Top five self-build mistakes revealed

Tuesday, 21 November 2006 12:00 AM

If you are considering taking on the ultimate piece of do-it-yourself and building your own home, then there is a lot to think about at every stage of the project.

With this in mind, the experts at Homebuilding & Renovating magazine have used their expertise to come up with the top five most common self-build mistakes.

1 - Paying up front
Paying builders in advance is almost guaranteed to lead to problems. If a builder does not trust you enough to start work without up-front cash, you probably should not trust them.

Why you should not do it:

• It puts the builders, not you in the driving seat
  
• Payment is a builder's main incentive to turn up
  
• If things go wrong, you could end up paying twice

One exception to the rule is buying expensive items such as boilers, which if you can pay for in your own name you should, but otherwise this is a risk you may have to take.

2 - Going over budget
Going over budget can be disastrous, so it is vital to leave a contingency sum. Another tip is to make sure your budget is as detailed as possible and also has a cash flow element.

What to bear in mind when budgeting

• Costs are easily underestimated, through ignorance or naivety, by both contractors and self-builders
  
• Groundworks/foundations can have unpredictable costs, but everything else should be easy to budget for
  
• Finding out other people's build costs can be an excellent guide, but if you do not have access to this kind of information you can look at Homebuilding & Renovating's monthly beginner's guide.

3 - Dismissing difficult plots
Rejecting a plot because it looks overgrown, has uneven boundaries and slopes can be a big mistake - the most difficult sites can result in the most exciting and interesting builds.

What to remember when looking at plots

• Once cleared and levelled, sites can look larger and more appealing
  
• Almost any slope or ground condition can be overcome - at a price
  
• Think about the things that you cannot change, like location, neighbouring properties and views over slope and ground conditions.

4 - Making false economies
Do not cut corners on the fundamentals of your build such as bricks, roof tiles, windows because you want hi-spec cosmetic finishes - these can be saved until later. Another common mistake is cut back on labour costs. High quality workmanship leads to a higher value property.

5 - Choosing the cheapest 'fixed' quote
Getting at least three quotes for building work is recommended, but how do you choose? If one quote is significantly less than the others, it is probably best to discount it. Such quotes typically mean the builder is likely to have missed out key costs in their pricing, which will surface later, and could send your build over budget.

For more self-building tips see www.homebuilding.co.uk

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• uk property news