Creating Your Own Home Design

The coming weekend will see tens of thousands of people – and thousands of exhibitors – descend on Sandown Park in Surrey for what is set to be a record-breaking Homebuilding and Renovating Show.

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As well as workshops and advice on everything from finance to fitting out, there will be help for self-builders searching for the perfect plot for their grand home design.

Those amateur builders who snap up a plot at the show will be in good company. Last year, a record 1,100 people a month built their own properties or restored derelict buildings, often inspired by TV shows such as Grand Designs and The Restoration Man.

Sharon and Les Hume are living the dream – to own a house crafted to their own design and for a price far less than they would have paid to buy a similar property outright.

She says: ‘We wanted a country home with land – a beautiful stone-built house with our mark on it.’

The couple admit that there were ‘highs and lows’ through the process and say the vast number of decisions that need making can be challenging. But Sharon says: ‘I definitely recommend it.’

There were some delays while the couple applied to amend the planning permission and then the building regulations took ten months to come through. Here’s how to join the self-build boom | This is Money