A few months into planning my self-build - just need a plot!

[Mark Greenfield]

Hi - Mark here!
Just found BuildHub online after looking for thoughts on self-build mortgages etc.

My wife and I will be embarking on a self-build as soon as we can find a plot (which we think is imminent); hoping to appoint an architect rather than buy a plot with detailed planning permission so we can get exactly what we want. Have looked at Graven Hill a few times as it wouldn't be a huge upheaval for us to move there, but it's not for us.

We have renovated a few times before, including large extensions, but this time we're set on a timber frame system as we like the efficiency and time (any advice on which companies to use (or avoid, if allowed to say!) welcome).

[JohnMo]

2 minutes ago, Mark Greenfield said:

we're set on a timber frame system as we like the efficiency and time

That's where we started, until the prices came in, then moved to other ways to build.

 

3 minutes ago, Mark Greenfield said:

appoint an architect rather than buy a plot with detailed planning permission

We bought with planning permission and ended up with a house design better than we would have done. We just tweaked it, to get the interior better suited to us.

[Mark Greenfield]

1 minute ago, JohnMo said:

That's where we started, until the prices came in, then moved to other ways to build.

 

We bought with planning permission and ended up with a house design better than we would have done. We just tweaked it, to get the interior better suited to us.

I've been through all the costings, and even when timber prices were sky-high in 2022 we still couldn't make other methods stack up, but that aside bricks and mortar doesn't give us the performance or levels of airtightness we are looking for. It also seems to be a bit 'bitty' - we found that timber frame companies were able to cover off all of the structural elements (beams, steel etc) as well as understand how to integrate ventilation systems and and under floor heating systems (which we're having on the first floor too). Without that integrated approach we wouldn't know who could take overall responsibility for it. Some builders wouldn't let us speak to their joist and roof truss suppliers, and the builders we spoke to didn't even know what MVHR was!

 

We won't be trying to design our house - we have set aside some funds to make sure we get a good architect to do that for us!

[JohnMo]

31 minutes ago, Mark Greenfield said:

under floor heating systems (which we're having on the first floor too)

Not a fan, too slow to heat up and collect down unless you mean just in wet rooms (I know as we have it everywhere). You should not need any in bedrooms, especially if well insulated and bedrooms are upstairs, just electric heater just in case you feel the need. Or an oversized radiator

 

40 minutes ago, Mark Greenfield said:

Some builders wouldn't let us speak to their joist and roof truss suppliers,

when we talked to builders around us, some didn't even want us on site, unless specifically invited.

[ProDave]

44 minutes ago, Mark Greenfield said:

and and under floor heating systems (which we're having on the first floor too).

If you do your insulation and air tightness well enough, you won't need upstairs heating unless you like a really hot bedroom.

 

Like many on here, I put UFH in the bathrooms upstairs, but not the bedrooms.  I put electric points in the bedrooms for a panel heater if it turned out some heating was needed, but they have never been used.  

 

Nearer the time when you have a plot and are designing the house talk us through the design and we can advise on what you need.

[Mark Greenfield]

50 minutes ago, ProDave said:

If you do your insulation and air tightness well enough, you won't need upstairs heating unless you like a really hot bedroom.

I get that, but my concern is that someone buying my house in a few years time may have a hard time getting their head around it. Better to install it and not use it for that reason alone (cost isn't significant) - too many people still don't even understand heat pumps, let alone grasp the concept of no heating in bedrooms!

[Mark Greenfield]

56 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

Not a fan, too slow to heat up and collect down unless you mean just in wet rooms (I know as we have it everywhere). You should not need any in bedrooms, especially if well insulated and bedrooms are upstairs, just electric heater just in case you feel the need. Or an oversized radiator

 

when we talked to builders around us, some didn't even want us on site, unless specifically invited.

I have it currently and it's true that it's unlikely to be used frequently, but occasionally we have used it. Some rooms will get very cool in the winter if they have large glazed areas; my sons room has a 2.4m x 1.2m window on the west and north elevation; triple glazed and it can get to around 17 degrees which is a little too cool for some people in my opinion - grandma wouldn't be happy! Better to have the option of heating rather than having to stick a space heater in. Our rooms all have individual stats, so heating-up time isn't an issue - selling the house might be awkward without heating too.

[nod]

We looked for seven years for plot 

Forever home 😂 The second and third one  fell in our lap 

Be ready with your finances and get an offer in as soon a possible You can always pull out if a deal breaker crops up Good plots don’t hang around 

[Kelvin]

As many do on here we don’t have heating upstairs other than electric UFH for the dormer bathroom. I did fit a  wall socket in the ideal locations in both rooms for an electric wall panel albeit I’d probably just use a portable oil filled rad or similar if it was ever needed although I know we’ll never need to heat upstairs. 

[JohnMo]

1 hour ago, Mark Greenfield said:

Our rooms all have individual stats, so heating-up time isn't an issue - selling the house might be awkward without heating too.

If doing that plan for a suitable sized buffer within the heating system and the added inefficient running it brings. I did that initially until I started to get the heating bills. Now run as a single zone no buffer and one thermostat. Works well.

[Post and beam]

6 hours ago, Mark Greenfield said:

as soon as we can find a plot

I know its not everybodies cup of tea but have you considered Milton Keynes. 

[Mark Greenfield]

58 minutes ago, Post and beam said:

I know its not everybodies cup of tea but have you considered Milton Keynes. 

Not really - for no other reason than I haven't needed to look there yet really; we often shop there (Northampton is rubbish for shopping, but very good for road networks). There are some stunning villages around MK.

 

[Alan Ambrose]

>>> just need a plot!

 

One technique - is to follow the stuff going through planning in the areas you're interested in, and contact the owner to see whether (a) if passed, it's going to be up for sale, or (b) if failed, whether you can buy it cheap and re-apply with an amended plan.

[Post and beam]

1 hour ago, Mark Greenfield said:

Not really - for no other reason than I haven't needed to look there yet really;

The reason i asked is because one of the founding principals of the formation of the town was to provide plots for self builders. You may of course already know this, apologies if you do. There are loads, we used to go POTTON spotting back in the day.