When buying a house, they do not want to be restricted by the layout, or when they cannot find an ideal building project, many people will choose to build it on their own land to create their ideal home environment. However, the process of self-building is complicated and not easy to plan. To this end, this article has compiled the precautions, advantages and processes of buying land and self-building to help you plan for self-building and build your ideal new home.
What is self-build? Before building your own house, you should pay attention to 2 key points
To put it simply, self-build means using your own land to build a house according to your own ideas. Compared with buying an existing house or apartment, you have a higher degree of freedom in construction and interior design, making it easier to build your ideal house. . But before starting to build on your own, there are two key points that you must pay attention to:
Self-build inspection 1: Confirm land type:
Can I build a house on my land? Before obtaining suitable land, in addition to finding a reliable land agent to handle the transfer process, it is also best to ask a qualified architect to conduct an assessment and investigation before confirming the purchase. Clarify:
- Is the base within a prohibited or restricted area?
- Is it a hilly area or geologically sensitive area?
- Is there any adjacent building line or abnormal ground?
- Have the five surrounding pipeline systems been completed?
Base conditions like these will affect whether you can obtain a building permit and subsequent construction funds in the future. If there are existing houses on the site, you should also pay attention to whether there are encroachments by neighboring houses or common walls to avoid violating regulations.
Home Build Check 2: Understand Building Restrictions:
How can I build a house? Depending on the area where the base is located, the way of architectural planning and design also changes. For example:
- How much area can be covered based on the local floor area ratio and building coverage ratio?
- Are there any height or building setback restrictions?
- Are there any restrictions on the appearance or style of buildings in special areas?
- Are there any NIMBY facilities in the immediate area?
etc. will affect future architectural design content. It is recommended to first engage a qualified architect to work witharchitecture officeto learn relevant information.
If you build your own property on site, should you contract it yourself, or should you choose a turnkey contractor?
| Deliver the package yourself | Builder turnkey | |
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In summary, the threshold for self-contracting is high. If the homeowner does not have an engineering background, it is not recommended to choose self-contracting to avoid risks such as project delays, poor construction, or even failure to meet regulatory standards, which will incur more costs.
Advantages of self-building | What are the benefits of self-building a house?
Benefit 1: Customization to build your dream house
The biggest advantage of self-building is complete customization. The architectural appearance, layout, interior design and other items can be planned completely according to your own preferences. You can even give each room a unique style to create the house of your dreams. . For example, if you are a sports enthusiast, you can directly plan the sports space; those who like cooking can increase the kitchen area and build a personalized kitchen according to your habits, without being limited to the layout and pipeline arrangement of the existing house.
In addition, since the conditions of each site are different, self-construction can be customized according to individual needs and the conditions of the site. It can also integrate the sunlight and Feng Shui characteristics of the site to improve indoor light and air convection. Take it all into account and build a home that everyone is happy with.
| Suitable for self-built homes | Suitable for newly established families |
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Further reading:How to choose between a newly built house built by a builder vs. a self-built house!? See which one is suitable for you
Benefit 2: Construction costs can be controlled by oneself
In addition, you can fully control the construction costs yourself, eliminating the layers of exploitation that occur when purchasing a house from a builder (builder's profits, advertising costs, agency commissions, etc.). Because the architectural design is planned according to your own needs, not only can you have more choices in structural types, but other building materials and equipment can also be planned according to personal preferences and budget. Spending the budget on the cutting edge will make the overall use of funds more flexible!
Detailed list of self-built costs and expenses
| Construction cost components | Total cost ratio |
| land cost | 50～70% |
| construction cost | 20～25% |
| Management and marketing costs, advertising fees | 10～15% |
| Builder's profit | 20～30% |
- Land cost: accounts for the largest proportion of construction costs, taking into account the purchase price of the land, as well as the legal floor area ratio and built-in coverage ratio of the land.
- Construction cost: related to construction type and construction method. The fastest estimation method is to use the nearby house prices of "same building materials and the same type" x 20~25%. If the nearby area is about 800,000 yuan/square meter, the construction cost will be 800,000 yuan x 20~25%, which is about 160,000 to 200,000 yuan/square meter.
Further reading:How are construction costs estimated? Understand the cost of self-construction in 5 minutes
How to build your own house? Understand the 5 steps to buy land and build your own
After understanding the precautions and advantages of self-build on land, we will sort out the 6 steps for buying land and self-build. As long as you plan well, you can easily handle the complicated self-build process.
