Whether you’re on an ultra-tight budget or simply want to stay in control of your spending and make the most of your hardearned cash, Mike Hardwick’s tips will help you keep your project on track

Mike Hardwick’s

This home by Border Oak (borderoak.com) features a hybrid construction of oak and softwood framing, taking advantage of the natural abilities of both. The 162m2 project was completed for £230,000 (£1,420 per m2)

Understanding the reality of what it costs to build your own home is vital if you’re to enjoy a successful project. For a few lucky people, money is not much of an obstacle and they can indulge their every whim on spectacular design, top-quality materials and every technological innovation under the sun. I don’t meet too many of them, though.

Setting a budget and sticking to it is essential if you’re to achieve the house you want at a price you can afford. In truth, most aspiring self-builders I speak to have limited funds – and they’re likely to be asking a lot of the cash they do have. Sometimes too much, in fact. Here are a few of the steps you can take to keep your spending on track.

Build cost basics

The most common question I get asked in this game is “how much does it cost to self build a new house?” Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible to answer with any accuracy. Recently I’ve taken to replying with another question: “what does it cost to buy a new car?”

The reason for this is that the variables are similar. You can buy a basic car for under £8,000 but it won’t be much to write home about. Similarly, you can build a small house using budget materials for under £1,000 per m2 but you’re not likely to see Kevin McCloud knocking on the door any time soon. It is a fact that if you want all the bells and whistles on either, it’s going to cost considerably more to buy or build. So you need to decide which parts of your project are essential and which elements are nice to have.