start your project

With ongoing government support and new finance options on the way, there's never been a better time to make your dream a reality

This stunning home, built with sustainable hemp-lime insulated timber frame panels, won the Best Self Build or Renovation Project in this year's Build It Awards. Find out more in the Winners Supplement bundled with this issue

WILLIAM GODDARD

There are many great reasons to build or commission your own bespoke home. Perhaps you’re looking to downsize and future-proof in retirement, for example, or maybe gain more space for a growing family, benefit from low-carbon living or simply create a value-for-money home that oozes character and wow-factor. Self building can give you all of this and more. So, ask yourself, have you ever wanted any of the following things out of your home:

● A layout tailored to your needs

● Light-filled living spaces

● Minimal energy and maintenance bills

● Great views and a better connection to the garden

● A healthy living environment

● Wow-factor design at a price you can afford

● Somewhere that can be easily adapted over time to suit your changing needs

● Peace and quiet between storeys and rooms

● Less clutter / more storage

● A home that truly feels yours

If you said yes to any of the above, then you’re a prime candidate to join the growing ranks of people who can call themselves self builders. And there’s really nothing stopping you! In this article, we give you lowdown on what you need to know when you’re starting out on the journey to an individual home.

Can I really do this?

Yes, you can! Over 13,000 people successfully create their own homes each year, most of them with average budgets and no prior experience. What’s more, the overwhelming majority do so without any Grand Designs-style dramas along the way. It’s getting easier by the year, too. The Right to Build has enshrined self building into law, requiring local authorities to permission enough viable serviced plots to meet demand in their areas; and a whole new route to an individual home – custom build – is emerging around it. This route sees an enabling council or specialist company providing fully-serviced and prepermissioned plots, ready for you to take forward.