Now that your self-build mortgage is approved, what are the next steps?
In this article we cover:
- Where to start
- Typical build stages
- Choosing the right design team
Q: I’ve been approved in principle for my mortgage and I’m looking for someone to
oversee construction. Where should I start when building?
“The devil is in the detail, and the key is to do your research to find a good design team.”
Answering this question properly would fill a book. But for now, in brief, after the planning approval stage, you need to know exactly how the building is to be constructed and what it will all cost. For that, a professional designer (architect or chartered architectural technologist) is best placed to guide you through the process, along with a structural engineer to take care of structural solutions.
A design-led approach will give you the best solutions to suit your requirements. In terms of when to appoint your design team, the answer is to get everyone on board at the earliest possible stage. After the construction design has been worked out, you will need quotations from two or three building contractors. Input from a quantity surveyor (QS) will allow for precise cost analysis and so can be very valuable. The QS can be part of the design team from the start.
Even a rough estimate of phased building costs would be impossible without knowing more about the proposed build, but a simple example might possibly go something like the table below.
After the tender process, the selected principal contractor would take responsibility for managing the build programme, hiring workers and equipment, purchase of materials, managing health and safety, insurances, monitoring the budget and providing you with regular updates.
Alternatively, if you intend to set out the work to a number of sub-contractors or various tradespeople, you really need to know what you are doing as controlling it all requires knowledge and experience.
For this approach, you could consider hiring a project manager, who would essentially perform the same duties as a principal contractor.
Proposed Build: Typical Build Stages
While every project is unique, most builds follow a similar sequence.
Here’s a typical breakdown of the build stages and how they contribute to the overall project.
