Every year, around 10,000 people in Britain take the plunge and build their own home. After all, why should you settle for a developer-built box, when it’s possible to build a better quality property for less money?
You can do as little or as much hands-on building work as you want. In fact, as long as you help design and organise the project, you still count as a self-builder. But where exactly do you start?
The Haynes Self-Build Manual is a comprehensive step-by-step guide that takes you through the entire process from finding a suitable plot and design to completion and snagging. This website provides lots of back-up information, contacts and specialist links for readers of the Haynes Self-Build Manual.
Here you will also find some FREE sample specifications and documents, invaluable when you’re putting together a new construction project. Plus there’s some additional technical info for some more complex designs.
FIND the right local
Some useful sources of independent advice
FREE SAMPLES
Extra
Background information and useful links for readers of the Haynes Self-Build manual
CAD design software: Solid Edge | Cadstd
SelfBuild associations: Community Self-Build Agency | National SelfBuild Association
Calculating floor spans | Calculating roof spans | Calculating foundations
Materials
Timber – its properties & uses | Timber I-joists
Trades – see exactly which tasks each trade does
See lists of contractors and trades by postcode and trade, monitored and rated: www.homepro.com | www.trustmark.org.uk
Download a FREE Building Contract
Sample specification and contract documents
How to handle disputes with builders
Staying alive – say no to serious injuries and death on site!
Calculate the volume of concrete required in cubic metres (and type) – ‘multiconverter’ programme on website www.bluechillies.com
