New year, new home?

Rising energy prices, escalating material costs, supply chain issues and the cost-of-living crisis – it might feel as if the odds are stacked against you when it comes to self-building your own home.

The impact of the pandemic and Brexit has led to the rising cost of materials. Costs show no signs of dropping as we face the highest inflation rate in 40 years. But with careful planning and considered choices this year, constructing your dream self-build home to meet your comfort requirements needn’t be out of reach.

Self-builders not giving up

There is a lot of opportunity for self-builders to create an energy efficient self-build home. And it seems people’s enthusiasm for building their own home has not been affected by the cost-of-living crisis, according to a 2022 survey by the National Self Build and Renovation Centre. The survey of 644 would-be homeowners questioned whether they would be looking to build their own home or renovate an existing property, asking factors such as budget, priorities, and motivations.

More than a third of respondents stated their interest in planning more energy-saving measures to lower costs in the longer term. Moving into 2023, the desire for sustainable, energy-efficient measures will be a key consideration in self-builds.

Do your research

First things first, the only way to start your self-build journey is by arming yourself with information on every aspect of the build. Visit construction shows for self-builders, use the internet to search for experts in this field – from architects to plasterers. Network as much as possible for those nuggets of wisdom.

Be meticulous when it comes to research. Small changes to aesthetics are fine but firm decisions on heating systems, insulation and structure should be made from the start and stuck to if you want to avoid big bills.

Financial help is out there

Budgeting for each stage of your self-build project is crucial and can help you to keep better control of your finances.

Creating a self-build budget checklist and schedule will add structure to your plans. Always set aside a contingency fund of 10% to 20% to act as a cushion against unexpected costs, price increases and extension of the building process.

Initiatives to support self-­builders like the UK Government's Help to Buy scheme show promising signs. New-build compliance checks had to be completed in December 2022 for Help to Buy, but the scheme itself is not being wound up until March so there’s still time.

Think smart tech

Technologies will pave the way for reducing running costs in self-build homes. It might seem like a large upfront cost, but smart technology could help you to keep an eye on your pennies.

Monitoring lighting, heating, audio, to motion-detector cameras for our home security – it helps occupants to lead hassle-free lives. Observing our homes even when we’re out can allow us to not only keep them safe but track our energy usage.

With the rising cost of living and mounting heating bills there has never been a better time for scheduling app-enabled devices to adjust the temperature and lighting in our home, allowing us to maintain the right comfort levels.

Install a heat pump for long-term savings

One way to heat your home is through heat pumps; these work by extracting heat contained within earth, air, or water, depending on which system you choose. Air source heat pumps are reasonably straightforward to install, making them cheaper than ground or water source options.

The UK Government offered grants of £5,000 to install air source heat pumps in England and Wales as part of their Boiler Upgrade Scheme. The UK government and industry continue to work on helping meet the aim of heat pumps costing the same to buy and run as fossil fuel boilers by 2030, with big cost reductions of between a quarter and a half by 2025 expected as technology develops, and the market expands.

Calling self-builders! Are you in the process of building your home? We’d love to hear your stories and experiences.

Email [email protected] to share your self-build.