Have you ever dreamed of building your own home in London? Being able to plan, design and achieve a home that truly suits your needs with no compromises?
A self-build home refers to a single property commissioned by an individual, built to their bespoke specifications.
Millions of people in the UK dream of designing and building their property, but only a handful ever follow through with this ambition, with less than 10% of homes in the UK being self-build properties.
But you could make it a reality, starting with the five core steps involved in any self-build journey. These steps are an overview of what to expect, but of course, all builds are different and there are many factors involved. As local land specialists, we can advise you so please do call us on 0207 459 4400 to take advantage of our expertise.
Step 1: Research and Budget
Thoroughly researching the specific area and style of home is essential before you begin enquiring about any land. Detailed research will also help you put together a realistic budget.
A 10% contingency budget is also recommended to account for any unexpected costs.
Step 2: Find A Plot in London
The best advice for those searching for a plot of land in London is to keep an open mind. Consider a range of sizes and locations at different price points to allow you to evaluate accurately. Notably, stamp duty is payable only on the cost of the land, rather than the value of what will be built upon it.
Land databases, estate agents, and auctions are great places to start searching for the perfect plot of land. Call us on 0207 459 4400 for immediate help with your requirements.
Step 3: Choose Your Team
A self-build home project is likely to be the most considerable expense you will ever undertake; therefore, employing the right team is essential.
Your first team member will likely be your architect. Architects are costly, yet their knowledge is invaluable. Investigate the architects of the builds you admire, and word of mouth is generally the best way to find reliable workers.
Your architect, especially if local to the build, will be able to recommend the best team. Having a solid group of tradespeople will make for the smoothest self-build. Remember to have comprehensive insurance in place before any work commences.
Step 4: Prepare the Plot and Begin Building
Many steps may need to be taken before the building process can commence. This might include getting electricity and water to the plot. Additionally, for remote builds, a road may need to be created leading to the site.
Moreover, vegetation may need to be removed, and the ground will likely need to be levelled. These factors can all dramatically alter the timeline of your build.
Step 5: Finalise and Enjoy!
The final and most enjoyable step includes completing your home and watching your vision come to life. Decorating and furnishing the property will help tie the elements together, creating a beautiful and functional space perfect for your family.
Don’t forget to claim back your VAT and obtain your completion certificate.
Properly is your local property expert for the London area. Call us on 0207 459 4400 or email mariel@properly.space to chat with a member of our friendly and experienced team.
London Youth work to improve the lives of young people in London, challenging them to become the best they can, and last year helped over 27,000 young people through their sports development, youth action and involvement, arts and outdoor education programmes and employment prospects. We feel strongly that all young people should have an opportunity to develop themselves, and so are delighted to be able to support London Youth in their work, providing young people with access to opportunities they might not otherwise have had, to learn new skills, to make a positive change in their communities and to shape the city they live in.
Glass Door helps homeless men and women in London through their large network of emergency shelters and support services. These winter shelters provide a warm welcome, food, safety and shelter for up to 170 people every night. Properly feels passionately about the issue of homelessness. That is why we are delighted that together with our clients we can assist Glass Door in their fantastic work to help some of the most marginalised people in society.
Families become homeless for reasons we can all identify with. We are concerned about people who are struggling to keep things together in our fast-paced world – and we care about those who have no support. We chose the Doorstep Homeless Family Project because they are passionate and effective yet they are a small team with limited funding. They provide homeless families, living in temporary accommodation in London, with access to services to secure the emotional and practical support they require to enjoy a better quality of life.
We need nature and nature needs us. We support The London Wildlife Trust because we share its concern for the environment. We want to ensure that we keep nature in mind as we work in the property market – and crucially, with people’s homes. We also want our employees to engage with nature and benefit from the wellbeing this brings. London Wildlife Trust cares for over 37 of London’s spaces, and their vision is: “a London alive with nature, where everyone can experience and enjoy wildlife”.
Both Michael and Mariel were extremely helpful with our questions going forward whether it be regarding referencing or the property itself. Definitely not the usual estate agent experience (in a good way) and I would recommend Properly to anyone.
I was so pleased to be introduced to Properly. Mariel and Michael provide an excellent service that took the stress and hassle out of finding a tenant. They were a pleasure to deal with, efficient and fast. A marked difference from the hidden costs and poor communication often encountered from other high street estate agents. I would thoroughly recommend and happily use again!
The service is outstanding. Mariel could not be more helpful and professional. Every individual I engaged with, was well informed and had the full history of conversations. First class service.
Mariel & Michael have been amazing, very thorough, helpful and a delight to deal with, would highly recommend! Thank you both.
The level of customer service I received at Properly with Mariel and her team was frankly outstanding. It’s lovely when people genuinely care and go the extra mile which certainly they did. I couldn’t recommend them more highly, the most pleasurable property experience ever for me.
We had the opportunity to interact with Michael of Properly in our search for a new rental flat. Michael was professional and courteous in our dealings with him. He was a pleasure to interact with and he frankly stood out amongst all the agents we interacted with over a search of several weeks.
I was very impressed with the service I received. Communication throughout was very good. I have dealt with many agents, but the clear, concise and personable approach I received made Properly stand out. I wouldn’t hesitate to use them again.
Michael and Mariel have been very helpful from the time I contacted them on a property I was interested to rent and through the offer process. Mariel did a wonderful video call showing of the house since I was not in London at the time. I felt completely comfortable to sign the lease from the video call. Thank you Mariel!