Where do you find land for sale.

Where do you find land for sale.

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TheDetailDoctor

Original Poster:

8,785 posts

211 months

Thursday 16th September 2010
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GetCarter said:
Many here have read it, but I guess many have not... in case you are interested:

http://www.stevecarter.com/build/build.htm

Apologies for the thread hi-jack... but reading this may well put the O/P off a self build!

Edited by GetCarter on Thursday 16th September 12:28
All that's done is depress me that I don't live somewhere like that.

If you don't mind me asking, what was the total build price (minus original plot), tell me to foxtrot oscar if you like though.

GetCarter

29,414 posts

280 months

Thursday 16th September 2010
quotequote all
There is a list somewhere on the blog (I can't find it and I wrote it!)

EXCLUDING plot, heating, kitchen and bathrooms etc. it was about £230k if memory serves (the blessed sponge of amnesia!)

Edited by GetCarter on Thursday 16th September 13:31

TheDetailDoctor

Original Poster:

8,785 posts

211 months

Thursday 16th September 2010
quotequote all
GetCarter said:
There is a list somewhere on the blog (I can't find it and I wrote it!)

EXCLUDING plot, heating, kitchen and bathrooms etc. it was about £230k if memory serves (the blessed sponge of amnesia!)

Edited by GetCarter on Thursday 16th September 13:31
Thanks, that's stunning VFM.

GetCarter

29,414 posts

280 months

Thursday 16th September 2010
quotequote all
I found the final figure which includes heating, heat pump, solar panels, en suites, kitchen, architects & QS fees etc

£304,800

KenBlocksPants

6,061 posts

185 months

Thursday 16th September 2010
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Watch Grand Designs (if you can stand pretentious tossers) from last night if you want a good idea.

Interesting conversion of a 70's cottage into an amazing place.

Will be on 4OD

monthefish

20,445 posts

232 months

Thursday 16th September 2010
quotequote all
GetCarter said:
Many here have read it, but I guess many have not... in case you are interested:

http://www.stevecarter.com/build/build.htm

Apologies for the thread hi-jack... but reading this may well put the O/P off a self build!

Edited by GetCarter on Thursday 16th September 12:28
I read it a long time ago. Really enjoyed it.
May have to have another read at some point.

anonymous-user

55 months

Thursday 16th September 2010
quotequote all
http://www.buildstore.co.uk/findingland/default.as... is useful BUT you really need to keep pestering Estate Agents, Developers (who occasionally sell off odd plots) and anyone else you can think of. Much land never makes it onto the open market.

I've been looking for a plot for 2 years now and have still not got one!!!! Prepare for a long slog.

Tuna

19,930 posts

285 months

Thursday 16th September 2010
quotequote all
You can find plots, but as a self builder you have a better chance if you are after the sort of thing that developers wouldn't want. A big(ish) plot that you can only stick one house on, or something that has planning issues - but then you pay in other ways. PlotSearch is the main source of sites - subscribe for a while to get a feel for your options and prices.

Be prepared to spend a lot of time, to wave bye-bye to your budget and to have chaos and heartbreak along the way. If you're not used to project management or expect everything to be done exactly the way you imagined it... walk away now.

Our build has taken a year. Before that was five years of fighting with the planners. Before that was a year of negotiating with the owner. We saw the plot for the first time a year before that.

We are still painting..

LeighW

4,419 posts

189 months

Thursday 16th September 2010
quotequote all
GetCarter said:
I found the final figure which includes heating, heat pump, solar panels, en suites, kitchen, architects & QS fees etc

£304,800
That's a stunning place, I'm surprised at the (relatively) low cost. I'm very jealous. cool

Back on planet earth wink , we're just nearing the end of our self build, (plasterer starts next week). It's been extremely rewarding so far, although obviously pretty stressful at the same time. Ours is a fairly bog standard 4 bed detached house with integral garage, final cost on target to be approx £60k below market value, so well worth doing if you can find a plot. I was lucky in that my other half's grandad was a retired builder with an empty plot left!

Good luck in finding a plot, it'll be well worth persevering.

netherfield

2,694 posts

185 months

Thursday 16th September 2010
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Around here buying a Bungalow and demolishing seems to be the way to go.

Three years ago,just up the road from us a rather sad looking bungalow came on the market,sat in about a third of an acre,I was gobsmacked at the asking price,£250,000,and it stood empty 6 months,then someone came and paid the price,knocked it down and built a 6 bed house with indoor swimming pool.
So that's like buying a building plot for £300,000 after all demolition and other costs.

Fittster

20,120 posts

214 months

Thursday 16th September 2010
quotequote all
netherfield said:
Around here buying a Bungalow and demolishing seems to be the way to go.

Three years ago,just up the road from us a rather sad looking bungalow came on the market,sat in about a third of an acre,I was gobsmacked at the asking price,£250,000,and it stood empty 6 months,then someone came and paid the price,knocked it down and built a 6 bed house with indoor swimming pool.
So that's like buying a building plot for £300,000 after all demolition and other costs.
Isn't that Brownfield developing loophole which has recently been closed?

