Why do people Self Build?
The typical self-builder is drawn from managerial or professional socio-economic groups, and has a relatively high income and/or high levels of housing equity.
The average age of self-builders has been rising, possibly because retired people make up a larger proportion.
More self-builders are already owner-occupiers and, compared with the national average, the value of the home they owned prior to self-building has grown substantially.
Self-builders are not necessarily driven by traditional reasons for moving. Many have a degree of discretion about their housing choices. Self-build is widely seen as a way of obtaining a larger or 'better' house than would be the case in the mainstream property market.
As I mentioned previously, the savings people are able to make through self-build allow almost all self-build homes to be detached and have four bedrooms. Obviously this is a great incentive for people to self build.
Self-build houses also allow people to incorporate some element of technical or design innovation into their homes.
Areas for innovation are often products that increase the perceived functionality of the home, such as central vacuum systems, under-floor heating and mechanical ventilation.
