Fi and J

Hi I’m hoping to split deeds, build a new home in my garden, move into the new home and sell the original house (which I own outright), using the proceeds to pay off the self build mortgage. I’m in my 50s so lenders understandably don’t want to offer a 25 year mortgage. A 15 year mortgage pushes up repayments and reduces the amount I can borrow. I suspect lenders will only lend for standard long-duration mortgages and will frown on my plan, so I’ll have to proceed as if I intend to keep the mortgage long term. Am I missing something? Are there any other options? thank you

It’s one thing making money/breaking even but another losing it naive financial planning could mean the latter. any advice on this gratefully received.

@RookieInBristolhow did you get on with CLT? Hope your home is finished & fabulous now btw. My architect is keen on CLT too, they’ve worked with a local supplier & had good experiences. I’m keen to be green but I work for the nhs not Goldman Sachs…budget will be hard-won and finite. Thank you!

@JessandMatdid you ever find a suitably qualified tax advisor you could recommend? We are hoping to secure planning for a new home in our garden and we’re wary of being crushed by poorly planned tax liability. We would live in new home for 3 years and likely sell original home as it seems best tax-wise and a massive mortgage long term is unappealing. Are there any tax implications when you split the title deeds? seems crazy as you’re just cutting the pizza you already have, not adding new slices if you see what I mean. any advice re garden builds much appreciated!

Hi all yes that’s a good point that I’d be entering a legal agreement with LPA not to sell the new house rather than to live in it. I’m planning to live in it unless death / serious illness etc gets in the way. I agree it’s over reach by LA’s but im getting used to the system not being entirely sensible or fair. I will rely on mortgage to build so it’s a key issue . what I can’t see covered in other posts here is garden builds and whether 25m2 de minimis is confined to the part of the plot which will be the new house or 25m2 includes new house area + old house area. Any clarity on this would be extremely helpful.

Hello all I’m in pre-planning for a self build in the small garden of my modest ex council home in London. Garden is currently mostly 70s crazy paving with some overgrown odd bushes, crushed by invasive ivy and a bit of mud where passers by throw rubbish (gardener’s world it is not). I’ll also need to demolish an old garage/old kitchen extension to create space to build new house on. Council planners (who are really supportive) suggested going for de minimis BNG exemption as they’ve never dealt with a self build exemption & so don’t have any protocol in place for monitoring to make sure it remains a self build. This forum suggests mortgage lenders may be spooked by 3 year legal agreement with LPA to live in the new house as it may preclude foreclosure (god forbid). 10% uplift sounds ferociously expensive even for my restricted site. questions : 1. is a hedgerow different from a few bushes in a flower bed? 2. Do the type of plants there now matter? Eg invasive ivy v native plant. 3. is the 25m2 just a measurement of mud area, doesn’t really matter what’s growing in it? 4. the site / deeds will be split for old (current) house and new build house, but planners want one application covering changes to old house (to ensure it meets current London minimum standards) and new house. The 25m2 de minimus should be for just the land that will be part of new house?? 5. householders are within their rights to trim all bushes on their land, we just haven’t bothered. Should we now ruthlessly tame all ivy/bushes etc? Is there any point? thank you for your time. This legislation does not help self builders enough. I do wonder if some of the self builders magazines etc should be lobbying the govt about such policy obstacles. thank you

Thank you. I should have posted a pic of the new building outline sorry! A basic outline in orange is on the new photo below. The front of the house is on the right side of the photo running north-south and will follow the line of the existing terrace. I will hire some CAT tools - that sounds much better than digging a load of holes. please can you explain what self builders do if power supply cables run very close to where you want to build? thank you !

Hi all the Housebuilders Bible suggests having mains supply electricity cable running near planned foundations can be a big problem… I don’t completely understand the electricity line map attached but it seems like the electricity supply for the terrace of four existing houses enters the garden my house right where I’d like to build a 5th dwelling (in the garden - effectively elongating the terrace) and runs along the row of existing houses close to the front walls. I’m mid pre-planning application, which is going well. Please can anyone with more cleverness and experience than me clarify if this is a) no big problem - leave it to an engineer later b) potentially very expensive to manage c) potentially insurmountable thank you very much. This self build journey has so many complications!! thanks Fi

Im trying to build a home in my garden. I’m the only name on the deeds. I’m trying to find a solicitor who can split deeds so I can sell the old house once the new house is ready. Also need support with highways issue (planners supportive, shouldn’t be that complex but needs a push). im not having much luck finding a solicitor who understands self build (‘do you mean new build’ ‘no I want to build a house myself’ ’*silence*’). Does anyone have a good recommendation? thank you. This is all new to me and any guidance appreciated!!