In the current climate, most of us aren't going to be building our own homes any time soon.
Yet, that doesn't stop us as a nation from being infatuated with self-builds and creating, from top to bottom, our own living space. The 22 series (and counting) of Channel Four's property show Grand Designs are a testament to that.
Many would relish the idea of having a hand in our own home from foundation to roof, window to wall. Yet, where would do you start, and, more importantly, how much would it all cost?
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Experts at homebuilding.co.uk reckon that it could cost anywhere from a couple of hundred thousand pounds to millions - it all depends on the scale of the ambition attached to the home. The exact figure is difficult to determine due to all the different moving parts, however there are some parts which can be determined.
First things first, you need a plot of land to build on. For a four-bedroom home with plenty of garden space, you would need around half an acre, or just over 2,000 square feet of land.
Currently, plots of land available in and around Liverpool are listed on Rightmove.co.uk for anything from £40,000 to £850,000. Some on the more expensive end of the spectrum include planning permission and even blueprints for pre-designed homes that just need building.
After acquiring the plot of land, you'd hope it'd then be as easy as buying the necessary bricks, cement, glass and maybe some roof tiles then paying a builder to stick it all together. But, like with many things, it's not that easy.
The experts at homebuilding.co.uk say there's a great deal of other things you'd need to split your budget on. These are the building's foundations, its superstructure, its floor structure, the roof structure and roof cover, the building's drainage, plumbing, heating and electricity.
You'll also have to source internal carpentry (you could probably save some cash if you use IKEA properly) including kitchen layout, as well as plastering, decoration, tiling, flooring and finally landscaping.
Checkatrade.com can provide illumination on house much it would cost altogether to construct your own home, once a plot of land has been sourced. They estimate that for a four bed build (without the bells and whistles) it could cost from £196,000 to £500,000, depending on materials used and other variables, including logistical costs and construction costs.
If we take a plot of land that is currently on the market - say a plot of land currently listed for around £125,000, and then add on the maximum possible overall cost given by Checkatrade it would take to build the home (we are talking about your dream home), that would come out to around £625,000 for a four bed.
Then, say our dream home had a swimming pool and spa (which can cost as much as £30,000), as well as a sauna and steam room (another £9,000), it would then be around £664,000. Of course, you'd also want a hot tub (which can be around £4,000) then you're dealing with around £668,000 to build your dream home.
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