How would I go about building a house?

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I have seen my absolute dream home. I don't hanker after a huge property with land, I want something small but perfectly formed, modern and finished to a high spec. Also detached with a view.

This doest seem to exist, luxury comes in huge executive homes or flats, not three bed detached with a courtyard garden in a beautiful location.

But I've seen it, I've found it. The only trouble is it's in the wrong place by about three hundred miles!

So as a complete novice, is building it ourselves a realistic prospect? Obviously we'd employ people to do the work but where to start? I don't even know how to go about finding a plot! Are there people who would do that for us?

Finding land is the most difficult part. You could call agents and register, try plotfinder, auction houses, self build magazine.

Look at a company called Potton for information - may not be your style but its a great place to get all the info.

Buildstore is a one stop shop, they also do exhibitions around the country

Selfbuild exhibition store in Swindon

How would you be funding it OP? We’ve just begun this process ourselves, and roughly it is:

1. Find and buy the plot. Generally you’ll need to have the funds to do this outright, but there are some lenders who will lend for land.
2. Find architect and have designs drawn up. When finalised, submit for planning.
3. If mortgaging the build, find a lender.
4. Find a builder, ideally through putting your design out to tender.
5. Build!

Buildstore has some great info on their site too.

We only want a tiny plot so can probably pay cash for that. Our current large four bed is mortgage free so we can borrow against that (I think) for the build costs.

Homebuilding and Renovation magazine, they also do a show a couple of times a year, I am sure Harrogate, London maybe Birmingham.

You need to factor in utilities if buying plot and access. All those things massively add up fast.

A lot of people buy bungalows that are on large plots and demolish house to rebuild.

Don't underestimate the cost of land. Plots that have pp already are expensive. No pp and it will be cheaper, but then there is no guarantee you can actually build on it.

We'd have the cash to buy a big standard three bed outright so surely that would be enough for a small plot? I think the challenge will be finding a plot that's small enough, as I really don't want loads of land. Otoh I don't want to be right on top of neighbours! I think it's possible I am still looking for something that doesn't exist!

You can get self-build mortgages, where cash is given periodically during the building process. It's getting the land and planning permission that's the issue, and a lot of viable plots are via auction, we've lost out on a few that went double or triple the guide price due to developers. If you don't want rural, buying garages in city centres then demolishing to build is often done, we've also been looking at doing this. Or divided garden plots. You can apply for planning permission on land you don't own to see if your plans would be approved too, better than buying a plot and discovering you won't get approved. You'll need an architect to do plans for you to do this though.

I think a divided garden plot is probably what we need, are there firms that hunt these out?

Cost of land can vary hugely. If it's in a desirable location obvs will be high and higher if pp is already approved.

You legally have to have at least 1 meter either side of a property to neighbour anyway, but assume you want enough land to actually encircle a house? Sounds as though you are looking at about acre if you want that.

Another option is to look at properties with the right sized plot in the area you want that are in need of total renovation. Sound out planning dept about possibility of dropping the current house and rebuilding. This can be cheaper than a plot alone and there are some truly awful 60/70's houses that the planners would be glad to see the back of.

See if you can find a small tired property in the right place. Knock it down and start again.