Custom Build Homes

What you need to know about custom build

• It's a rising trend: 53% of people in the UK would consider building their own home. The Government also wants it to be a mainstream option.

• Custom build homes are expected to be high quality, well-designed and attractive. Building with wood fulfils all these requirements.

• The estimated custom build market value is £3.6 billion a year.

• Wood is the perfect material - Building with wood can speed the construction process as timber frame can be delivered to site and constructed within days. Cross laminated timber lends itself to larger scale custom build projects where offsite construction is growing in popularity.

• Custom build reduces risk for builders as the house is effectively sold before build.

• Homeowners can make significant savings by opting for custom build, often achieving a 10% saving on market value.

Download our fact sheet here.

Garden Cities - the ideal location for custom build homes?

“A garden city is a holistically planned new settlement which enhances the natural environment and offers high-quality affordable housing and locally accessible work in beautiful, healthy and sociable communities” Town and Country Planning Association

Garden cities help to meet local housing needs and make effective use of brownfield or public sector land. They provide an ideal location for custom build sites.

Building these new garden communities with wood makes good sense. Wood has excellent environmental credentials. It is linked to many health benefits, can improve air quality, has good acoustic properties and can reduce heating bills by up to 90%. It is a natural, tactile and versatile material.

Example: Bicester Garden Town

In December 2014, Bicester in Oxfordshire was declared a garden town. The UK’s largest custom build scheme, Graven Hill, is based here. With space for 2,000 homes the scheme includes shell builds and the ‘golden brick package’ which give the homeowner greater control of the interior of the house. Choosing a tailored finish gives the homeowner less control of the interior. Apartments and shared ownership units will also be available.

 A design code has been set up to have some control over what’s being built. Over the next 15 years, this will be regularly updated and refined.

Unlocking the potential of custom build

To help Local Authorities, community groups and other organisations across the UK deliver large, affordable custom and self build projects, the Right to Build Task Force was established in early 2017.

In collaboration with NaCSBA and Wood for Good the Right to Build task force is organising a series of regional events in 2017-2018. The Right to Build expo is designed to bring together all the players you need to meet to 

• Kick start your own Right to Build success story

• Network and share your experiences of the Right to Build so far

• Learn about the new Right to Build Task Force and what it could do for you

• Find out about how pioneering councils, experienced developers and landowners are capitalising on the Right to Build

• Get expert one-to-one help and advice