Hi Twilkins,

Not everybody uses an architect for their scheme, but the skills they (and indeed other house designers) can bring to a project in terms of tailoring a design to the plot and accommodating planning considerations shouldn’t be underestimated.

That said, many self builders have successfully used off-the-shelf designs for their schemes. Usually you’re able to have these tweaked to your requirements by the supplier (eg cladding materials, room layouts, etc) to suit both your tastes and the demands of the plot. For example, an off-the-shelf scheme may not quite deliver on elements such as maintaining neighbours’ privacy.

A good first port of call would be to discuss with the supplier what kind of design service they’re able to offer and how they tend to approach the design, planning and building of their projects. Usually they’ll have an in-house architectural team who can be reasonably cost-effective (the company makes most of their money from supplying the frame; which you’re obliged to take if you decide to use their design). Alternatively they may have external architects/designers who they recommend. Ultimately you want to be able to present a design to the planners that has a good chance of securing consent.

See https://www.self-build.co.uk/choosing-designer-your-self-build for more on choosing a designer

It may also be worth taking along the off-the-shelf design to a pre-application meeting with your local authority. This will give you the chance to discuss your hopes for the plot, why you like the design and how you think it will fit in with the surrounding homes and landscape. This should give you pointers on whether they’ll accept some form of development on the site and what elements of the design might need to be tweaked before you submit a full planning application.

See https://www.self-build.co.uk/politics-planning for advice on some of the main elements that need to be considered before you submit a planning application

In terms of overseeing the scheme as a whole, it sounds like the supplier you’re considering may offer services in this area already. I suspect you’re looking at a ‘design & build’ package – check out https://www.self-build.co.uk/what-are-package-and-kit-homes for more on the various types of package home building routes.

The main bits you’re likely to need to organise yourself are the groundworks, foundations, some trades and internal finishes. The company may have a recommendation for local project managers who can help you with these elements (obtaining quotes, scheduling work, checking quality, etc) if you’re not confident about arranging them yourself.

Hope this helps,

Chris Bates (Deputy Editor & Online Editor, Build It magazine)