The first ever national self-build week will take place this May, in an attempt to persuade more people to custom build their own home.
Only 12,000 people actually manage to realise their dreams of a self-build per year, leaving the UK lagging behind the rest of Europe.
But six million are tempted by the idea and have gone as far as to plan or research it, a recent poll from Ipsos MORI shows.
A million people are so invested in the idea that they have moved onto the ‘action’ stage and are currently in the process of acquiring a plot, obtaining planning permission, or are expecting to start construction in the next 12 months.
Kevin McCloud, host of Grand Designs, said it is “great news” so many people are looking into the feasibility of a self-build project.
“There is a huge appetite to build a home in the UK and we are really determined to help more of them achieve it,” he continued.
“When you build a house for yourself you get the home you really want, designed to precisely fit your needs.
“It’s often more affordable too. If we were able to build more homes this way we’d also help the wider economy – every new self build home safeguards seven jobs in the construction industry for a year, and it injects tens of thousands of pounds into the local economy.”
The other advantage of self-builds is that often they are greener than other homes.
However at present less than ten per cent of all new homes in the UK are self-builds, while in most other European countries this proportion is around 50 per cent
Mark Prisk, housing minister, said: “I wholeheartedly support this initiative. The National Self Build Association’s survey gives us reason for optimism that this is already starting to happen, but we must maintain the momentum which is building around this sector and continue to maximise our efforts to help all those people who want to build their own home.”
National self-build week will take place between 4-12 May, coinciding with the Grand Designs Live exhibition in London at the Excel.
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