Self Build and Extensions Are you looking to finance your extension or other home improvements? The options are: Secured Loan – we have access to specialist lenders and can lend up to 125% of the property value to qualifying customers Remortgage – obtain the lowest monthly repayments by raising capital in a remortgage Unsecured Loan – suitable for non-homeowners and those who do not wish to secure the loan against their home. The interest rates and availability for unsecured loans is not usually as attractive as for secured loan as the risk to the lender is greater without the security of a charge over your property. Self-Build Finance is available in stage payments from the purchase of the green field site, through the various stages of building and completion Borrow up to 95% of the land and build costs Advance stage payments or arrears stage payments

It’s a dream that is shared by a lot of people, to build their own home and plan it around their needs and wishes, but it needn’t stay a dream.

It can actually be cheaper to build your own than to buy one pre-built.
Self-build provides housing that is in tune with people's specific housing requirements. The number of self-build homes has risen substantially over the past 20 years. A recent Joseph Rowntree foundation study found:

• The number of 'self-build' homes completed each year has risen from around 2,000 in 1978 to an estimated 15,000 in 1999 (8.3% of total new houses).
• The most recent market research reports that the average self-build home cost almost £150,000 in 1999, including land.
• The average South East price for a self-build plot in early 2000 was £100,000
• There is no official data on self-build and estimates of its market size currently range from 10,000 to 25,000 houses per year. The study estimates that about 15,000 homes were self-built in 1999, representing 8.3 per cent of total new houses.
• Self-build tends to be more prevalent in the less urban parts of the UK and in areas where the market for speculative house building is relatively small.
• Land-price inflation in the late 1980s and late 1990s constrained expansion in self-build. However, the growth in the self-build market has only partly been driven by changes in the wider land and housing market. Other factors were involved in the growth since 1991:
• Relatively well-off households seeking more individuality from their homes entered the self-build market.
• Financing self-build projects became more straightforward after the mid-1990s as some mortgage lenders saw there was a viable business.
• The general public was introduced to the idea of self-build by the mainstream media, a burgeoning specialist press and regular exhibitions.

Please do not be put off self-build just because this report shows that the average South East price for a self-build plot in early 2000 was £100,000. If you are on a budget but have time you can pay substantially less than £100,000 for a residential plot of land that is not as close to gaining planning permission.
In effect: 1/10 acre plot of land already with outline planning permission = £100,000.

1/10 acre plot of land that may gain outline planning permission in the short-medium term = £50,000.
1/10 acre plot of land that may gain outline planning permission in medium-long term = £15,000.

As can be seen with the above example, lack of funds to purchase a plot in the expensive South East need not be a barrier to self-build, if you are prepared to wait.
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PLOT SEARCH – The National Building Plot Register
• Details of almost 6,000 plots, conversions and renovations
• ALL verified to be genuine self-build opportunities (not green belt or investment land)
• Information gathered from more than 5,000 sources
• New plots added daily
• Entire database checked for accuracy and updated every 5 days
• Exclusive aerial image facility throughout England & Wales
• Plots by email Alert service
• No renewal fees, unlimited lifetime access
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Building an Extension - general considerations
A lot of people are waking up to the realisation that it is cheaper to extend their current home than to move. If you need extra room for that growing family needing their own space then we can help you.

Adding an extension to your house is obviously dependent on whether or not you have the available land adjacent to your property. If it is available an extension may be a more viable option compared to moving house, especially in areas where the difference in price of a house compared to the next size up is a daunting prospect. House extensions can create hassle - you may not be able to use your drive or garden for a few months. But you have the advantage that you don't need to move, and therefore, you are not dependent on selling your property and finding a new one that suits your needs - both within a time limit.

The costs involved can add up as with moving house. You will have the initial costs of using an architect to draw up the plans and submit them to the council for planning permission and building regulations approval. And, of course, the council require a fee - in fact two fees - one for planning permission and one for building regulations approval. The fees for the building are, in general, going to be the largest outgoing, though you must remember that there may be additional costs depending on the type of home extension you are planning. For example, if you are extending a room by knocking down an outside wall, you will have to pay a quantity surveyor to calculate the size of the RSJ (the beam that supports the wall above the new gap). Sometimes, plans have to change after work has started and this may involve extra costs. Builders, in general, will quote you for what they can see, quotes can change if extra work below ground is required.

There may also be costs involving your garden, e.g. landscaping afterwards if you taken up part of your garden. If you are extending the kitchen then you may need to have a new kitchen fitted. And, of course, there will be extra flooring (carpets, vinyl, wood etc), curtains and possibly new furniture.
There is a lot to think about so why don’t you let us help you.