CanIDoIt

thanks Bitpipe, I shall start investigating these 'consultants', one of my pet hates in business, but perhaps if they are dealing with individuals and not business they might be better.

I think getting planning may be the biggest hurdle, otherwise I suspect that it would have happened before as it is a field, with houses either side, but old ones not new. My friend has her stables there and is prepared to sell me the house plot size and keep the rest, but no money discussed yet. I suspect she wants to boost her pension pot. She has power and water so they are in the area, does that make anything easier.

Hello I was directed to this forum by another user so here's about me and my first of probably many questions. Me: Almost retired, divorced, single lady who has wanted to build a house since I was a child. Just didn't want to rush into it !!! Where: I live in North Somerset What: I possibly have a plot, about 1/2 acre from a friend, rural, but with an old barn Build: A timber frame built by a package company (probably) Size: 3 bed single storey. Q 1. I know generally what I want, but nothing else and I am extremely cautious about trusting anyone and want to be very sure that I'm being told the truth. So, I guess I need planning, but what else, I've heard of Building Regulations, Structural Engineers, Fixed Price, Main Contractors etc etc. Can anyone tell me what these are and what order they should be done in. I've read a few books, but they all seem to talk about the actual building process, not the 'preliminaries', a word that's mentioned lots, but what does it cover. Thanks for any help. Anne