My Self Build - Dorset
Discussion
OP, this looks fantastic. I'd love to know how hard it was to get planning permission....but really, I want to ask you about budget. This is exactly what we want to do in two years' time, in an area that costs a similar amount to buy in.
I can't ask you what it cost, so I'll ask you a different question. I'll have a total budget of about £600k in cash. Do you reckon I could create something equivalent to your project with that budget? Including buying the plot, architects fees and a good builder? I'm looking at areas of a similar profile to Canfird Cliffs, but inSussex, so the land costs should be broadly similar....
I'd love to hear your opinion....
I can't ask you what it cost, so I'll ask you a different question. I'll have a total budget of about £600k in cash. Do you reckon I could create something equivalent to your project with that budget? Including buying the plot, architects fees and a good builder? I'm looking at areas of a similar profile to Canfird Cliffs, but inSussex, so the land costs should be broadly similar....
I'd love to hear your opinion....
Hi Sid'sDad,
To answer your questions:
Planning was actually very easy. I managed to get permission in 7 weeks from submission. However, that was mainly because there was already planning permission, that had been gained at appeal, for a taller two story house. My single story design was therefore much more desirable to the neighbours and as a result I had no objections. In addition, Poole planning are very progressive and really do embrace new and exciting architecture.
In terms of budget I could not do this for £600k around here as plots are very expensive. The design, being very open plan (lots of steel)
with lots of aluminium framed glass and zinc roofing, means it's also an expensive build of around £200/sq foot.
I've also gone for some high quality elements, such as the kitchen and the stone cladding, and some industrial scale elements such as the patio doors at 2.9m high, which have a pretty big impact on costs.
If you can find a plot for around £220k then your budget is realistic. Otherwise you can always scale back the build.
At the end of the day there are always ways to reduce costs to a certain extent - it really depends what you want and what you can afford and finding a happy compromise.
I wish you all the best.
Gary
To answer your questions:
Planning was actually very easy. I managed to get permission in 7 weeks from submission. However, that was mainly because there was already planning permission, that had been gained at appeal, for a taller two story house. My single story design was therefore much more desirable to the neighbours and as a result I had no objections. In addition, Poole planning are very progressive and really do embrace new and exciting architecture.
In terms of budget I could not do this for £600k around here as plots are very expensive. The design, being very open plan (lots of steel)
with lots of aluminium framed glass and zinc roofing, means it's also an expensive build of around £200/sq foot.
I've also gone for some high quality elements, such as the kitchen and the stone cladding, and some industrial scale elements such as the patio doors at 2.9m high, which have a pretty big impact on costs.
If you can find a plot for around £220k then your budget is realistic. Otherwise you can always scale back the build.
At the end of the day there are always ways to reduce costs to a certain extent - it really depends what you want and what you can afford and finding a happy compromise.
I wish you all the best.
Gary
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 26th August 11:22
Possibly 18 months ago, I both viewed and attended the subsequent auction for the property advertised on the link below. Prior to auction the property was then listed for approximately £250k, selling at the subsequent auction for about £440k, now less than 2 years later, with apart from a bit of gardening having been carried out, the property is now on offer at £600k.
Three plots below the advertised property, have prefabricated wooden properties.
http://www.chestertonhumberts.com/property/propert...
Three plots below the advertised property, have prefabricated wooden properties.
http://www.chestertonhumberts.com/property/propert...
Thanks, OP, for your advice. The devil is always in the detail, isn't it? That smart finish that looks, at first glance, much like any other but actually costs three times as much as standard. But without the smart finish you just have another ho-hum new build. And I know Canford Cliffs is really lovely, but it probably costs no more than many other nice, smart areas in good quality towns. And if I can't do a well designed job with high quality materials in a nice area (like yours, basically) then I'd rather stay where I am.
So it just means I have to save more, sell something or develop a strong desire to live in the back of beyond.
So it just means I have to save more, sell something or develop a strong desire to live in the back of beyond.
garyhun said:
5potTurbo said:
The footprint of the house looks a LOT larger than I thought it would be.
Watching with interest.
It's really interesting how it changes depending on what's happening. Watching with interest.
Trenches dug - looks big.
Lower walls in place - looks small.
Steel up and floors prepped - looks huge.
According to this, the next stage will be a 'looks tiny' one
2 5HAN said:
Hi Gary
Just saw this, looks great and very exciting.
When are you looking to complete?
Are you using local builders?
Hi Shan,Just saw this, looks great and very exciting.
When are you looking to complete?
Are you using local builders?
We'll definitely be in by February with a very slim chance of a Christmas completion. At the moment, with the weather so good, things are really motoring so the roof could be on in about 5-6 weeks with the windows pretty close behind that. I'm going for February so I won't be disappointed.
Using a local builder who I've known for many years and who built my last house (although I did not know him at the time as it was a purchase when I moved to Dorset from Berkshire).
So it's been just over two weeks since my last update and things have really been moving along quite fast.
The external and internal walls have all gone up as far as they can without scaffolding, so that was erected yesterday morning.
This was the inside chaos on 31st August
And this was a phhto from the rear on the same day showing the heights of the internal walls. This is the kitchen/diner.
Sept 2nd - showing my parents the master en-suite
And another of the rear on Sept 2
Internal wall on Sept 2. You can see the height difference between front and back where the steps go down to the living areas.
And this is from last night after the scaffolding was completed. We're now ready to block up to the roof height.
This is a view from the front scaffolding across to the rear of the house
A view from the front left corner (as viewed from outside the house) across to the right. The garage is the rectangle in the distance.
Across the front of the house to the cul-de-sac.
From the rear right hand corner looking to the front.
And last, but not least, a view from the road into the site yesterday.
The external and internal walls have all gone up as far as they can without scaffolding, so that was erected yesterday morning.
This was the inside chaos on 31st August
And this was a phhto from the rear on the same day showing the heights of the internal walls. This is the kitchen/diner.
Sept 2nd - showing my parents the master en-suite
And another of the rear on Sept 2
Internal wall on Sept 2. You can see the height difference between front and back where the steps go down to the living areas.
And this is from last night after the scaffolding was completed. We're now ready to block up to the roof height.
This is a view from the front scaffolding across to the rear of the house
A view from the front left corner (as viewed from outside the house) across to the right. The garage is the rectangle in the distance.
Across the front of the house to the cul-de-sac.
From the rear right hand corner looking to the front.
And last, but not least, a view from the road into the site yesterday.
Christmas party on the beach!
2 5HAN said:
Looking good
Very exciting times when the build is moving forward like this.
Will be keeping an eye out for the next set of pics
Yes, very exciting times indeed. Very exciting times when the build is moving forward like this.
Will be keeping an eye out for the next set of pics
The decision making process starts to really accelerate as you get further into the build and I am so glad that I spent the months between planning and building doing research and sorting things like the kitchen and bathrooms.
NYE on the beach 
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