It sounds like a bad Christmas cracker joke, doesn’t it? But no worries, there are no cheesy punchlines here. We know that many people dream of building their own home. Being able to design every inch of the space yourself, and then watch it spring to life before your eyes. At DNA Brickwork and Builders, we’re lucky enough to help people achieve those dreams – but we don’t work alone. Let’s take a look at some of the other trades you will work with when self-building a house.

An Architect

Architects are really the first port of call in any self-build project – and a lot of complex building work really. Their job is to work with you during the initial design phase and turn your vision into a set of architectural plans for the property. Your plans will be tailored to your plot and your preferences, with compromises made if your vision isn’t 100% possible. Once you’re happy with the plans, your architect will submit those plans to the local planning authority, guiding you through any steps you might need to do to get planning permission. Your architect will typically stay in touch throughout the project to make sure the house is built to specifications, handling any issues that crop up along the way. Structural Engineer Structural engineers will be on hand throughout the project to make sure your house will be both strong and stable. They tend to do most of their work at the early stages, but they can have input later on too.

Surveyors

During the process of designing and building your home you will need two types of surveyor. The first is a land surveyor. It’s their job to check and plot out the contours of the land your building on, as well as where all of the boundaries on the site lie. The second is a quantity surveyor. They will help you do construction budgets, estimate the costs, material quantities and project timelines. They do this by talking to all of the other teams working on the project, feeding information back to you and helping the project on track.

Site Clerk

This is the person who makes sure sure that the quality of work being delivered is up to standard. They essentially become your eyes and ears during the whole construction process, so you need a trustworthy professional here. If you’re using a contractor then you may find they recommend a particular company or even provide one for you.

A Financial Advisor

Someone to help you with and oversee the funding of your project. Your bank may recovered a financial advisor, or if you have one already then you can use them. There will need to be periodic check-ins to ensure things are going to plan and the build is on budget, so you will only need them every so often.

Builders

Your builder is the one who actually builds the house. Working from the architects’ plans, they will prepare the foundations and slowly raise up your dream home. In many cases a builder will also take on the role of quantity surveyor and project manager, so you only have to deal with one point of contact. So, builders like us can do all of the construction tasks involved in building a house for you.

Contractors

This is the catch-all term for any other trades that may need to come in and do work on your property. Most of the time your builder will organise this for you, as they will have contractors they prefer to work with. But if you’re self-managing, you may need to find and hire them yourself. Some examples of contractors include:

  • Plumber
  • Decorator
  • Floorer
  • Landscaper
  • Electrician
  • Excavator

Insurance Broker

Finally, you need a good insurance broker. self-building does come with its own set of risks, so you will need specialised insurance in order to go ahead. In fact, many mortgage companies won’t tend to you to finance a self-build without it!

So, while self-building might be a fantastic option, it’s important to make sure you know what you’re in for! There are dozens of professionals you will meet along the way to purchase your dream home, and each of them is there to help you achieve your dream home. Including us! so if you’re considering a self-build home in 2024/2025, why not get in touch and see how we can help.