3Dwarves

Hello, everyone, and thanks for your replies! ProDave, I couldn't find out what a developer box is, is it somethink like a prefab house that you build on the place of existing house? AccidentalSkydiver, I do agree, some of the new builds have their own problems - it's either the location - completely out of town or with poor transport links, or no amenities, GPs etc., or the spaces are weird and I've heard people complaining about not receiving what was promised, often plus mold, leaking or roof problems. I doubt we'll be able to self build completely, I think we'll have to work with a qualified company that manages the whole thing, or semi-self-build it, as none of us has experience in any kind of hands-on architecture/building. Can all types of land, sold without permission, get one? I've seen advertised, quite near to town, but it's not connected to water or electricity and how can I find out if it can get permission? markc That's how I see it, as a way to get the home you hope for the money that will buy an outdated property. We've just realised that most of the properties on offer are very poorly isolated, most of them with mold issues and (!) single glazed windows. But on the other hand, I wonder how the problem with trapping moisture and ending up with mouldy home is avoided in the insulated houses. I feel that I don't know enough about this particular issue and this makes me unconfindent in attempting to solve a problem like that on my own, no one would like to spend a fortune (money and time) and still end up with mould. Thank you , ToughButterCup, can I find anywhere how past planning applications have been handled and the result? I checked my local council (Surrey) but I couldn't find anything on their website about residential past applications and results. Would any body (land regiustry or so) hold this information, or do I have to ask specifically the local council to obtain it? Thanks!

Hello, As someone who had only rented so far, we are finally in a position to own our first home. However, we have concerns with the quality and insulation of the existing houses on the market (which are within our budget) and we've started thinking over the idea of a self build or a major renovation to meet the required standards for the impending future - the effects of climate change and rising energy costs. As we have kids, we have some other requirements around it - the most important being that it must be in an area close to schools (although we're don't depend on the strict catchment areas), which excludes rural areas for example. But this also limits the type of building that we can buy and to some extent, I suppose, the amount of work that we will be allowed to do on it. We are currently trying to evaluate all our requirements (of a well insulated and energy efficient and well space-distributed home) and figure out how to find the best way to implement it. I hope this forum will help us find answers to the questions we're currently having and give us even more ideas how to make our dream home a reality. I would apreciate any advice on how to start, how to find the plot or old house that we can use to build our home on. I am wondering how to find information on how much work is allowed and the costs of permits if the house is terraced, end of terrace or semi-detached? How many changes are viable for these types of houses? Thank you!