10 Self build project management expert James Bryden takes a look at the top reasons why your build cost quotes are coming in more pricey than you’d like

An amazing home design with lots of complex features, such as cantilevered roofs and a swim-up pool, might look striking on paper, but does it fit to your budget?

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Yyou’ve achieved planning permission for the home of your dreams, but the tenders are just way over budget. What do you do? Do you try and find more builders to bid? Or do you go back to the drawing board and attempt another design?

The first step is to understand why they’ve come in too high, as there could be a myriad of reasons. Here, I’m looking at the main factors that could be impacting on your quotes – and what you can do about it.

1 The design is beyond your budget

It is essential to use an architect or professional home designer who fully understands your aims and budget. Sadly, we often come across clients who have plans that they cannot afford. While it is worth remembering that an architect’s skill and passion is in design, sometimes they get carried away with creating something that will look beautiful and be functionally perfect, but it exceeds your budget. If this is the case, then the designs that you have paid for will need to be changed, incurring further costs. The best solution is to avoid this in the first place by working with an architect who builds regular cost-checks into the pre-planning design process.