Last month, Chancellor George Osborne unveiled ‘Right to Build’ which will give those people whom aspire to build their own property greater powers in terms of obtaining plots of land from their local authority, bolstered by a £150m loan scheme.

It is hoped that it will encourage wannabe homeowners to follow the lead of countries like Germany and the Netherlands where there are thousands of self-build properties built every year and do away with the misconception that custom-built houses are the preserve of the affluent.

When most people hear the word ‘self-build’ they automatically associate it with lavish abodes such as the one that recently retired cricketer Graeme Swann has put on the market, which you can see and read about here.

That isn’t always the case, far from it; it’s a myth that Mr Osborne and the coalition are keen to dispel to get Britain building.

Going down the self-build route is an option that should be considered alongside all other alternatives as it presents a significant number of benefits for recipients:

Personalised solution

You may have a preconceived image of how your dream home would look and opting to self-build will usually allow you to make that dream a reality. Obviously your available budget will have an influence on how far you can go with things but if, for example, you want your house a certain shape or size then there’s nothing to stop you from doing it. Giving it a truly individual feel will make it stand-out from anywhere else, whereas visit some contemporary estates and many of the houses will look virtually identical and lack in character and personality.

Cheaper

Doing-it-yourself (not literally) will generally cost a lot less than purchasing a developer-built property as all labour utilised won’t be subject to VAT and you can directly negotiate with builders, manufacturers and suppliers. Should you wish to sell your customised home in the future there’s a considerable chance that you will attract a profit so building your own could prove good value in the long-term.

Satisfaction

It may seem an intimidating and demanding job to start from scratch but don’t be fooled into thinking that you literally have to do it all on your own. There may be various ups and downs along the way as you will still be relying on other people to complete the project but the pleasure and satisfaction enjoyed upon seeing the finished article will undoubtedly leave you feeling house proud.

In some cases, people may be eligible for further financial support and grants so it’s well worth checking out what you’re entitled to.

Should you decide to undertake a self-build property don’t forget to have acoustic flooring incorporated into the development; JCW are always on hand to help you with such requirements.