Take our B-STUDIO construction process as an example,It is recommended that if you have the idea of building a house, you should consult with an architect from the beginning.Because in terms of architecture, in addition to external style and indoor layout, there are many possibilitiesHidden regulatory restrictions such as land regulations and building regulations that are less understood by the general public.Construction methods and materials will also have an impact on the function, earthquake resistance, and even appearance of the house.
Therefore, it is recommended to bring the building base information, favorite building examples, styles, etc.directDiscuss with the architect so that the architect can give suggestions based on experience! The following is B-STUDIO’s construction processpicture:
Self-construction process 1: Communicate requirements and financial evaluation with designers
After going to the site with the design architect to investigate, understand the architect's views on the site environment. At the same time, let the architect understand the homeowner's imagination of future life. It is best to provide the architect with the style type or planning method he likes to facilitate the construction. Make design proposals. If the interior and architectural parts are designed by different people, the interior designer should also be included in the discussion to establish a good communication model among the three parties.
Self-build process 2: Building and site assessment
Taiwan has many regulations and restrictions on the use of land. It does not mean that you can build a house just by having land. The floor area ratio and building coverage rate of land types regulated by different counties and cities will also be different. It is best to ask the architect to assist in checking and confirming in advance. In addition, before building planning, it is also recommended to apply for "land boundary identification" to avoid future disputes about building on neighboring land. You also need to apply for "building lines" before construction. You can consult the architect for these.
Self-built process 3: Complete design drawings
After many discussions and confirmations, the architect will draw the space the homeowner wants into an architectural design. The architect then compiles the drawings and other necessary documents and applies for a construction license from the construction management authority. After obtaining the construction license, you can draw construction contract drawings and prepare project budgets.
Self-construction process 4: Construction project (contracting, supervision, project management)
After signing a contract with a qualified and reputable construction factory, you can enter the construction project stage, including foundation excavation, steel bar binding, formwork, grouting and other processes, and gradually complete the structure. At this stage, the architect will perform the task of supervising the construction and ensuring the quality of the project.
Self-built process 5: Interior decoration
As the construction work progressed, the interior design drawings became more and more complete. After the structure is completed to a certain extent, interior decoration and major equipment such as elevators or air conditioning projects also begin. Because the interior decoration needs have been integrated during the architectural design stage, unnecessary demolition or repeated construction is avoided, saving construction time and costs.
Self-built process 6: House acceptance and handover
After the construction project is completed and the usage license is obtained, the project acceptance phase can be carried out and the house is handed over. At this time, an architect or a third-party impartial unit can be entrusted to assist the homeowner in the acceptance inspection. After all deficiencies have been corrected and the construction factory delivers relevant documents and as-built drawings, handover and property rights registration will be processed.
From the above process, we can know that in the process of self-construction, architects, engineering teams and interior designers need to work closely together to make the entire construction project go smoothly. Therefore it is best to chooseA team that combines interior design and architecture expertise, communication is easier.
In addition, choosing to self-build means that the house planning can be carried out according to the owner's ideas from the beginning. Therefore, it is recommended that when choosing a design architect,Priority will be given to architects with extensive experience in interior design.This allows the architectural design to convey the needs of the homeowner while also integrating the indoor and outdoor spaces of the building more harmoniously.
Meet B-Studio’s award-winning works
Self-built recommendation｜B-Studio architecture and interior design team
B-Studio Specializing in water mold construction technology. People-oriented, using architectural expertise to convey the combination of beauty and environmental atmosphere. We integrate the majors of architecture, interior design and space design, and have won many international awards. Our service scope covers architectural design, interior design, self-construction, and reconstruction of dilapidated buildings, all of which provide the most professional services. Help you build your ideal home on your own!
Learn about B-Studio’s integrated architecture and interior design works
Further reading:
C+ Innovation China Space Design Art Competition-Excellence Award for Best Design Work
GOOD DESIGN AWARD-Shortlist review
IF DESIGN AWARDS-shortlist review
C+ Innovation China Space Design Art Competition-Excellence Award for the Best Creative Work
GOOD DESIGN AWARD-Shortlist review
K-DESIGN AWARD- WINNER
C+ Innovation China Space Design Art Competition-Silver Award for Best Design Work
K-DESIGN AWARD- WINNER
C+ Innovation China Space Design Art Competition-Silver Award for Best Creative Work
