Frequently Asked Questions...

If you've got a question but can't find an answer ask Nick Englefield, our Marketing and Information Officer. His email address is n.englefield@communityselfbuildagency.org.uk. Nick will answer your question and add it to this page.

What is Community Self Build?

This is where a group of men and women in housing need join forces and become involved in the planning, design and building of their own homes.
 
What are the advantages of building your own home as part of a group?

As a group, provided that your members are in housing need, you are able to access funds via housing associations. The other advantages are:

• Being involved in the planning, building and design of your homes
• Knowing in advance where you will be living – to plan for schools etc.,
• Lower housing and running costs
• Living within a supportive community
• Having an opportunity to learn a range of skills

For those without substantial savings and a job it is difficult to raise funds for the building of an individual home.

What is the ideal size for a Community Self Build group?

Ideally, keep your initial membership to no more than 6 people, because you cannot be certain what size of site/building will be available. Most groups should aim to build between 6 and 15 homes. Below 6, there are too few homes over which to spread costs such as site supervision. Above 15, it becomes increasingly difficult for the group to keep together as a team.
 
How can our group meet up with other self builders and recruit new members?

The Community Self Build Agency organizes visits to live self build projects, throughout the year. They are held in different locations and there is the chance to meet self builders, who are already working on site. Alternatively, we can put you in touch with a group who may be working on site nearer to you. The Agency has a database of those interested in self build who might want to join forces with you.

Why does my Local Authority ask me to form a self build group and then approach it again about self build?

Local Authorities need to know that there is a local demand for self build before considering whether to support the idea. Money for housing is tight and the Local Authority wants to be certain it is used wisely. Once you have a group of three or four people in similar circumstances, it should be possible to set up an initial meeting.

We have been told that to access money for site, work and fee costs, and our group needs to form a partnership with a local registered housing association. How do we begin?

The best idea is to contact your Local Authority’s Housing Association Liaison or Enabling Officer and ask for a list of Housing Associations, which have attracted funding regularly, every year for homes in your area. Then contact the CSBA to see if any of these associations have shown an interest in Community Self Build. The Agency can help you broker a meeting. Prior to this, you need to have decided whether you are interested in a rented or shared ownership (part-rent/part-buy) projects. Outright ownership schemes are not funded via housing associations.

What are the key issues, which every self build group needs to consider?

Design, best use of time and skills, containing costs within budget and relationships both within the group and with ‘partner’ organizations. All of these are interconnected and if addressed carefully at the beginning can be a recipe for a successful self build project.

What do other groups do about paying for meeting rooms and other expenses?

Your Town Hall may let you have a room at no charge or at a reduced cost. However, it is best to choose a meeting place, which is convenient for your members. Groups, even those with unemployed members, tend to start a kitty whereby everyone contributes a minimum of £5 per month. If you can show that some money has been raised from within or by your group, it is so much easier then to ask for donations from elsewhere.

We're interested in refurbishing a building with other people. Are there such projects?

Yes, but there are fewer than new build. There have been some in Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds and East London.

How long does it take to build our own homes?

With good planning and supervision, this should only take between 12 and 15 months. However, the planning stage, including attracting funding, does take longer.

What causes the most delay for a self build group?

Finding a suitable site/building and complications on the transfer of ownership, this does not just apply to self build, but to a whole range of projects. With other projects, however, lives perhaps do not have to be put on hold until a start on site is achieved. If a Housing Association or a Local Authority is interested in promoting self build, it is important to identify a possible site as early as possible.

What should we do if our homes are taking longer to build than we expected?

You need to identify just why this is the case and have a round-the-table discussion with your architect, quantity surveyor and housing association officer as soon as possible. Everyone involved needs to understand why this has happened and a decision made on how to address this. There is nothing as demoralizing as being always ’behind’ schedule.

Why is it that some housing associations are reluctant to become involved in self build?

Projects generally take more time and development staffs are already under pressure to spend all the money allocated to their associations each year. Under-spends can affect future allocations of funding. However, it's more about how to pay for staff time. With the new allowance this should no longer be an issue. It also has to be recognized though, that any bad news on self build travels quickly whereas there's a lot of good news around.