opting for Passivhaus
During or prior to this stage it would be wise to apply for the necessary utilities and services to be installed where applicable. Another consideration would be to make enquiries for a temporary building supply.
Once building control has reviewed the plans and they are accepted, you can expect a building control inspector to attend site to inspect the works at various stages in the build.
The stages when a building control inspector visits site depends on the type and size of the project but typically:
- Excavation for foundations
- Foundation reinforcement
- Concrete foundations
- Oversite – floor slab preparation and/or floor insulation
- Damp proof course
- Drains installed and ready for inspection
- Drains backfilled and prepared for testing
- Floor Joists fixed
- Roof structure fixed
- Structural beams and posts prior to covering up
- Pre-plaster/insulation
- Occupation of the building
- Final completion
Detailed technical information
Design documentation is largely covered by building regulations, however there can be additional technical information that will address the technical requirements in more detail, and will provide the builder or contractor with clearer, specific documentation to provide a more accurate price. Items that can typically form a technical or tender pack will be:
- Door schedules
- Window schedules
- Ventilation schedules
- Schedule of works
- Programme of works
- Ironmongery schedules
- Party wall agreements including any technical information in relation to party wall matters
- Mechanical and electrical layouts
- Bills of quantities
- Cost estimates
- The building contract
- Statutory approvals
- Designs of renewable equipment and services
- Health and safety requirements
- Supplier and specialist design information
Establishing a price
If going through the formal tender route or even an informal pricing route, once the final prices have been received by builders or contractors, the first thing to do would be to review the costs and compare them. It will be likely that some elements of work are lumped together by one company, and another company may keep the prices of certain works split. There will be differences in the total prices, which is understandable given that each company will have their own way of pricing, their preferred suppliers, alternative methods, different subcontractors etc.
Without the experience and the industry knowledge, it can be difficult to compare prices between different contractors and builders as they will all have their own unique way of setting out their quotes. A formal tender process and tender analysis can be carried out to establish the differences between tenders and giving cost assurance.
So that costs can be accurately compared it is best to ensure that everything, as stipulated in the technical documents and contract, has been allowed for. Firming up details prior to entering a contract should help minimise the amount of variations as the project progresses. Preferably include or exclude certain parts of the work from the contract prior to agreement, although this cannot always be achieved if during construction stages there may be things that come to light which means an amendment is needed.
Appointing the builder
Once the builder or contractor is appointed a pre start meeting is particularly useful. This can include you, the builder and the design team to discuss the design, the stages, parts of the contract and dates.
Commencing building works
Most building project will follow a typical pattern of programmed works.
- Site clearing and preparation
- Install site accommodation and provision of health and safety facilities, equipment and notices
- Setup designated areas for construction, preparation and storage
- Connect water to mains supply
- Excavate for foundations
- Setup reinforcement for specifically designed foundations or ground floor slabs
- Prepare area for scaffolding
- Pour concrete footings
- Where masonry substructure is required as part of the design, brickworker to build up to damp proof course
- Where required install substructure components such as telescopic underfloor vents etc.
- Lay pipework for drainage
- Construct ground floor based on Architect and structural engineer’s design. Ground floor constructions can vary. They can be ground bearing concrete slabs, beam and block flooring, suspended timber and many other different types that can arise from build system suppliers or other innovative construction techniques
- Build superstructure: walls, intermediate floors, beams, columns and posts
- Build superstructure: Roof structure, rafters, purlins, beams and posts
- Complete superstructure up to roof level where required by design
- Cover roof structure according to design
- First fix exterior carpentry and drainage items
- First fix interior carpentry, plumbing and electrics
- Staircase fitted
- Plaster boarding walls and ceilings
- Plastering
- Second fix carpentry, plumbing and electrics
- Decorating
- Landscaping and finishing off external works
- Clean and clearance
- Snagging
- Address snags
- Pre completion testing: air test, electrical certification, energy performance certificates, heating installation compliance certificates
- Building control sign off
- CML certificate and Warranty in place
- Alter cover of insurance policy to homeowner instead of empty building, self build or house under construction policy
- Move in
- Furniture and fittings
- Live and enjoy!
Get your self build ducks in a row
With any project it’s all about having ‘your ducks in a row’ so when it’s time to commence a particular stage, you have already completed your homework and have made key decisions which leaves you ready to handle any curve balls as the project progresses. Ensure you have selected your design team, have finance in place and ideas on the style of house you’re looking to build. What energy efficiency measures are going to be implemented? Who will build it? When you would like to start building? And so on. Accounting for as much as possible ahead of time can save you time and money.
