Self-build FAQs

There are a number of ways to find land for sale from estate agents to Rightmove to Plotfinder to our own website! To make life easier, we recommend self-builders register their interest with us to maximise the chances of finding the perfect plot. And it’s important to remember, we are happy to advise you on plot suitability and potential, even if you didn’t find it through us.

Every self-build is unique according to the client’s custom requirements so there is no set cost. Once we know what your budget is, we’ll work to make sure the design is do-able within that budget. We also provide a fixed price at the start of the project, so you know exactly what you’ll be paying.

Depending on a number of variables, the actual construction can be completed in six to eight months. However, people are often surprised to learn that just as much time, if not more, is likely to be spent on the preliminary stages of securing land, finance, planning and setting up your team.

Absolutely. We offer a Contract Build service where we can build to your exact specification. We’ll prepare a clear build schedule and budget so you can be sure your self-build is delivered on time and within your budget. 

Yes! Finding the right plot on which to build your self-build dream can be quite a challenge. With a myriad of different factors to take into consideration, finding available plots of land, evaluating their suitability and planning permission prospects can be a minefield.

But CB Homes can help. Our team of experts can offer dedicated advice and guidance on the suitability of any plot you may have identified, with or without planning permission. And we offer a free, no obligation consultation service to evaluate your potential plot. We also have plots of land available for sale, and can help identify plots that may be about to come on the market. 

This will depend on the size of property you’re looking to build. As a rough guide, we recommend using the depth of the house, adding 15-20 metres for the plot depth and 2-5 metres to the width of the build.

A frequent misconception is that you need to have at least 1 acre of land to build a home. Naturally, many self-builders prefer to have a property with plenty of space, a bigger garden and a better outlook.

There are many factors which can affect your building cost estimate and have a significant impact on project cost. These include: 

• Site investigation, demolition, site clearance and new utilities.
• Substructure, foundations, drains, insulation and floor slab.
• Superstructure, external walls, internal walls, roof structure, insulation and air-tightness.
• External finishes, roof tiles, doors and windows, wall cladding and gutters.
• Services and fit-out, plumbing, heating, ventilation, electrics, doors and stairs.
• Decorations, plastering, finishes, flooring, tiling, sanitary and lighting.
• Patios, paths, driveway, planting and landscaping.
• Site management, welfare, health and safety, scaffolding and fencing.

Use our handy self-build calculator to work out what your self-build might cost.

We take great pride in our ability to work within any budget – large and small – to deliver our clients’ self-build dreams. We offer free, initial consultations on every self-build enquiry. We are always happy to talk through your new projects, offer advice and guidance, along with preliminary costings with no obligation to build with us.

All our self-build project quotes are all based on a fixed fee approach, meaning the fee we quote is the fee that will be invoiced (unless otherwise agreed). We guarantee there will be no nasty surprises or hidden costs, so managing your self-build budget is simple and stress-free.

We work with experienced architects and can put you in touch with one that is most suited to the type and size of your self-build.

We arrange a Building Inspector to visit the site at various stages throughout the self-build project to ensure the work is carried out to Building Regulations. They cover everything from workmanship, adequate materials, structure, waterproofing and fire safety, to sound insulation, electrical safety, ventilation, drainage, disabled accessibility and facilities, and also high-speed broadband infrastructure to ensure that your self-build meets the required building regulations. 

One of the great things about our full turnkey service is that you can choose how much or little you want to be involved in the project. You will have choices on every aspect of your home, as well as regular monthly budget updates. After everything is agreed at the start of the project, we can manage the entire project on your behalf from start to finish. We will always keep you informed of progress at key stages throughout the project.