Is self-build cheaper than buying?

When you are looking for your new home, you need to pay attention to the cost. Even if you have a very comfortable budget, you should still aim to get a house for the best price possible. In this situation, you may start to think about a self-build. Is self-build cheaper than buying a new house? Keep reading to find out.

IS SELF-BUILD CHEAPER?

Building your own house can work out to be cheaper than purchasing a newly built house. When you buy a house from a developer, they keep 10-30% of the profit. If you have built the house yourself, this profit is yours to keep. In addition, you will be able to save money on VAT. Of course, you will need to invest time and effort into the self build. It’s important that you do your research and proceed carefully, because if mistakes are made you may end up going over your original budget.

SHOULD YOU GO AHEAD WITH A SELF-BUILD?

Whether a self build home is the right choice for you will depend on numerous factors. For example, it is more expensive to self-build in certain parts of the country. Also, if you don’t have the budget to keep living in your current house while your new one is being built, you may have to temporarily stay in a friend or family member’s house. If you are simply purchasing a house, this is less likely to be a problem.

However, if you have a clear vision of what your ideal house would look like, and special requirements, you may end up carrying out extensive renovations to the house you have bought. This can work out to be very time consuming, difficult and expensive. So if you have strong preferences for your living space, you may be better off with a self-build home. Building your own house is the only way to guarantee that you get the home of your dreams.

The interior of a developing self-build project by Astrum Construction, showcasing progress with visible skylights, scaffolding, and the installation of underfloor heating systems. Making the home exactly what you need and want.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST FOR A SELF-BUILD?

Before you go ahead with building your own house, it is a good idea to have a basic idea of your budget. You can work out your budget by looking at your savings, equity from the sale of the home you currently own, and possible funds available from a self-build mortgage. You will need to subtract the cost of a self-build plot from your total build budget. It is also highly recommended that you set aside between 10% and 15% as a contingency fund. This will ensure that you have some capital in the case of unforeseen circumstances or unexpected costs.

You can expect the superstructure (walls, external cladding, roofing), foundations and floor structure of your build to make up 25-30% of your total budget. The exact cost will depend on the system of construction used, as well as the size of your self build home. The remainder of the build will usually take up a further 5-10% of your budget. Therefore, the cost of building a house varies depending on the type of house that you wish to build. Doing plenty of research is paramount so that you can make fully informed decisions. Once you have an idea of how you would like to build your house, you have the option of using a self-build cost calculator such as this one.

CONCLUSION

With adequate research and planning, building a house can be cheaper than buying one. Make sure you team up with a good contractor for the construction.