JayUK Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 Given enough funds, I am planning on retiring into a self-build for my retirement in 10-15 years. I'll be selling up, downsizing and using the sale and savings to hopefully be mortgage free when I move in. Given this amount of time ahead of starting the project, and that I have only read a couple of books and watched Grand Designs, what should I do and when in the coming decade? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 Hi and welcome, I retired to self build mine ( I was a small time builder before) and still I learnt soo much from this forum and its members. Finding the plot is the hardest thing which can take forever (I married into mine ?) I think you have to decide what you want which can take an age, size, rooms, facilities, orientation etc. I changed my mind several times but had a rough design in my head for a few years anyway. The mantra on the forum is not location location location it’s insulate insulate insulate. You only buy it once but buy fuel forever. Read a few blogs, don’t be afraid to ask questions here, you will get feet on the ground good advise not sales pitch. Best of luck ? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 Do an Open University BSc in Physics and Mathematics. And another one in Law. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyshouse Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 Do all your deciding now, passive house or better, masonry construction, 3g windows, colours, styles, floor plans, garage, needs and wants, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedreamer Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 1 hour ago, JayUK said: Given enough funds, I am planning on retiring into a self-build for my retirement in 10-15 years. I'll be selling up, downsizing and using the sale and savings to hopefully be mortgage free when I move in. Given this amount of time ahead of starting the project, and that I have only read a couple of books and watched Grand Designs, what should I do and when in the coming decade? Nothing wrong in planning ahead. I put in outline planning when I was 22 and moved in last year when I was 33. I wanted a goal of being sub £500 for all costs connected to living in the self build. Our site has great views, but required a bit work to make it a useable house site. I spent most of 11-12 years trying to achieve this in the most cost effective manner. I did not want any uncertainty when we were ready to roll with the build. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epsilonGreedy Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 3 hours ago, JayUK said: Given enough funds, I am planning on retiring into a self-build for my retirement in 10-15 years. I'll be selling up, downsizing and using the sale and savings to hopefully be mortgage free when I move in. Given this amount of time ahead of starting the project, and that I have only read a couple of books and watched Grand Designs, what should I do and when in the coming decade? Travel more around the UK to help you decide where you would be most happy to build. Shift your holiday focus to holiday rentals to sample more properties to pick up ideas. Visit other self builders to hear their war stories first hand. Go to the big NEC self build show once a year and book into the seminars. Learn Epsilon's first law of SelfBuild "Build the house that you will need for the next 20 years of your life and not the house you dreamed about 5 years ago.", basically this means don't fall into the the downsizer's upsizing trap. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 12 hours ago, JayUK said: ... what should I do and when in the coming decade? Investigate the build concept : Fabric First Decide on your Risk Appetite. Take holidays in houses of different types Choose the right partner. Spend many hours reading BuildHub. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottishjohn Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 buy your plot as soon as you can decide where you want to be -- it will only go up in price and 10 years inflation could make a big difference and maybe so much that you will never be able to get the plot you want then it could take years to get planning -and if you change your mind --you will make money on resale of plot 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocster Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 You have plenty of time to plan but it’s best to take advantage of anything you can well ahead of your schedule. For example have you considered some walk on glazing ? 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 Find a building plot, good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedreamer Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 4 hours ago, scottishjohn said: buy your plot as soon as you can decide where you want to be -- it will only go up in price and 10 years inflation could make a big difference and maybe so much that you will never be able to get the plot you want then it could take years to get planning -and if you change your mind --you will make money on resale of plot I would also add that utility connections, particularly an electricity connection can increase above inflation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faz Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 10 - 15 years? Spend 5 - 8 of them drinking beer and sleeping to store some up! Don't tell the Mrs 2+ years off site start that 'we have plenty of time to sort out the layout' as that phrase seems to boomerang on you when you are a few months off finishing up! I don't know what they think 'plenty of time' means but it certainly doesn't relate to a site programme. I now understand why contractors hate variations especially late ones (like when you have built the f*cking partition!) - they are generally unnecessary and annoying! