House sitting

n return for babysitting empty properties to deter squatters, property firm Camelot Property charges its ‘guardians’ only one-fifth of local rents. This works out at about £200 a month in London, elsewhere £150.

What kind of properties are on offer?

Properties include houses, churches and castles, so you could end up living it up in a sprawling country pile for just £50 a week. Check out the full list of available properties.

How much will it cost?

Weekly rents are about £25 to £60, including all utility bills, with a £300 returnable deposit. Other costs to bear in mind include a £50 placement fee per property and you’re also obliged to purchase a fire safety pack from Camelot for £60.

You need to be flexible

This scheme won’t be suitable for everyone; you’ll need to be flexible, as you could be told to move out at anytime (though many guardians live in the same property for years). Also, while some properties are brand spanking new apartments, others need a bit of work doing, so this is more suited to adventurous types.

As no one in MSE Towers have tried this, we can't vouch for success or not, but would love MoneySavers feedback.

Self-build property: what are the tax advantages?

Though relatively straight-forward, moving into an existing property in today’s market is by no means cheap. It’s one reason for the growing popularity of self-built homes. Sure, the stress and strain of dealing with everything from faulty septic tanks to sinking foundations may be enough to have you rushing for an estate agent’s office. But the fact that the average completed self-build property can be worth between 25-30% more than the cost of building it might be enough to have you taking a step back outside.

Self-build property: what are the tax advantages?

There are also some attractive tax advantages to building your own home. Stamp duty is only due on the land that you buy, and then only if it costs more than £125,000, while VAT is reclaimable on materials and labour. There’s also the added satisfaction that, in bypassing a developer, you’re instantly wiping out his profit. It’s no surprise that the sector is attracting a growing level of interest – mortgage brokers reckon that between 10% and 12% of all new homes in the UK are now being self-built.

Unsurprisingly, Gordon Brown has noticed the hullabaloo, and was this week reported to be looking again at introducing a “planning-gain supplement” – basically a tax on developers great and small. According to a recent report from property consultancy Knight Frank, this new land levy from the chancellor might be enough to discourage smaller developments by making them unviable.

Self-build property: plots, loans and planning permission

However, the levy, if introduced at all, isn’t due until at least April 2008, which means there is still time to find a plot of land on which to build. Lenders such as Norwich and Peterborough, Nationwide and Leeds Building Society typically lend up to 95% of the cost of building a property, and 95% of the cost of purchasing the plot. And it’s the latter that will probably give you the most headaches, as well as taking the biggest chunk from your wallet in a country already heaving at the sides from overdevelopment. “Ask any self-builder the main hurdle to getting the home of their dreams and they will tell you that finding a suitable piece of land is the problem,” says Jason Orme, editor of Homebuilding & Renovating magazine, in the FT.

To make matters worse, lenders will refuse to finance your new home unless at the very least it has “outline planning permission”, although some will require even more advanced planning permission. As a result, plots of land with even the most basic form of planning permission don’t come cheap. The average plot starts from £120,000 in Surrey against just £45,000 in Durham, says the FT, and should typically account for 30% of your overall budget, says The Sunday Times.

So planning your costs is paramount to successfully building a new home if you’re looking for that 25-30% uplift. And, of course, remember to keep your fingers crossed that the property market doesn’t collapse mid-build.

Financing a Self Build Property

Financing a Self Build Property

Investors are becoming increasingly aware of the money that can be made out of building property. This is all well and good; however, the financing of these ventures can be very complicated, putting many investors off an otherwise sound investment. Don’t be one of them!

Buying Land

Buying land in order to develop one or more properties is generally considered a sound financial investment, particularly for those with building experience who can cut the build costs to a minimum. Having said this, the process can be a lot harder, with plenty of hurdles that can easily trip up the inexperienced investor.

Financing is a huge issue for investors looking to self build; not only does the cash have to be raised to purchase the land, but there are also the regular payments that will be due to builders, architects and other professionals, along the way. A traditional mortgage is normally out of the question as companies will be reluctant to offer finance secured on a house that is not yet built. In addition, the cost of building a property often over-runs dramatically and developers could find themselves in a position of running out of funds, before the project is complete.

Many mortgage companies have realised that the issue of finance can prevent otherwise lucrative investments from going ahead. Based on this, there is now a wide range of ‘self build mortgages’ or ‘stage payment mortgages’ as they are often referred to by banks and brokers. Currently, there are approximately 50 self build mortgages available and although traditionally these were provided by specialist lenders, the trend has moved towards more mainstream establishments offering the same facilities, namely HSBC and Halifax.

Every lender has a different set of criteria although, as a general rule, a mortgage provider will not normally provide more than 75 percent of the cost of the building plot itself and not more than around 60 percent of the build cost of the property. Having said this, if cash is particularly tight, there are some specialist lenders such as Buildstore which will lend up to 95 percent of the value of the building plot. If you are looking for a large amount of financing, a specialist lender may be a better bet; alternatively, it may be possible to take out a personal loan, although these rates can be substantially higher and, therefore, have a negative impact on your potential profit. Another often favoured option is to take a larger mortgage on the current family home to make up the shortfall. This, however, has a degree of risk attached, because if you fail to make both payments, you could potentially find yourself homeless and investment-less!

