danielclarke

@Crofter he uses straw bales for insulation - i hear they're only 70-80p per bale, super cheap, but a friend recently reminded me how much of a huge fire hazard they are! I certinally won't be using that, regardless of how cheap, efficient or eco friendly they are.

@JSHarris no plot yet, i'm in the process of looking. Obviously the cost of land is not included in my budget. I'm in no rush as I'm still trying to develop the build plan. TBH I was never seriously considering green belt, but the idea did catch my interest when i read it. It's been known to be a nightmare to do anything with, and whats worse, it isn't illegal to sell land you know cannot be built on, and a lot of people still market it as potentially build-able knowing perfectly well that it is not. So when I find something I'm seriously keen on I'll sit down with the local authority first. You've given me a great deal to think about though and I do appreciate that, thank you. In all honesty I wasn't sure what to expect on this forum and so far you've all been great. @ProDave I have been watching that 'how to live mortgage free' program and it is incredibly misleading, I actually think that's where I got the idea of building on agricultural land! In truth, whilst it sounds great, I think i will avoid the portable home route. I want to create something that is mortgage-able so it is a realistic option for first-time-buyers, etc. @Crofter your project sounds absolutely amazing and i salute you on pulling that off - great achievement! It doesn't really sound right for me personally though as my hope is to build a product I can eventually sell at a return. The first build will be for myself and family - if i can achieve a build anywhere near my budget target then I'll look to productize it. I want 80-100k all in, including services, suites, etc. What started me down the road of a steel frame is this - though i found it to be a little misleading, i still feel the concept is a great one. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/grand-designs-style-house-costs-just-7945802 To answer your first question, the budget does include site prep but not services.

Wow @ProDave that sounds really interesting... Are there any links here to @Crofter's house? I'm really keen to check that out.... I heard these properties can be put on the green belt because planning permission is not required, nor is there are building reg restrictions, so land is obviously very cheap. I'd certinatly be interested in looking into that, whether it is a portable building or not, I don't care, so long as it fits the bill of affordable housing for people.

Hi Guys, I want to keep it under £60k if at all possible, and I do think it is possible to get close, though I do admit to still being in the middle of my research and planning... I will be doing most of the work myself, with the help of family - that covers all plumbing, electrics, etc. The spec will be smart basic, open plan, minimalist. If you're sensible, I do think you can get a great looking house on a budget by avoiding labour costs as much as possible and also by avoiding bespoke goods, etc. The steel frames I am hoping to use are the same frames used for agricultural and storage units worldwide, so you get an abundance of space at a minimum of cost. These can be purchased cheaply, they can also be supplied locally and erect quickly. Using this system avoids expensive foundation costs too. Planning is obviously going to be the biggest challenge with this, but it has been achieved already in Wales and I want to give it a shot here. Property in SE England is just ridiculously priced, so my hope is to give people an affordable self-build option. I know it isn't going to be easy, but I am an optimist! Really appreciate the feedback guys. Regards, Daniel

Hi Everybody, I am new here. Thanks for reading. I am in the process of trying to plan a quick to build and affordable bungalow of approx. 120sq mtr for a budget of £60k. I need to avoid complicated machinery and build with minimal specialist trades onsite. I also need the property to be watertight as quickly as possible. The house structure will be supported by a steel portal frame. The challenge I have is that I’d prefer not to use brick or block as ultimately it takes too long and you still need to account for insulation, etc. – it’s just too labour intensive and time consuming. To add to the issue, I am not at all keen on wood cladding or anything like that. What I’d like is a nice smooth modern exterior, so I was thinking pre-fab walls or something easy and quick to put up. Whatever it is, it does not need to be load bearing because of the steel frame, but it does need to be super energy efficient. Any ideas or recommendations? Appreciate it! Daniel