A-Z of Self Build Guides How To Find A Plot Of Land For Sale

Date Published:

02/06/2008

You'll find more planning latitude on urban plots that have previously been occupied by eyesores, or those rural plots that are beyond the common gaze. Never take anything for granted, however. Research possible locations thoroughly and get some idea of what has and what hasn't been allowed in that area recently.

The size that you require your home to be of course will have an enormous impact on the nature of the plot you will be looking for. It is rare for self-builders to downsize. Most of us when looking to create our own personal environment seek something much more spacious and luxurious than the off-the peg range offered by most big developers.

Also do you have special requirements such as stables, home office/studio, larger than average garage or off road parking? Unlike traditional house hunting where there is a centrally heated home, full of someone else's life and vitality waiting for you to visit on cold wintry days, browsing plots can be as comfortable and as interesting as staring into a muddy puddle. Narrowing down the amount of plots - mostly just large tracts of sludgy ground and perplexed wildlife - that you visit will be the first vital step in keeping your sanity.

So, know what you want in terms of home and location, know how big your home must be, know how much more land you will need for things like paddocks, parking etc.

Remember if you pursue the analogy that a plot is an empty canvas upon which your creative genius will be allowed to shine, then a plot that is on a steep slope or one where contamination may have occurred (remember even farm land can be contaminated by silage or machine oil) is a canvas that is still waiting to be stretched and primed. Ultimately it will cost more to develop.

If you are already living in the area where you'd like to build a home then the obvious thing to do is to seek out the wisdom of the local estate agents. You should also check out advertisements for plots in your local rag, and be up front about enquiring about any possibly suitable unused land that you see on your travels around the area.

If your choice of potential location is further afield you will have to be even more methodical about your search criteria. Remember repeated abortive speculative visits to a far away location will soon start to sap your spirit.