RichB

51,691 posts

285 months

Thursday 16th September 2010
quotequote all
Fittster said:
netherfield said:
Around here buying a Bungalow and demolishing seems to be the way to go.

Three years ago,just up the road from us a rather sad looking bungalow came on the market,sat in about a third of an acre,I was gobsmacked at the asking price,£250,000,and it stood empty 6 months,then someone came and paid the price,knocked it down and built a 6 bed house with indoor swimming pool.
So that's like buying a building plot for £300,000 after all demolition and other costs.
Isn't that Brownfield developing loophole which has recently been closed?
And I thought brownfields development was to be encouraged? confused

4sure

2,438 posts

212 months

Friday 17th September 2010
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[quote=GetCarter]There is a list somewhere on the blog (I can't find it and I wrote it!)

EXCLUDING plot, heating, kitchen and bathrooms etc. it was about £230k if memory serves (the blessed sponge of amnesia!)

Edited by GetCarter on Thursday 16th September 13:31
[/quote


Just spent a pleasureable 2 hours reading your whole blog,like to say it was an informative and highly amusing read and thanks for sharing.

Love the finished build,and what an absolutely gorgeous part of Scotland,loved the photographs,hope you have many a happy year there.

Contemplating something similar,but not as ambitious as i don,t think my nerves or resolve would hold out.
Good luck to you and yours ! beer

Edited by 4sure on Friday 17th September 00:58

NoelWatson

11,710 posts

243 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
Busamav said:
If you do not have close links within the business or have the right guys on your to pay list then it is my opinion you will struggle to find a decent plot.
Agreed. Get friendly with a few local developers/land agents. Potential plots come up on Plotsearch/Rightmove, but tends to be stuff that has been rejected by developers for whatver reason.

Tuna

19,930 posts

285 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
NoelWatson said:
Busamav said:
If you do not have close links within the business or have the right guys on your to pay list then it is my opinion you will struggle to find a decent plot.
Agreed. Get friendly with a few local developers/land agents. Potential plots come up on Plotsearch/Rightmove, but tends to be stuff that has been rejected by developers for whatver reason.
The thing is you want plots that have been rejected by developers for whatever reason - because if a plot is a decent size, most developers will try to squeeze a couple of houses (or even half a dozen) on it. You simply can't compete with the uplift they get from bunging a handful of houses in a short time. If they can't do that, the value drops and a self builder can consider picking it up if they're willing to sort out the problems.

You're really not going to find a decent size plot that is ready to build on at a bargain price, because there are a lot of developers quite ready to take advantage of them. You can either pay at (or slightly above) the market rate to put an individual house on an 'easy' plot, or you can get a difficult plot and pay in time and effort. That means sorting out planning, difficult ground conditions, flood risk, listed status, sewage and mains supply, access, covenants, existing buildings and other issues that slow down development and put off professional builders who want a quick turnaround.

Jasandjules

69,972 posts

230 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
TheDetailDoctor said:
We have all but given up in out search for a suitable place to move to & are coming to the conclusion that the only way to get what we want is to build it ourselves.

We are lookingfor somewhere North of Bristol, (Stoke Gifford, Wintebourne area). Where would you go to find land?
The Self Build magazines etc have links to websites and sources.

Good luck, finding a plot is hard, finding a plot which can get planning is harder, then finding a plot which can get planning and isn't a stupid price is even harder.

But don't ask don't get!

GetCarter

29,414 posts

280 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
Or you could move up this way. £25k still buys 1/2 acre!

http://www.hebridean-estate-agency.co.uk/property....

4sure

2,438 posts

212 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
4sure said:
GetCarter said:
There is a list somewhere on the blog (I can't find it and I wrote it!)

EXCLUDING plot, heating, kitchen and bathrooms etc. it was about £230k if memory serves (the blessed sponge of amnesia!)

Edited by GetCarter on Thursday 16th September 13:31
[/quote


Just spent a pleasureable 2 hours reading your whole blog,like to say it was an informative and highly amusing read and thanks for sharing.

Love the finished build,and what an absolutely gorgeous part of Scotland,loved the photographs,hope you have many a happy year there.

Contemplating something similar,but not as ambitious as i don,t think my nerves or resolve would hold out.
Good luck to you and yours ! beer

Edited by 4sure on Friday 17th September 00:58
Sorry messed up the quote.

f.a.o. GetCarter

Mrs 4sure has just read your blog, now got us looking !yikes

GetCarter

29,414 posts

280 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
As long as you don't blame me!

iamrcb

607 posts

197 months

Saturday 18th September 2010
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dirty boy said:
A few houses around here have been built around existing houses, or the house knocked down.


For example..

The house on the left, was a couple of years ago, just like the one on the right...






Gives you an idea, it was owned by an elderly person who died, guy bought it, knocked the roof off, and put this on/around.

Not everyone's cup of tea, but I think it looks nice enough.
oof that's a bit too much. hopefully the rest of the street isn't the same as the one on the right otherwise it would look pretty out of place

nice stone work though

Edited by iamrcb on Saturday 18th September 00:07