Starting a business helping Self-Builders, advice?

[G and J]

It's attracting them to you in the first place that can be tricky.....with a pool of happy clients, event with word of mouth, self build (or garden design) frequency isn't ever going to be like needing an electrician.

Certainly good designs and 3d presentations are going to serve well for prospective clients once they are in conversation with you, but

[Bancroft]

21 hours ago, MikeSharp01 said:

This said they were not that aware of self building of our sort, as @nod has described, so some aspects got a bit lost. The main one being describing the details as they assumed a competent builder would just do it so leaving gaps which took us a long time to work out and still appear on occasions. So I get the impression there is a gap there

From my limited experience I think this could be a key area for you to focus on.

 

A few wider thoughts:

 

You will need to be clear about your niche.  How are you going to differentiate yourself from a planning consultant or normal architect?  Most new self-builders won't know what they don't know.  Human nature makes us fell safer doing what we see others have done so they will naturally gravitate to the norm - ie an architectural firm.  Perhaps a survey of Buildhub members to find out their experiences of their journey and where they felt they would have benefitted from some independent help.

 

Have you considered working alongside an architectural firm (or firms) as their self build expert? Taking Mike's point from above you might be able to create a symbiotic relationship with a company that works for both of you.  In my experience, and reading of other's experiences, architects get very excited about the design stage but interest drops at an alarming rate as the project approaches the point where a spade hits the ground.  You could work alongside them in the early stages then take over as the project develops.

 

In practical terms, although you say only 2-3 clients at any one time, will that give you sufficient income and how are you going to be able to service them?  The chances are they will be spread across the UK so you will need to factor in travel and time away which will eat into profits/make you more expensive.

 

Regardless of the route you take, running a small business is as much (if not more...) about marketing and sales - especially in the early years until you have built up a reputation.  With a business such as the one you propose you will need to maintain that marketing/sales effort because the likelihood is 99% of your clients will not be repeat customers so you will always be searching out new opportunities.  (An alliance with an architect(s) as suggested above might help this issue).

 

Apologies if that all sounds a bit negative but I've worked with a lot of embryonic businesses and these are just some of the realities.

 

Despite the negativity/realism I do like your idea and think that if you can crack the niche and find a simple, powerful way to market to your ideal clients this could be a really good business idea.

[LDNRennovation]

Many thanks Bancroft, some really good ideas there and stuff to really think about. 
 

I’ve made approaches to a few timber frame companies who don’t have their own design department but work with mainly self builders (that’s my background). I’ve found two who would be willing to point people my way. 
 

I do have a current job which isn’t architecture so I’ll be doing this with a safety net to start with. 
 

I do feel like self builders are wary of architecture firms as they can be expensive and not listen to their needs. My idea is to provide a better service as I like to think I understand they are a bit of a unique group sometimes.

I would also be making ‘self help’ packs so that they can get info on self build.

 

I looked into a principal designer and CDM course and you’re right, I’m not that into it. Mainly design and planning and helping them project manage maybe.

[SteamyTea]

TL:DR

 

Being a house designer is nothing special, though some are better than others.

A few hours reading in here will show up two problems pretty quickly.

1. Architects don't understand thermal performance, though there may be the odd one that does.

2. They cannot manage all the trades needed.

 

So if you want a USP.

Design to Passivhaus standard, or better, without adding a premium.

Get a big list of good, reliable and tidy trades that can work together.

[saveasteading]

15 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

Design to Passivhaus standard, or better

I disagree. There are diminishing returns, and so I'd say design to the principles but be pragmatic. If the last 2% of performance adds 20% to the cost, stick with 98%.

[SteamyTea]

5 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

There are diminishing returns

Only on insulation thickness. I suspect that over the last 3 years many people wish they had an extra 100mm of insulation fitted.

Infiltration is linear, wall to glazing ratio is probably linear (may model that to find out).

Form is important, as are the thermal bridges.

Passuvhaus ovesells basic thermal design, almist as much as the 'lifestyle', to the extent that they give the impression to customers that they wrote the 4 Laws of Thermodynamics (only 2 of them are relevant normally).

 

[LDNRennovation]

Most self builders I’ve met don’t want passive-houses, and I think a limitation that’s not required. I’ll offer it certainly and I’ve designed several. 

 

I don’t really agree that designing houses isn’t special, it’s a skill I’ve trained hard for and I’m proud of it. 

[SteamyTea]

42 minutes ago, LDNRennovation said:

Most self builders I’ve met don’t want passive-houses

Don't actually tell them, just design to a similar standard.

