Building your own house

[huskygirl]

DH is considering doing this, does anyone have any experience on the matter they can share with us (good or bad). We will be living with his parents whilst its being done but were just wondering if anyone also has any useful links as to where we can research it.

We are hoping to do this in the future.There are a couple of very helpful magazines,one of which is called Build It.They may have a website too.I know one of them does,but can't remember which.

The hardest bit seems to be finding a plot of land with planning permission,but the magazines list available plots by county.

Good luck!

great, thanks mirage, we'll try and find that site then. bit stumped as to where to even start so hopefully that'll help!

we are thinking of this too and dh found a web site called skye homes, can't do links

Built it has a website
Homebuilding & renovating is another mag

The main problem is finding a site - but you can build if you buy a crappy house and demolish it - called bungalow eating (or something)
Are you going to do a conventional build, kit home or eco build?

hi katiemac, we literally have no idea yet, we have just sold our house and moved in with the inlaws and dh has only just said that he'd like to look into it. Whats an eco build?

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Which part of the country are you wanting to build in? And what sort of house? We are building in our back yard (v small) have the planning permission and now going on to the next stage of Party Wall Act I expect you are looking in the country?

in derbyshire lemonice, we need a fair bit of land for our 3 very energetic dogs. We are finding it hard to find anywehere to look for land. As KatieMac mentioned we might have to go for a demolision. I love Grand Designs too Pruni but my favourite has got to be Extreme Makeover Home Edition! The stuff dreams are made of!!

I imagine that part of the country is quite difficult to find a plot - the most plots seem to be in Wales.

Once we've built ours and finished work on the house we live in we want to move to country but can't decide where hence have been looking at all options.

You could try looking at successful planning applications in the areas you like and approaching the owners of any possible plots. Not everyone intends to build themselves and sell on once they have the permission

oh right, that sounds like a good idea, see all this kind of stuff we still have to learn about. its all very complex for my little brain!! we'd love to go to wales too though, north. how long have you been going on your project?

We bought the house 5 years ago! It had been in the same hands for 50 years and needed everything doing to it and dp has done most of the work himself and it has taken far too long. But we started on the little house in bakyard project last June, looking for an architect and then had a measured survey of the plot, plans drawn and submitted in October, neighbour objected (who isn't actually a neighbour but long story bought a similar back yard plot next door and built on it over the last year) and ecided she didn't want us to build. Anyway we got permission in March and then weren't sure what to do next but rang a builder who recommended another architect to do Building Regulation drawings (as architect a didn't go beyond initial planning stage) So this week we have the Party Wall surveyor coming so we are not very far on, but hope to be all finished by Christmas. Fingers crossed.

I have started looking around for somewhere to move to, was initially thinking Portugal and then France, then Dorset and most recently South West Wales which has a lot of smallholdings on the market. And is an area that I've always known very well as is our ancestral seat!

I'll be interested to follow this thread & see how you all get on.We are moving shortly & if everything goes to plan,our next property after this will be a self build/conversion.I come from a farming family & am hoping that we can buy some land which is currently covered by grain stores ect & that the family own-but that will be a long way into the future I think.

I'd love to
I'd have....
Heat pump with under floor heating on both floors
Solar panels for hot water in the summer and a wood burner with a back burner for winter - witha heat exchanger in the chimney
a larder outside the house insulation
a utility/wet room for outside shoes/coats etc
triple glazing (argon filled)

(I can't remember all my wish list - but I'll update when I do)