Self building represents your chance to create a value-for-money home that’s perfectly tailored to your household’s needs, in a location that works for you. If you’re at the start of your journey, your biggest concern might be whether you have the practical skills to realise a scheme like this. But the truth is, the secret to success lies in the very early stages of your project. If you can find a good plot and get the design right, then you’re probably at least half-way there.
Over the course of designing Build It’s Self Build Education House, a couple of things have stood out. Firstly, communication is key. You need to have a good rapport with an architectural team that understands what you do and don’t want from your new home. And that principle stretches to all the other parties involved in getting your scheme realised – from the structural engineers to planners, surveyors and suppliers whose input will shape the design. As the process evolves and you finesse the initial drawings, you’ll also quickly find that the devil is in the detail. The technical phase can be intensive, but stick with it and keep maintaining those communication channels, and you’ll reap the rewards. Here’s how the plans for the Build It Education House developed.
Setting the brief