Earlier this year, the Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, announced that a plot of previously-used public sector land in Cornwall will be made available for the UK's first large-scale self build plot. The site, at Trevenson Park in Pool, will have space for 60 houses. Six other sites across the country will also be made available, including two in Bristol, and the housing minister has also announced a £30m investment fund for short term loans for self-build projects.
With the launch of what Mr Shapps calls “a self-build surge”, it is predicted that the number of mortgages for self builders will increase by a massive 141 per cent over the next few years. Until recently, the idea of a self build has tended to interest people who have some link to the construction industry, but as it is looking to become an option for the masses, more people outside the profession will need advice on the necessary steps to create their dream home.
A chartered surveyor can assist in the development of a custom built home by helping plan the creation of a new development, give advice on obtaining planning permission and can highlight any building, cost and environmental issues. Yet, while most self builders employ an architect and a variety of tradesmen, they don’t always think of bringing in a chartered surveyor.
Given that the self-builder’s two biggest concerns are land and money, chartered surveyors are the ideal people to offer advice and can essentially organise the whole project from beginning to end. Usually a chartered surveyor is brought in to assist in the planning and design and to help with obtaining the necessary approvals. However, there is a whole lot more they can manage, and acting as an independent consultant to the consumer they can help ensure the buildability of designs and produce life-cycle costs, as well as assess the construction methods, negotiate tenders and appoint contractors. They can also help with Building Control approval, boundary disputes, warranties and VAT submissions.
A chartered quantity surveyor (QS), can also be useful, particularly for larger projects. A QS can assist by being involved in the creation of the original budget used for loan security as well as giving that all-important cost plan for the works and materials. This can help ensure that the consumer has a realistic and achievable budget from the start, and that any loans taken out will accurately cover the costs.
All sorts of things get in the way of building a home and there will be many problems along the way. Chartered surveyors can help identify the pitfalls before they arise, stop costs spiralling out of control and decipher the legal implications. They also have the knowledge to spot a wealth of problems and without a surveyor, self builders could face the horror of discovering that their dream home has been built on shoddy ground conditions with no possible connection to utilities, for example.
A chartered surveyor can help with obtaining a self build mortgage, which is often not easy as there are few providers and the conditions are onerous. Lenders operating in self-build mortgages may want part or all of a self build project to be managed by a qualified professional in the industry and for building quality guarantees to be in place – a chartered surveyor can manage this and provide a completion certificate for mortgage purposes.
Essentially, chartered surveyors will have a wealth of contacts to contract to do the work, resulting in a trusted professional team. Having someone on site to make day to day decisions and answer questions is often key to keeping the build moving smoothly, and a chartered surveyor will be well placed to challenge the chosen builder and/or architect on key issues like value for money and quality control.
It is worth employing a chartered surveyor as they can give consumers the courage and the confidence to turn self-build dreams into reality. They have a wealth of experience in dealing with many professions and can offer a one-stop shop for a range of self builder needs to help manage the project and take away so much of the hassle. While there will be a charge to employ a chartered surveyor, it will undoubtedly be offset by the numerous potential savings they could highlight.
About the author
Originally from Hertfordshire, Peter Bolton King, is one of three generations of the family working in the property industry, and follows in the footsteps of his father and father-in-law, by training and qualifying to become a chartered surveyor at Warwickshire firm, Locke and England Chartered Surveyors. Bolton King has been an RICS member since 1979 and was appointed RICS Global Residential Director in April 2012, joining the Institution from the National Federation of Property Professionals (NFoPP), where he was Group Chief Executive for almost nine years. Bolton King has represented the UK property industry at the highest level on both the UK and international stage and has extensive experience of the residential and valuation sectors.
Peter is a violinist and is the great, great, great, great, great, great nephew of Captain James King, who was navigator to Captain Cook.
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