Something that many people have decided to do, rather than buying a home of their own, is to build one themselves. With a new series of Grand Designs coming out this month, a series that has been going strong for years now, it seems that there is still no shortage of people who want to build their own home rather than to buy one that is already built. Indeed, the show may be inspiration to those who had previously not considered building a home of their own.

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However, when you do decide to head down this path, although there are many benefits to building a home of your own it is certainly not the easy route to take. There are lots of additional things to consider and factor in when you are going to be building your own home rather than buying one – here are some things to think about if it is something that you are considering…

You Need an Architect – Before you can begin to build a home of your own you are going to have to have the plans ready for one. This is where an architect comes in. They will be able to draw up the plans for you whilst working with your budget as well as what you require from your home. They will also be able to offer you advice on the materials that you could use when building the home as well as advice on things that might fit in better for your needs. Unless you are an architect yourself this is unlikely to be something that you can take on, as there are lots of skills required that go into designing the dream home.

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You Need a Plot of Land to Build on – Something that takes many people by surprise is the difficulty in finding the plot of land that is right for them to build on. As well as finding land suitable you will then need to obtain planning permission that will allow you to build on the land. Many people also find that the land cost is considerably higher than they anticipated, especially in some areas of the UK. It is always good to expand your options and look at houses that could be demolished and rebuilt, or brownfield sites that can be a lot cheaper to buy.

You will Need Labour and Tools – Even if you are an accomplished builder, you will need some help with building your own home. There are many specialist jobs that need to be done to a high standard when building a new house, and it can be hard work as well as time consuming if you don’t have much help. Tools will also be required – from tapping machines like these from Cotswold Machinery to large vehicles that will be needed to clear the land and transport heavy loads.