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyshouse Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 Research, research research, keep a note of everything that you see that you like or love don’t use block paviours Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeSharp01 Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 On 10/05/2021 at 18:56, JayUK said: retirement in 10-15 years That feels like enough time but in some aspects it is a 'long time'. For example tastes change and you cannot judge yesterdays tastes (as they will be in 15 years time) by today's standard - but people do and you don't want your dearest friends leaving your brand new pad being driven, by their self drive car, away and saying to each other - 'Lovely house but oh so very 2021'. Lifestyles change similarly. Yesterday and perhaps today the fashion was/is for open plan. The pandemic has taught many that having just one open space where in the 1930's there would have been three isolated spaces is a severe restriction if two of you are working from home. You may argue that as you have retired you won't be working from home but you will still have your pastimes and if those are indoor a space for them might turn out to be valuable, my other half's sewing machine would be one such device I would not want in the open plan space - but we haven't specifically built her sewing room in the new house as she has only taken it up since the pandemic (in fact - and don't tell her, I put a special power supply into the garden room to allow her to have have a kiln for her pottery work if she kept up her passion for it, looks like sewing has taken over.) So perhaps spend time looking for 'timeless' ideas and don't get hooked up on today's technologies as so many of them are already in the laggard phase and there will be a whole new crop along by then. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jilly Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 37 minutes ago, tonyshouse said: don’t use block paviours Why not...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, Jilly said: Why not...? Fiddly fiddly fiddly dee? Fiddly fiddly fiddly dee? etc. (Forgot the name of the song ... but sing it anyway) Edited May 12, 2021 by ToughButterCup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 1 hour ago, MikeSharp01 said: ... So perhaps spend time looking for 'timeless' ideas .... Thats bang on correct. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonD Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 On 10/05/2021 at 18:56, JayUK said: Given this amount of time ahead of starting the project, and that I have only read a couple of books and watched Grand Designs, what should I do and when in the coming decade? Stop watching Grand Designs (or any other self-build programme) ?, spend some time learning how to make decisions and save up your money. Think about how much of the work you want to do and then try to develop any necessary skills and some experience ahead of time - or not if you want to pay someone else to do it all; then you can sit back, drink beer and consume design inspiration ? Otherwise I'd just be repeating what others have said.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dudda Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 It's to far down the road. Look at sites but I wouldn't stress to much about anything else. Building regulations, styles, environmental requirements, materials, etc will all have changed a massive amount not to mention any personal or financial circumstances. In 7-8 years I'd review and start getting a bit more serious. Just enjoy life until then. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bitpipe Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 (edited) Firstly accumulate as much money as possible, while still enjoying life that is. Some building technology changes slowly, some very quickly so keep abreast but don't obsess on one method over another just yet. I think your challenge will be to design a property that serves your needs in retirement. Uncomfortable as it is to consider, you need to think about future mobility, health and independence - a property that can adapt as you age and can be reconfigured will be invaluable. I think the suggestion to think about locations is good, do you know where you want to spend your future years? We bought the plot we developed 10 years ago (2011) and it took a couple of years to get planning and then another couple to get the finances in order and be in a position to start mid 2015. Actual build took a year and then landscaping etc another couple after that. I'd say we were finished the major works in 2018. Edited May 12, 2021 by Bitpipe 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocster Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 Nonsense from most ! You take my expert advice . ?? Buy a plot now . Or buy a house with the potential for planning . That will take you 5 years fighting the council . Make sure you can live on site or buy something nearby you can live in ( don’t rent ) . You won’t have enough money but you will have time ( assuming SWMBO is ‘ forgiving ‘ ) . Read lots , ask lots of questions . Then start , f a lot of things up . You are learning now ! . Spend more money due to the f up’s . You’ve learn’t even more now ! In essence you are making it up ( to some extent ) as you go along especially if a true self build . Remember the best rule of all ... “ @pocster did it - so I can do it ! “ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 3 hours ago, SimonD said: Stop watching Grand Designs No don’t, watch it to understand HOW NOT TO DO IT ?.have you considered “bungalow gobbling”, nice plot, crap house, still recover VAT when rebuilding, services, address etc etc already exists and you could live in it whilst applying fir planning (and going to appeal like I did!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bitpipe Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, joe90 said: No don’t, watch it to understand HOW NOT TO DO IT ?.have you considered “bungalow gobbling”, nice plot, crap house, still recover VAT when rebuilding, services, address etc etc already exists and you could live in it whilst applying fir planning (and going to appeal like I did!. Exactly what we, and many, others did. In our case a 3 bed detached 1950s house on a 1/2 acre plot. Although, must be said that in 10-15 years, the economics of self build may be better (govt grants, more aligned finance & vendors) or worse (change in 0% VAT scheme, increasing materials & labour & land prices, increased CIL, interest rates etc.). I would struggle to build our place on a similar budget as we sourced about 40% of the cost from EU (everything from frame to windows to slates to doors etc etc) and the drop in the GBR / EUR ex rate from 1.4 to 1.15 makes a significant difference. I would say you need to be making a move about 3-5 years ahead of when you would like to occupy. Edited May 12, 2021 by Bitpipe 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocster Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 2 hours ago, joe90 said: bungalow gobbling Thats a dogging term isn’t it ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 4 minutes ago, pocster said: Thats a dogging term isn’t it ? Trust you......ADMIN!!!!, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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