Third of us ‘interested in designing and building’ our own home, finds research

NEARLY a third of GB adults (32 per cent) are estimated to be interested in designing and building their own home, according to research conducted by the National Custom and Self Build Association (NaCSBA) and the Building Societies Association (BSA), into self-build intentions and the effect of COVID-19 (the pandemic and subsequent ‘lockdown’) on people’s perceptions of their home. 

And the research also found that nine per cent of people said they were likely to build their own home at some point in the future. This compares to around five cent per cent of new homes currently being built as custom and self-build, annually (see notes).

Among other findings:

* Interest is highest in the young, with nearly half (48 per cent) of those between 18 and 24 saying they were interested. This aspiration reduced with age, with less than one in five (18 per cent) of those aged 55 and over being interested;

* The main benefit for building is seen as the ability to design a home to the owner’s exact specifications (74 per cent), followed by the ability to create a home that can adapt to meet current and future needs (50 per cent);

* Finding the money to finance the project, including mortgage finance, is seen as the biggest hurdle (59 per cent);

* A third of people said living in a home that had less impact on the environment and was more sustainable was a key benefit of building a home (33 per cent), and nearly nine in ten people (89 per cent) said energy efficiency would be important if they were to build a new home;

* Almost two in five (39 per cent) said the pandemic has made them need a home office space;

* Almost half (48 per cent) said they would like more space as a result of the lockdown. 36 per cent said they would like more indoor space, and 37 per cent said they would like more outdoor space; and

* Nearly a third (31 per cent) have considered home improvements at some point in the future as a result of lockdown. One in 20 (five per cent) considered designing and building their own home in response to the crisis.

Notes: The figure for five per cent of all UK homes being custom and self-build is by NaCSBA and is based on an estimated 245,000 new homes across the UK annually, equating to between 12-13,000 owner-commissioned homes annually (read more, here).

Source: National Custom and Self Build Association (NaCSBA) and the Building Societies Association (BSA), released October 26 2020.

Picture credit: Place Design Scotland

Comments are welcome – only courteous ones (as per our T&Cs) – but they can only be posted by signed-in members. To sign up, for as little as £12 a year, please go here. Please note, comments appear following moderation (so expect a delay when submitting).