What are the hidden costs of self-build?

When you decide on your budget for building your own house it’s important to keep an accurate tally of where and on what the money needs to be spent. You also need to be aware of everything that needs to be included in your self-build project. You’ll know the costs of the building materials and the labour, but unless you do your research carefully, what hidden costs might take you by surprise?

Hidden costs of installing utilities

One aspect of building your own home that is often taken as a given is the availability of services at the flick of a switch. But installing services onsite can sometimes be costly. For the project itself, the construction team will rely on generators for power. This is because the equipment required to carry out construction tasks requires far more electricity than conventional power grids. If you’re working on a site in a remote or rural location, then there may be a need to bring in services to the site for the finished building. Even in this day and age, many properties in the countryside are not on a gas or mains sewer network.

Hidden costs of powering up?

Thinking about how you’re going to power your finished house should be addressed in the planning process. You need to financially account for it in the wider scheme from the outset.

Even if there is a service network available, the costs of connecting to electricity and gas can vary considerably. This is especially true of electricity connections. The cost for these will depend on the amount of work involved to make the connection. In terms of central heating and energy generation for the finished property, there are several options available, such as oil-fired or fossil heating. Greener options are becoming more popular and are more widely available, such as solar panels mounted on the roof or on the ground, to provide self-sufficient, self-generated power.

Getting connected

The problem of not being connected to a mains sewer can be overcome by using a septic tank on site, either an old-fashioned multi-chambered tank or a Klargester septic tank. Years ago, the multichambered tanks would have been built of brick and many of this type are still in existence across the UK today. A Klargester septic tank looks rather like a submersible. It is buried in the ground to treat the wastewater discharge onsite. Thinking about where this will be sited will need to be incorporated as part of the wider site layout before work begins. Foul water can be treated without a sewer connection in this way, but surface water – such as water collected in guttering or on patios – can often simply flow away into a French Drain, or soakaway. There may be an opportunity to run the surface water away into a nearby watercourse, if your property is near field ditches, or a stream or river. In these more environmentally-friendly times, surface water can be collected and recycled in other applications, such as water for your garden.

Expect the unexpected

Unforeseen delays can hinder project progress and also become costly additions to your budget. The weather cannot be controlled, of course, but being prepared for it can help. Building in contingency costs can stop the project running aground financially – ideally a contingency fund of 20% but at least 10%. 

Another unexpected cost that you might not have considered is the cost of landscaping the project. The cost-per-square-foot that is usually used to calculate the cost of building an average house does not take into account something like building a drive from the property to the road, or the final creation of the landscaped setting.

Worries about budgeting and hidden costs are widespread when people are considering a self-build. This is why we created our fixed fee, turnkey self-build package. It provides complete peace of mind as it gives you the flexibility to build your dream home around your budget and covers complete build costs. We include everything you need to enable your home to be built and made ready for you to move in. Our quote includes connection costs for supply of water, electricity and gas and connection to a sewer, the cost for supplying and installing kitchen units, sanitary ware, wall tiles, fireplace and flooring. The only additional items you should be aware of are the land cost, any associated legal costs and any landscaping you may wish to do once you have moved in. Talk to us to find out more.