Will_OB

I appreciate that the typical experience is that sub contractors can be inconsistent and not necessarily able to complete a job in the time they sign up. I believe (and have experience of) that if the drawing package is drafted to communicate what and how to build from the tender stage onwards the tradesmen can build without issue. The subbies I would like to work with are able to dedicate a team of tradesmen to complete each fix in weeks not months. What’s the rush? Less money spent on interim rent, less uncertainty for me and my family and last but not least, the excitement of moving into a home I’ve designed and built.

Yes, thanks @eandg for the advice. I have been building working relationships with sub contractors we work with and that I would trust to work on my home. Two years is good for the self-build mortgage lock in, I was planning on 3 years.

Thanks at @joe90, the only architects I am friends with also bad mouth ‘architects’ 😉

Thank @Jilly for the words of caution. I am cautious in nature and risk adverse when it comes to designing and building. My wife and I have a small child so will want to rent a house during construction. I’m used to working two jobs so can do the day job plus architecting at night to reduce any unpaid time. My vision to carry out a self build is to secure a mortgage, design for off site manufacture, then install over a few weeks to weather tight, with 1st and 2nd fix taking an additional two months max. This will reduce site management and bring all the detailing forwards in the programme. Edit: Rates are crazy now and I don’t see any signs of them dropping significantly in the next decade, but we are building a family home, not an investment, so it is worth it to us. However, We will switch from self built mortgage to a regular mortgage asap once PC is achieved. The best-laid plans of mice and men….

Hey @SteamyTea, Yes, I understand people’s frustration with architects as I too experience this in my role as a Design Manager working on the behalf of developers. I think there are a number of factors which give architects a less then favourable reputation. The construction process has been radically changed over the last 50 years from Traditional Procurement (architect doing absolutely everything) to Deaign & Build (architects just design). In my experience, this, more often then not, leaves architects with a knowledge gap which is plugged by the main contractor. I would go so far as to say that the cost saving exercise by clients to appoint architects to ‘just’ design is more costly over the lifetime of the project as the main contractor will add variations to the contract as the works are ongoing leading to higher then budgeted costs. Another consideration is the nature or architecture as a profession in general. Architects ‘practice’ just like doctors, there are numerous variables on every project. Not every architect will have sight of all the variables every time.

Hiya, I’m Will. My wife and I have been looking at houses for a first-time purchase next year. However, I am always disappointed by the size, configuration and value of properties on the market for our budget. Every home i ‘favourite’ needs a new layout and extensions, which requires even more money. I am an architect of 15 years and currently provide Design Manager services. I have a small architectural practice and small consultancy company providing services to home owners and developers. This experience and the knowledge I’ve gained over the years puts me in a unique position to be able to design and build a home for my family with relative ease. So I thought I’d check out the possibilities of self build. In particular, we have a small amount for deposit and are going to start researching a 95% Adance Self-Build mortgage. I hope I gain valuable experience on here to and hopefully fortunate enough to help other forum members.