What Did We Learn? Key Self Build Advice from Real-Life Projects

Build It Readers Pauline and Frank Mace worked with timber frame supplier Frame Technologies to build their efficient new home in Herefordshire. With spectacular countryside views, the couple’s large, flat plot came with planning permission for two homes. The couple decided to purchase an adjoining field, too, to ensure they wouldn’t lose sight of the fantastic landscape. “Our strategy was to go for both pieces of land so we could keep an open area as a buffer that no one else would be able to build on and spoil the view,” says Frank.

Pauline and Frank Mace‘s self build. Photo: Shooting Reels

Self builders Susan and John Shearer knocked down their old holiday cottage in Cairngorms National Park and replaced it with an energy-efficient build packed with architectural wow factor. The couple suggest that making the most of your setting is key to an effective scheme. “The large gable windows take advantage of the views and allow us to watch the stars from our bed at night. Having the terraces are a highlight, as it feels like we are sitting in the woods,” says Susan.

Susan and John Shearer‘s self build. Photo: David Barbour

Kate and Sandy Crerar note the importance of working out the best views before deciding which room is which in the house. “We’ve got a spare bedroom at the front of the house with the lovely view, but it isn’t used that often. If we’d change anything, it would be swapping the location of that room around with our snug so we could enjoy the vista everyday,” says Kate.

You Can Never Plan too Far Ahead

Planning is one of the most important aspects to nail down for a successful project. It will ensure that your materials and trades are arriving to site when you’re expecting them and when you need, that you’re hitting your project milestones, and ultimately, have enough time and leeway to manage any issues as they come without the project being steered off track.

Steve and Susanne Richardson won the reader-voted Build It Award for Best Self Build for their stunning and eco-friendly timber frame home in the Suffolk countryside. The couple took a hands-on approach, commissioning the timber frame (from Frame Technologies) as a shell and building it themselves. Upon reflection, Suzanne recommends that anyone self building should “plan ahead when it comes to obtaining materials and get them on site as early as possible.”

Steve and Susanne Richardson‘s self build. Photo: Matthew Smith

“As we project managed the build, we were pretty good at making sure they were available before we needed them. Our shingles arrived three months before they were required, but because ours were shipped from Canada we wanted to be confident we had them when the time came for installation,” she says.

Planning ahead will also help you manage your budget, as you won’t be as inclined to make impulse purchases as and when you need materials. “Plan, plan, plan was our mantra to help save money in the long run,” says Lowri Horstead, who self built her own timber frame home in Surrey.

Lowri Horstead‘s self build. Photo: Katy Donaldson

“Make decisions about layout, materials, fixtures and fittings early in the process so you’re not rushed into last-minute choices you might regret. For instance, the style of fitting you choose from baths, showers, basins etc may dictate exactly where services need to run.”

Don’t Fixate on Dates

While you may want to push for an estimated move in date from the various trades you’re working with, try not to fixate on this too much and focus on a loose period of time instead.

“We pushed for a completion date from our builder, as we were trying to synchronise dates for our retirements and ending our previous tenancy. But the house wasn’t quite ready when we moved up, so we had to put some of our things in storage for a week or so,” says Brent Walker, who self built a brand-new home with his wife, Linda, in Fife.

Brent and Linda Walker‘s self build. Photo: David Barbour

“Give yourself a nice window at the end of the build if you can and don’t try and fix a specific date – it’s stressful.”

Fast tracking various processes can impact the quality of the final home and may also add significant delays if materials are damaged in the process. “Don’t rush building works. Our black bamboo flooring was laid when the concrete underneath was still wet, so it buckled,” says Susan Shearer.

Susan and John Shearer‘s self build. Photo: David Barbour

“We had to strip out the house completely, put everything in a container, take up the floor and relay a new one.”

Develop Good Working Relationships

Assembling the right team and creating good relationships with the people working on and off your building site will be important. These people are helping you to create your dream home, and so it’ll be vital to use skilled trades with positive reviews and a hard-working attitude. Asking for recommendations from friends/fellow local self builders is a great place to start. Build It’s readers agree that keeping things local is the best way to go.

“Using a local builder who was based in the village in which we were self building took a lot of pressure off us, especially as we weren’t around,” says Brent Walker. “He had all the knowledge of sub contractors and how the area worked in terms of access, site limitations and such like.”

Brent and Linda Walker‘s self build. Photo: David Barbour

The Richardsons agree. “Make friends with your local suppliers,” they say. “We used our nearby branch of Jewsons, who we couldn’t fault at all. They never let us down on supplies and always gave us competitive pricing. We used local wood merchants and labour when needed, too, and it was always a friendly building site to be on.”

Steve and Susanne Richardson‘s self build. Photo: Matthew Smith

Lorwi Horstead notes that communication is key throughout the build process: “Builders sometimes assume that you will understand their processes, and will not necessarily explain the reason for doing something in a particular way or at a specific time. Foster a good relationship with your main contractor, so that if issues arise you can discuss them as soon as possible. And don’t be afraid to challenge your builder (in a nice way) and ask for clarification.”

Don’t Forget About Landscaping & Outdoor Areas

One aspect of a project that often falls to the wayside is landscaping. Your outdoor areas can have a huge impact on the overall look of your finished home, adding kerb appeal and helping to tie the whole exterior together. Factoring the outdoor works into the wider build schedule will ensure a smooth and efficient process. Plus, it could help you save money in the future, as you’ll already have the outdoor features you want rather than needing to dig up turf etc later down the line.

“Consider outside spaces before you finish the build,” says Kate Crerar, who worked with her husband, Sandy, to create a fantastic family home in rural Aberdeenshire.

Kate and Sandy Crerar‘s self build. Photo: David Barbour

“We have a lovely, decked area, but didn’t factor in anywhere specific to place the BBQ etc. I’d love to have an outdoor kitchen-style space built-in somehow, but we can’t figure out a way to do this in retrospect with what we already have there.”