Building a house

Another option to consider if you want to become a home owner but can't find a property you like or that satisfies your needs, is to build your own home.

Building your own home can be a very satisfying option however, it can also be a stressful option. It is therefore important that you plan carefully in the beginning to avoid any potential pitfalls.

Acquiring a site

The first step in building your own home is finding and purchasing a suitable site to build on. These will be advertised in local newspapers, estate agents and property solicitors offices, and possibly the Council itself.

Local knowledge is a considerable asset in finding and purchasing suitable sites on which to build.

Some sites will have outline planning consent for housing, some will be serviced with water, electricity and gas, however some will have neither planning consent nor services.

Important: Do not purchase a site until you have, at the very least, outline planning consent for housing.

Professional Advice

Anyone wanting to build a house has to overcome a number of official hurdles before they are allowed to proceed to the bricks and mortar stage.

You should seek professional advice before a potential house site is identified, or as soon afterwards as possible.

• Planning Regulations

Building Standard Officers will be more than happy to help anyone who is thinking of building a house, with specific advice on the requirements of the planning system and on other more general aspects of the building process.

They have much useful experience and would far rather share it as early as possible to help the potential; house builder to avoid some of the pitfalls and delays that can arise from ignorance of what is needed to get planning consent.

The Building Standard Officers will explain the council's policies on the siting, design and location of any new house, which is to be built in the area. They will advise on the requirements for drainage from the property site, road access and water supplies.

They will also provide assistance with, as well as advice on, preparing applications for outline and/or full planning permission and a building warrant.

Building Standard Officers from South Ayrshire council can be contacted at the following address:

South Ayrshire Council
Planning Services
Burns House
Burns Statue Square
AYR
KA7 1UT

Tel: 01292 61 6100

Legal Advice

Good legal advice from a qualified solicitor should also be sought at an early stage, particularly by those who have not yet acquired legal title to a house site.

Designing & building your house

Local solicitors can provide names and addresses of architects and building contractors. The Yellow Pages Directory also gives names of manufacturers and suppliers of kit houses.

Some building contractors and all kit suppliers also provide a choice of house designs which, if suitable, may avoid or reduce the requirement to employ an architect.

However, an experienced architect will also greatly reduce the amount of time and effort that would otherwise be spent by the client on climbing the hurdles involved in building a new house.

Community Self -- Build Scotland

Community Self Build Scotland is a voluntary membership organisation. CSBS came about through the formation of a steering group interested in bringing about more self - build projects in Scotland.

CSBS believe that self - build can meet a number of needs within the community including; housing, training, employment and community regeneration.

Any organisation or individual interested in promoting or participating in a self build scheme should contact:

Community Self Build Scotland
Queenslie Business Centre
19 Blairtumnock Road
GLASGOW
G33 4AN
Tel: 0141 766 1999
Fax: 0141 766 1888