Diary Of A Self Builder 2

Mayflower Mortgage and Finance works with self builders at the very earliest stage of their project, through to completion , helping them get the right financial product for their needs. We asked Ben Taylor who’s the MD of Build Manager LTD how his own Self Build went and for any top tips for others doing the same. He was even kind enough to share his full cost and we’ve attached the file at the bottom of the article.

Build Manager is a company that teaches self builders how to manage their own building projects - develop skills and knowledge. You can visit their website on www.build-manager.co.uk

Ben tell us about your project ?

We had been looking to move house for a while as our 3 young kids were growing up and although we liked our current home we were running out of space. We couldn't find anything a) suitable or b) within budget in our current village, fortunately there were some self build plots available in our existing village so we took a look into the viability of building one. We had initially assumed we couldn't afford to build one as we didn't have the savings to purchase a plot but a bit of research revealed we could get a deposit together and use a self build mortgage for the rest. Fast forward a couple of years and we have a 6 bedroom detached house designed for our family needs in a great location.

What advice can you give about engaging with professional services?

The best advice I can give is to use referrals, you don't know what you're getting until it's too late most of the time so if someone can vouch for a company then go with them. Solicitors are painfully slow during the land purchase stage! and they are only interested in legal compliance - they won't be concerned with potential issues that may cost you a fortune when you come to build it - for example mains services, difficult access, contamination or poor ground conditions.

Also don't be led into design features by an architect that you haven't asked for, anything non-standard comes at a premium, have a good think about your design brief and stick to it. 

What 5 top tips would you give to any self builder that you wish you had been

 1. When applying for mortgages include a healthy contingency in the amount your requesting - you should aim to get an agreement in principle for a sum of money that gives you as much flexibility as possible - you don't have to draw all the funds down but if you run out it will cause massive delays/problems/stress

2. Be prepared for the build to take over your life - lots of compromises on your time will need to be made.

3. Get good advice (Register with Build Manager!), speak to people who have gone through the self build process or are currently going through it (preferably slightly ahead of you) The facebook groups can be a good source of encouragement and support but for genuine advice be careful - anyone can claim to be an expert.

4. Don't rush to start on site - get your design, costs and supply chain in order before you start, time spent planning will pay dividends.

5. Celebrate the little wins - it can be very stressful and will feel like you have a mountain to climb and are making loads of mistakes but your working your way towards your dream home

Were you able to do any work yourselves?

Yes, we did more than we originally planned to keep the project on track and within budget - most of the joinery, decoration, drainage, guttering and all the loose ends that fall in-between what certain trades do - all the cleaning up on site, last minute material runs and we also supplied a lot of the materials which was a headache but saved us £1000's

How long has the process taken?

6 months planning / land acquisition then 15 months to build.

Would you do it again?

Absolutely - but not anytime soon (Rest is needed!)

What would you change about the build ?

We would have designed more storage (Everyone says it, we ignored it!) and wish we had put a date stone in, possibly a few more bespoke features such as feature lighting. Otherwise extremely happy! 

Ben’s Self Build Stats

It’s worth noting that Ben is an industry professional who manages costs on projects for a living and a lot of works we’re completed by himself. The figures in the attachment should not be used to formulate a budget they are for guidance only demonstrating the potential advantages of self managing and  completing elements of work yourself. Mayflower mortgage and finance help fund hundreds of self builds a year and our average clients price per square meter is £2097 for construction only.

Ben used the same processes and templates used by quantity surveyors. The fact Ben’s scheme did not go over budget during a time of extreme price rises demonstrates that self build's are not destined to go over budget if managed correctly with a little guidance along the way. This is exactly what Ben’s Business Build Manager Does.

OVERVIEW

Start date: May 2021 (Just in time for the crazy material price rises!)

Finish date: Aug 2022

Procurement route: Self managed using sub-contractors

Location: Lincolnshire

Funding: £100k deposit and the rest via an advance payment self build mortgage.

Total Floor Area: 357m2

All in cost/m2 £1295

Build cost/m2 £909

Build Manager  are also attempting to combine the collective spending power of self builder. They have set up preferential terms with the builders merchant MKM, after your registration n the eir website  you will have access to these 'build manager' terms via your own MKM account. https://build-manager.co.uk/

You can follow Ben’s progress on the finishing touches on instagram @taylorselfbuild and Build Managers other Director Matthews journey, who is also building a house @thejonesbuild