Ask the experts

Essential advice on your problems with building, budgeting, DIY & planning from the most experienced names in the self build industry

PLANNING

Mike Dade is a land and planning specialist. He is a contributing editor of Build It, a plot hunting expert and author of books on planning and plot issues. He is one half of Speer Dade consultants (www.speerdade.co.uk).

CLADDING

Tom Barnes is the managing director and owner of Vastern Timber. He has many years’ experience of advising users of timber cladding and has recently overseen the launch of Brimstone, the first range of thermally modified British hardwoods.

SUSTAINABILITY

Nigel Griffiths is director of the Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance (www.stbauk.org) and a consultant working mainly on energy efficiency policy and evaluation. He is the author of the Haynes Eco House Manual.

CONSERVATION

Alan Tierney is a historic building consultant and conservation specialist. He runs Picketts Historic Building Conservation (www.pickettsconservation.co.uk), which offers hands-on advice to period property owners.

BUDGETING

Tim Doherty was the founding MD of the National Self Build & Renovation Centre and a founding member of NaCSBA. He runs Dobanti Property Consultants (www.dobanti.com), a specialist surveying & building consultancy for the residential and commercial sectors, including project management and custom build solutions.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Mike Hardwick is a self build consultant, project management specialist and NaCSBA’s self build representative. He has first hand experience of the processes involved and helps to deliver a three-day course at Swindon’s National Self Build and Renovation Centre (www.nsbrc.co.uk).

DESIGN

Opinder Liddar is a director at Lapd Architects (www.lapdarchitects.co.uk). The practice specialises in residential projects from extensions to new builds, making him the ideal person to answer all your home design questions.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Will I have to pay capital gains tax?

My neighbour and I had a small plot left over from the sale of a house in 2006. Due to planning issues and objections from English Nature, my ambition to build on it went on the back burner for nine years. When planning policy changed, we applied for permission once again, which was granted. I then bought her half for £80,000 and now aim to embark on a project that will cost approximately £200,000.