How to Design Your Own House

More and more Britons are taking on the daunting project that is building your own home. Soaring house prices, the lack of individuality in many modern buildings and the popularity of TV programmes such as Grand Designs have all driven the trend.

You can save money if you build yourself, but you must be prepared for a long and stressful process. You have to find and buy your plot, often beating established house builders and developers in the race, negotiate planning departments and find an architect you trust.

The size, shape and aspect of your plot should determine your design. Don’t assume your plot will be flat, or square. Inner city plots are often sloping or triangular in shape. Don’t let this put you off – oddly-shaped plots can be the inspiration for good design.

You will need planning permission from your local planning department. Contrary to popular myth, planners are not the enemy and you need to get them on side as soon as possible in the process. They are committed to buildings that enhance the local area.

Your budget should influence your every design decision. You cannot have everything you want. A simple rule is that if you want to build cheap, build simple.

The next fundamental decision is who should design the house. The golden rule: it shouldn’t be you.

The first option is to employ an architect with experience in one-off house building projects. They can come up with plans and supervise the build. They are usually paid a percentage of the build cost, between 5 and 12 per cent. Visit the RIBA website at http://www.architecture.com to find one in your area.

The second option is to use a designer who for one reason or another is not entitled to be called an architect, (a term protected by law) often because they haven’t got the appropriate qualifications. They can produce attractive plans based on your ideas. Some builders and structural engineers can do the same thing, and may well be cheaper than an architect.

The last option is to buy a package or frame house from a package company. Potton, the most popular timber frame supplier, has a set of standard plans that can be adjusted to suit your needs. In fact, they claim never to have built the same house twice. Many of these companies have talented in-house designers who are used to the needs of self-builders.

Expect to pay a fixed fee for a set of designs from between £1,000 to £3,000.

http://www.potton.co.uk
http://www.designandmaterials.uk.com
RIBA – http://www.architecture.com