Getting finance for your self-build project

1. You must provide some security The home you are building covers much of this (although half-finished work has a pretty depressed value). Generally the loan is structured so that the lender provides around 95% of finished value. In practice, this means you pay for 5% of the land cost […]

Creating a successful management plan for your self-build project

There are two purposes for creating this plan: It will clarify things for you It will convince others – including your financiers – that you know what you are doing Your project plan should cover the following key points: State the objectives of the scheme, including your profit targets, the […]

Self-build – foundation slabs and groundwork

Strip or trenchfill – a 600mm wide perimeter of concrete around the base of the property a metre or so underground. Raft – A slab of concrete sitting on the ground and knitted together with embedded steel. Piles – Posts cut very deep and filled with steel and concrete. The […]

Understanding renovation and refurbishment costs

If you are buying the property in Knightsbridge, London you have to refurbish according to the value of the property. If you are buying a small terrace cottage in an ex-industrial district, you will want to spend much, much less. As a rule of thumb, look to spend a maximum […]

What can you expect from a builder – a good one that is

You can expect a builder – who is a member of the Builders Guild (or alternatively the Federation of Master Builders) to live up to their Code of Conduct. If they fail to do so, there is a prepared process of managing the dispute. This Code of Conduct is not […]