Dos

If I were decades younger, I'd be all over that ideal like a rash. I have looked into auctions, but the price they sell for -even the real bad ones- are not that far of the open market price. I'm not sure if Covid has screwed things up, or my expectations need keeping in check (I think its the latter! ).

Devon, Cornwall or at a push Lincolnshire fens (the fens are flat as a pancake, so the plot should be less of an issue (apart from the usual peat and clay issues), plus Lincs is cheap for housing at present).

I'm afraid it does But that's why I posed the question. I wanted to be let down lightly before an idea became a dream, and my finances decided I was having a nightmare. It looks like I'm back to dealing with estate agents, followed by long conveyancing chains to find that 1960s bungalow has poor insulation with rusting brick ties and woodworm in the attic. Bugger.

I have absolutely no clue or any knowledge about self-build whatsoever. After trying to buy a house over the past year and failing miserably, I'm considering the possibility of a self-build. We're thinking of buying a building plot in the west country and having a simple conventional brick and tile two bed detached bungalow / house built. Budget would be around £180 with a small mortgage. Can you obtain pre-designed plans or is that option fraught with disaster (planning etc). Is it feasible, or would I be better off persisting with the estate agents to find what I'm looking for?