From a planning point of view it would generally be relatively straightforward to change the design from a larger to a smaller home. This is because reducing the scale of the house is highly unlikely to create any concerns from the local planning office, providing the new house still fits in with the general character of its surroundings.

The greater challenge is likely to be cost. Typically, a plot with permission to build a three or four bedroom property will attract a higher asking price than one suited to the size of a two bedroom house.

In terms of finding a suitable site, one possible avenue to explore is your local councils’ planning records. Look for applications for new houses that have been rejected and find out if there are any reasons for refusal relating to the scale of the build. It’s not unusual for over-ambitious proposals to be put forward and subsequently be turned down on the grounds of over-development, impact of size, or the effect on trees that are protected by a preservation order.

In cases such as these, you might be able to convince the plot owners to design and submit a more modest scheme to the local planners on the understanding that you would be happy to buy the plot from them once they have gained consent.

Mike Dade, planning consultant & Build It magazine contributor

As a side point, on a tight budget like yours it’s also important to plan every element of your build rigorously from the very start of the design process. Detailed planning consent and the design of your house will go hand-in-hand, so it’s important to consider this now!

As well as looking in detail at areas such as simplicity of design, cost-effectiveness of materials and whether your own input could help save money (for example if you’re confident in your ability to project manage or contribute to the works on a DIY basis).

You can find inspirational low-budget designs among our online readers’ homes at https://www.self-build.co.uk/affordable-self-builds

Chris Bates, Deputy Editor, Build It magazine