Self Build: Stone House

[burwoodman]

Any advice on builders who replicate houses like this. http://www.2007.stonehomes.tv/

I like the old style stone look but contemporary interior. Im looking at buying a plot and getting something built as opposed to looking for a spec house built by a developer. Im not looking for a renovation. New build

Many thanks

[ShadownINja]

No idea but nice.

[burwoodman]

I will have to attend a few NEC shows. But have been told 1500 quid a metre for the house alone top spec. No idea what they mean by top spec but i presume natural stone bathrooms and oak flooring etc. Just something ive always wanted to do.

I think it's the plot that is difficult to find.

[Slagathore]

£1500 per square meter sounds like the price you should be paying to have a main contractor take care of most of the work. So you give them all the final drawings and they give you a price to build it. Unless you spec top of the range for everything.

Finding a plot is probably the hard part. There's a few for sale in my area, but only a few of the areas are where you'd want to live, and even then, you're looking at a minimum of £300k per plot, or about £200k if you go somewhere a bit more rural. Though I'd imagine a stone built house would look best in a rural setting.

http://www.buildstore.co.uk/mykindofhome/index.htm...

I'd also recommend a trip there. Don't know how far away you are from Swindon, but it's definitely worth a trip if you're nearby.

Edited by Slagathore on Sunday 8th August 12:01

[burwoodman]

Many thanks for the link. Looks about 55 miles

[anonymous-user]

burwoodman said:

Any advice on builders who replicate houses like this. http://www.2007.stonehomes.tv/

I like the old style stone look but contemporary interior. Im looking at buying a plot and getting something built as opposed to looking for a spec house built by a developer. Im not looking for a renovation. New build

Many thanks

Your biggest challenge, unless you already have it, is finding the plot. I'm 21 months into a plot search so far .....

[burwoodman]

I hear you Gary. It's been a dream to build my own place and im happy to take a year. Leased a house for a yr whilst looking and will continue to do so and stay there during the build. The build itself will be relatively straight forward.

[anonymous-user]

burwoodman said:

I hear you Gary. It's been a dream to build my own place and im happy to take a year. Leased a house for a yr whilst looking and will continue to do so and stay there during the build. The build itself will be relatively straight forward.

We're in the same boat - had the dream for as long as I remember and finally decided to sell up and rent to make it happen. I will get there but it gets so frustrating at times. I'm looking around Poole which is bloody difficult due to competition from developers - may have to change my location to make it happen. I wish you all the best!

[burwoodman]

garyhun said:

burwoodman said:

I hear you Gary. It's been a dream to build my own place and im happy to take a year. Leased a house for a yr whilst looking and will continue to do so and stay there during the build. The build itself will be relatively straight forward.

We're in the same boat - had the dream for as long as I remember and finally decided to sell up and rent to make it happen. I will get there but it gets so frustrating at times. I'm looking around Poole which is bloody difficult due to competition from developers - may have to change my location to make it happen. I wish you all the best!

It has to be Surrey for me. Only condition to get 'approval'. All she cares about is the walk in wardrobe concept. Im just sick of pokey rooms. Why is it you find so many properties with 3 reception rooms (all useless due to size) when two proper sized ones would do. I won't start on 6 bedrooms that should be four! Oh and the single garage which you need just to store all the bits and bods one collects so the car is on the drive. Good luck to you also.

Edited by burwoodman on Sunday 8th August 13:33

[burwoodman]

Incidentally if you don't mind me asking. What style of build are you looking for? Im after an authetic georgian style exterior with contemporary interior. Although I am toying with the tudor oak frame idea, albeit with much more contemporary interior. I like wood beams but not to the extent ive seen.

[B17NNS]

I'd imagine you would want to employ a mason rather that a bricky. Other than that assuming you can get stone cut to your specs locally I can't see any major problems.

Get yourself down to Smiths, loads of good self build magazines and websites.

http://www.homebuilding.co.uk/

Lots of shows to attend too.

Something I've always wanted to do too but as you say, the plot is the hard part.

Worth investigating run down properties too, might end up cheaper finding a site with a house already on it and tearing it down.

[satans worm]

Took us 2 years to find our plot. Rule no 1 has to be forget your 'ideal' square, right angled perfect piece of lawn, you wont get it.
We started looking for this utopia and ended up looking at any scrag bit of land we could find!
In the end, I actually think what we got was better than that image perfect plot we were looking for, faily narrow and a height restriction to the size of a bungalow, we were forced to be creative in the design (we also always thought we would build a house not a bungalow).
The shape enabled us to put in things like vaulted rooms and velux windows giving it character (IMO), while the outside had to blend in (village location) with the neighbours, we made it contemporary in the inside. It also gets many 'tardis' type quotes when people come round as it looks like a tiny bungalow from the front.
Good luck with your search, and dont forget the '10pct for emergancy funds', make 20pct if you want to be comfortable!
On the 1500per sq meter quote, that may not cover mortgage fees, architects fees, connection to utilites, driveway and landscaping costs.
something to think about or clarify with your chosen builder.

And finaly, you will get really sick of saying 'its almost finshed', but it will be worth it at the end, a great experiance

Good luck

Edited by satans worm on Monday 9th August 12:33

[anonymous-user]

burwoodman said:

garyhun said:

burwoodman said:

I hear you Gary. It's been a dream to build my own place and im happy to take a year. Leased a house for a yr whilst looking and will continue to do so and stay there during the build. The build itself will be relatively straight forward.

We're in the same boat - had the dream for as long as I remember and finally decided to sell up and rent to make it happen. I will get there but it gets so frustrating at times. I'm looking around Poole which is bloody difficult due to competition from developers - may have to change my location to make it happen. I wish you all the best!

It has to be Surrey for me. Only condition to get 'approval'. All she cares about is the walk in wardrobe concept. Im just sick of pokey rooms. Why is it you find so many properties with 3 reception rooms (all useless due to size) when two proper sized ones would do. I won't start on 6 bedrooms that should be four! Oh and the single garage which you need just to store all the bits and bods one collects so the car is on the drive. Good luck to you also.

Edited by burwoodman on Sunday 8th August 13:33

Don't get me started on garage sizes!!! It's totally bonkers how many LARGE houses have a single garage - that tops me being interested straight away!