Has anyone ever built their own house?

[Polgara2]

Thats it really!! Sounds very scary to me. Thing is we have a buyer for our house - thats the good bit - the bad bit is we have nowhere to move to!! Can't find anything. There were a few houses we'd earmarked to look at when we sold but they have all sold JUST BEFORE us. So do we lower our expectations because we don't want to lose our buyer, hold out for exactly what/where we want OR......... buy the piece of land thats for sale in the right area and build on it ???? Aarrgh other people build houses not me!!

my brother has, twice. And made a hefty profit each time. He is a builder though. There have been a few self-build threads before, hang on will try and find them.

/link{http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=1375&threadid=106046\here}

here

ooh thanks gingerbear will have a look. Bit worried that it only works if you're a builder yourself and know what you're doing - which we definitely don't!

We really want to, we want to go for a log cabin kit type one, not bricks. Wish we could find cheap land near by but not much chance of that. I would happily live in a static (or 2) until we can afford to build but buying the land will be hard enough. Good luck.

SS - what sort of price would a log cabin kit type one be then? And is it any easier to build?

If you are going to then try talking to a project manager - they can usually sort out builders and maybe have contacts with architects etc to help with the planning process. You pay quite a bit for a project manager - but if you are completely new to it and are only going to do it once then worth it probably.

Where would you live in the meantime - would assume min of 18 months to get through design, planning and building.

I Really Really want to......Really really

Just need some money

WE are in the process of hasving a house built at the moment.

We are very lucky in that DP parents have a lardge garden with separate garages. They bought some extra land from the person next door and have given us the land to build on.

We has an architect design it for us and he submitted the plans to the council. He also got quotes from about 4 builders and DP than chose the best one.

It took us about 2 years to finally get planning permission from the local council, but building work actually started on 5th September this year and we have been given a completion date of 1st March.

It is so exciting that every time I go over to my inlaws I just have to go and see how thework is going. They have built the outside walls to the top of the ground floor and are about to start on the first floor.

we have the plans and building regs etc but are trying to find a builder to do it within /near our budget

For log cabins it really depends what type and size you go for. Some truly are like kits and the basic componants can be put together over a week. Some can go on pad foundations or piles which are a bit less work than the traditional trenches.

We will probably do a lot of prep ourselves and dig trenches and stuff for services I would get experts to do the foudations what ever type. If we go for a simple 1 story kit then I think my DH, BIL and FIL could do most of the work, (FIL is a joiner). He can also do the electrics,drainage and other 1st and 2 fix stuff.

You get them from £20,000 up wards.
I like these and {http://www.premierlogcabins.co.uk/selection.php4?priceAbove=17800&priceBelow=50650&floorSpaceAbove=&floorSpaceBelow=&floors=1&bedrooms=4&submit.x=77&submit.y=9\these with prices}

Oops these with prices

If you have a wood burning stove - you don't even need a chimney