Self building or building your own home can be a daunting process.

Combine the legislation with the cost along with various different contractors and it can make for one complicated project.

But good news has finally arrived for self builders!

It has been announced that the Government will be doing more to help support and encourage people to self build. Part of the strategy is to correct peoples misconceptions about building your own home, with the majority thinking the option is exclusively for the upper class.

The Government have come to recognise that in the past, it has been problematic to get land to build on or turn empty and unused properties back into habitable buildings. This has been due to the abundance of red tape or lack of funding by banks, meaning that people wanting to build their own home have been scared off.

A few suggestions to encourage budding builders are below:

• New grant funding - The possibility when self building or building community led affordable housing is that you can apply for a share of a £65 Million grant to help you begin the process.
• There will be a local register created of people wanting to build their own homes, who will then be given first priority when brownfield sites become available.
• Removing unfair taxes - Self build projects will be given council tax discounts and will also be potentially exempt from a new levy which will charge a planning tax.
• The Government will also begin to free up redundant public sector land by publishing derelict land availability online for people to request access.
• Raising awareness of the possibility of self building. The Government have launched a self build portal which is an advisory site with help and advice using Kevin McCloud from Channel 4’s Grand Designs as a industry figure.

All these changes will hopefully encourage people to consider self building as the Government have predicted the self build market industry will double in the next 10 years!