 

42 minutes ago, LDNRennovation said:

I don’t really agree that designing houses isn’t special

Try designing a car (what I first studied).  I work as a chef, no formal qualifications in it, just over 40 years of doing it when I can't be arsed to do a better job.  Being a chef is no different than cooking at home, apart from scale and pace (and most people can't cook at home and talk a lot of bollocks about it, thinking that spending extra money on equipment makes a difference).

47 minutes ago, LDNRennovation said:

I’ve trained hard for

I trained hard as an automotive engineer, then retrained in the renewable energy field, then environmental science.  But you only have to read on here how many spats I get into against others opinion.

So take my opinion about house design as you like, from an engineering perspective, they are pretty easy, and if you go into most houses, it is hard to believe that anyone with any training has ever tried to live in their creations.

[LDNRennovation]

Ok well, moving on.

[LDNRennovation]

8 hours ago, G and J said:

It's attracting them to you in the first place that can be tricky.....with a pool of happy clients, event with word of mouth, self build (or garden design) frequency isn't ever going to be like needing an electrician.

Certainly good designs and 3d presentations are going to serve well for prospective clients once they are in conversation with you, but

 I guess a good website is going to be key. Not a lot of repeat customers since it’s such a big one time (usually) investment! 

[SBMS]

@LDNRennovation self build number 2. 
 

number 1 used a large architect practice. they designed a fairly soul less house. 
 

number 2 was much better but I think I’ve been a difficult customer for them because I’ve wanted to bring the knowledge from here - mvhr, thermal efficiency etc plus the usual irritation of being a self builder!

I don’t agree that houses are easy to design as evidenced by most houses not being special or optimally designed. 

 

I think I would most definitely have been a customer to your service. I think your challenge will be the first time self builder. I know so much more second time around and would know exactly what I wanted from an architect. I don’t think organising trades or providing a passivhaus design is relevant. I think speaking to the things that matter to a self builder such as thermal efficiency, cost optimisation, efficient design etc with a good technology mix (3d walk arounds that you can do at your own leisure) would put you above a lot of the rest. I wouldn’t wed yourself to a particular build methodology (ie TF over brick and block). Research and convey how you would design and build each one. I know I wanted brick and block for a number of reasons even though architect wasn’t keen. I’m sure I’ll have a great quality, highly efficient home even using this build method.  Architect isn’t so sure but remaining technology agnostic will maximise your market. Stay ahead of technology - suggest things like aerobarrier for airtightness (an example only) as self builders are often guinea pigs for newer ways of building.

 

Fixed price upfront so customer knows what to expect. 
 

Bit of a ramble sorry but I think you have a good niche. 

[Gus Potter]

On 06/05/2025 at 13:16, LDNRennovation said:

Firstly this isn’t an advert and I’m not doing anything just yet.
 

I’d like to become a self employed architect, one that deals exclusively with people building their self build homes. It’s something I’ve previously done with larger companies and architects, but it’s a big leap to work on my own. I’ve got a good portfolio including a grand designs episode or two, been in magazines front cover of AJ so I have some experience. 
 

I just don’t know where to start, and if there is money in this. I would like to take on 2-3 clients at a time and help them through their journey. How do I find people who would want this? 

It can be done but it is a long journey.

 

For me I was a local Scottish Borders Building contractor for the first 15- 20 years of my carear (I'm paraphrasing) have done a self build, like a real one.. doing 99% of the work myself. I reinvented myself at the age of 40 by going to Uni. I'm now an SE and Architectural designer with my own consultancy for about the last 6 - 7 years. But to get there I had to spend about 6 years training after uni.. to become competent and learn how this side of the design business work. How you set out a design brief.. how you get paid and when. How you build relationships to get repeat work from Clients who pay promptly.. which will pay the bills.

 

On the face of it even now (6-7 years later) I don't earn what I could if I went to be a wage slave at an SE consultancy ( I don't get holiday or sick pay but they have you working 60 -70 hours a week once you get to director level).  But my quality of life is much better. I have my bread and butter work locally that pays the bills.. extensions, loft conversions and knocking holes in walls. I do quite a few jobs in England.. but these are only the ones that interest me. I like raft slabs and converting agricultural buildings to homes for example. I have other sidelines.. I do some steel detailing for an Aberdeen fabricator and so on. I take on whacky renovations.. lime mortar and old stone.

 

@LDNRennovation I think you can do it.. but to do so at the beginning you'll have to take on anything that crops up.. you'll probably earn less in the first five years but at the end of the day if you put your back into it it will be worth it.