So starting on your build or renovation journey can be extremely daunting… there’s so much to think about and learn. I thought I’d share some information, things to consider when looking at sites and before submitting your planning application.
Don’t design your house until you find your site. Checking a Council’s Development Plan and Local Area Plan is an easy way to check if land is viable for homebuilding. From this you will see greenbelts, rural housing zones, coastal areas, special areas of conservation, natural heritage etc. For us we were coastal in a special area of conservations (SAC) so we had to make sure we did our research. This next picture is of the gorgeous beach where we built, showing the graveyard and part of the golf course.
Before you can build a home, you have to choose a site. When you find the site of your dreams you need to think about:-
Is the site big enough to fit a house, garage and car parking spaces?
Can you access the site safely?
Are the sightlines clear and safe?
What will your daily commute to work be? Have you calculated the time to and from work? A lengthy commute might seem tolerable at first, but will it affect your quality of life over time. I’d recommend for you to always think long term. Always do your homework on the site first.
The most important factor to consider before buying land is its location. Is this going to be your forever home? How long do you plan on living here for? The location and community you live in will have a greater impact on your life than the house you build. This is where you’re going to raise your family, send your children to school, establish friendships and shop.
Planning will be the most important part of the process. Contact your local planning department and discuss your plans with them. This way any issues can be addressed before you submit. Listen to their advice and take on board their suggestions.
When you have your site, you’ll want to have the soil assessed on the land to check for its quality and composition, which will affect how your new home is built, the cost of the home’s foundation and any landscaping you may want to do. Thankfully for us we knew the ground was good but unfortunately I’ve heard horror stories from people who have had to fork out thousands for rock breaking, retaining walls etc. When I was researching up on everything and anything, before we submitted our planning, I read that certain trees like willows and poplars can damage a property with strong roots and that you need approval to cut down trees, so check with Tree Preservations Orders first. Who knew there would be so much to think about.
So we did our Site Suitability Test to see if the site could be serviced by an on-site wastewater treatment system. This cost us approx. €800 and the report had to be submitted along with our planning permission.
As I mentioned before, we were beside the coast and in a special area of conservation. There was an existing dwelling on the site that we were demolishing but as the house was in this area, we had to provide an Environmental Impact Statement with our planning, which was an additional €1700 approx. All these hidden charges add up.
Connection to mains services can be expensive, depending on distance. Service connection costs can be as high as 5 figures if the water and services are not on your side of the road. I would suggest getting in touch with the water and utility companies to find out what the costs would be to connect water, power, waste and other connections.
Sometimes it can be useful to find out if a dwelling is acceptable on a site but remember this does not guarantee a positive outcome. You will never know how the planners or neighbours will react to your application.
Find an accredited Architect to work with. You want your home to follow a natural and cosy flow and this means planning carefully. Which direction will the sunlight hit? Where will the master bedroom be? How will the flow of your home be directed? What windows do you see in your home? Look at the landscape around and make sure your house does not affect the visual impact of the location.
Now that you’ve settled on your site, confirmed your architect and put the wheels in motion to building your dream home…. Finding your builder is next. You should pick someone who shares the same design aesthetics as you. Always check their references, past work, client testimonials. Never sign on with a builder or hand over money if you have not fully examined their work history. You will be working with your builder for many months until your project if completed. Choose a builder who you have a good connection with. All throughout the process you will want to make sure you are keep good communications with your builder and tradesmen. This will include getting regular updates on the process and progress. Be visible on site and take lots of photos of our journey.
I hope some of the above points help you with your planning and research. Feel free to drop over and say hi on my instagram @emilyindonegal to follow us on our journey.
