Telegraph - 13,000 people build their own homes in a year

2012 is looking to be a promiising year for the self-builder, as Grant Shapps (the housing minister ) is looking to double the self build homes.

See below for an extract from the Daily Telegraph:-

13,000 people build their own homes in a year

Building your own home in Britain is often seen as the preserve of the wealthy or eccentric.

By Robert Winnett, Political Editor 7:00AM GMT 28 Dec 2011

Television shows such as Grand Designs suggest that the only way to succeed in such a task is to possess limitless quantities of cash or an iron clad will to persevere, preferably both.

Perhaps surprisingly then, for the first time in the modern era those designing their own home have become Britain’s biggest group of housebuilders.

Last year, more than 13,000 Britons designed and built their own homes, making them the single largest group of housebuilders when compared with the number constructed by individual developers.

The Government is hoping that the trend shows that self-build is not an elite pastime but a cheap way to get on to or move up the housing ladder.

Grant Shapps, the housing minister, wants the number of self or custom-built homes to double over the next decade. Under plans to be unveiled next month, as much as £30 million will be lent to self-builders to help support the growing market.

Public sector land is expected to be made available for those wishing to design and build their own properties.

The self-building boom is thought to have been inspired partly by television programmes such as Channel Four’s Grand Designs and frustration with unimaginatively designed new homes.

Mr Shapps said: “Most people would be surprised to learn that self-builders were the biggest group of housebuilders in the country in the past year.

“I’m determined to stand behind aspirational people who want to build their dream home.

“When people put the time and energy into creating their own custom home it can often be built at a more competitive price than the traditional house building route.

“In these tough economic times, custom-built homes can offer an affordable way of getting a foot on the housing ladder. I believe that self-build could double in size.”

About a fifth of British homes are custom-built, while more than half of homes in Germany, France and Italy are built by their owners .

One of the obstacles to self-build is the availability of mortgages and land so the Government is to provide a £30 million self-build fund to offer loans to qualifying projects. Some public land may be earmarked for self-build projects — possibly under a “build now, pay later” scheme.

Ministers are also interested in self-build groups where friends, families or neighbours club together to build their own neighbourhood. Such schemes are also popular internationally but account for only a handful of projects in Britain.

Ministers have repeatedly warned that Britain is facing a housing crisis. This year, only about 100,000 homes will be built but the country is said to need three or four times this number to meet the long-term need.

The Government is thought to be concerned that some developers are “hoarding” land, waiting for the housing market to improve before building.

In the foreword to the Coalition’s housing strategy published last month, David Cameron and Nick Clegg said Britain had been “under-building” for decades and that a “radical and unashamedly ambitious strategy” was necessary for the housing market.

See full report from the Daily Telegraph