Self build mortgages are normally paid out in five stages. This is a great way of going about the process of self build, as investors are not then paying interest on finance that they do not yet require. This is also very useful for controlling adequate budgeting and for helping new developers ensure that no one stage of the build runs terribly over budget.

The first stage will be the acquisition of the land although, as previously mentioned, it is unusual to receive more than 75 percent of the actual purchase cost. The second stage will be paid out at the completion of the foundations, third at the completion of the roof plate, fourth at the completion of the plastering and the final stage at the completion of the property.

Bear in mind that mortgage lenders are likely to require regular visits by their personnel for valuation purposes and to ensure that the final build is worth the amount of money that is being loaned by the bank.

Do not be put off by the complications of a self build mortgage; for those who battle through the paperwork, there is plenty of profit to be made!

For more information on self build mortgages, take a look at these sites:

www.selfbuild-mortgages.co.uk
www.selfbuildit.co.uk
www.projectmortgages.co.uk

Self build pics - Cambridgeshire

Supplier List

Supplier & Contact List
Posted: July 6, 2006 12:00:00 AM
I'll only put in here contacts that I'm serious about, people that I would put my trust in to do a good job. I'm afraid I can't guarantee anyone else's work though! Preliminaries Peter Farmer (architect) 01462 711306 Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & possibly areas nearby Don Stevenson & Associates (site survey) Don Stevenson 01234 340380 Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & areas nearby Exterior Works Brickability East Anglia (chimneys & cills) Charles Johnson 01480 484666 UK Carey & Fox (windows) Jason Carey 01977 657618 / 01977 608069 UK Cooper Paving & Building Services (groundworks) Ben Cooper 01954 202486 / 07786 313989 Cambridge, Saffron Walden, Newmarket & Huntingdon Hancocks Glazing (triangle window) Paul Hancocks 07710 416301 Cambridgeshire H & P Aerials Gary & Jon 01353 740078 Cambridgeshire & areas nearby John Henry Civil Engineers (sewage works) John Henry Junior 01954 288011 Latta Loo Hire 01487 842333 East Anglia & possibly other areas Profix (scaffolding hire) Steve Hipwell 0796 7599781 Cambridgeshire & areas nearby The Wood Floor Company (engineered flooring) Richard Calder 01993 418899 UK White Roofing Services Neil Barnes 01223 872100 Interior Works Amina Technologies Ltd (plastered "in the wall" speakers) Richard Newlove 01480 354 390 UK Anglia Fireplaces (Bellfire) Richard Rawlings 01223 234713 UK Aquatechnic (wet room) 0845 226 8283 Global BJ Waller (architectural ironmongers) 01353 647111 Shop in Ely, Cambs Brian Mitchell (screeder) 01223 292989 Cambridgeshire & areas nearby EGC Tiles (ceramic tile specialist) 01954 781010 Shop in Cambs Invisible Heating Systems Ltd (under floor heating) Steve 01854 613161 UK Interconnection (audio, lighting & home cinema systems) Paul Walker 01284 768676 East Anglia Fermacell (Xella dry lining system) 0870 6090306 UK Giuseppe Piran (painting & decorating) 01954 201167 / 07748 155475 East Anglia & areas nearby - for other areas please enquire Hafele (furniture fittings & hardware) 01788 542020 Global Lee Mitchell (tiler & Brian's son) 079680 71489 Cambridgeshire & areas nearby P&S Contracts (plumbing & under floor heating systems) Mick Hewitt 01234 782788 / 07767 414141 Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & areas nearby Shape Electrical Lee Gray 07883 068605 Cambridgeshire & areas nearby Total Kitchens George Rose 01992 561995 Cambridgeshire, Essex, London & possibly other areas QVS Electrical (electrical wholsalers) 07883 068605 Shop in Cambs & buy online They didn't work for me but I've met them and they seem excellent. Back To Front Exterior Designs (exterior transformations) 01252 820984 UK Design & Materials (project management) Tom Somerville 01909 730605 UK FDS Building Services Franco De Simone 01223 441668 Cambridgeshire & areas nearby Fusion Timber Frame Jim Nolan / Neil Plowman 0871 200 2430 UK John Meadows (carpenter) 07969 116998 Cambridgeshire & Essex Hilton Heating Mark Hilton 07836 261749 Cambridgeshire, Suffolk & areas nearby Ian (tiler) 079797 67360 Cambridgeshire & areas nearby Lawrence Smith Joinery 01480 462994 East Anglia Martin G Abbs & Sons (plumbing & heating) Martin Abbs 01954 206059 Cambridgeshire & areas nearby Network Electrical Graham Barber 07831 526588 Cambridgeshire & areas nearby Snappy Couriers Kevin Fulcher 01223 565141 Cambridgeshire, Suffolk & areas nearby Terry Trundley (carpenter) 07778 954298 Cambridge The Sash Restoration Co. Ltd (sash windows) Ronnie Salisbury 01432 359562 UK
TrackBack URL: http://selfbuilder.iuplog.com/utility/tb/?id=154197 Permalink: http://selfbuilder.iuplog.com/default.asp?item=154197

Chic / Trendy Dish drainers

http://www.britblog.com/directory/profile/001351.html


http://selfbuilder.iuplog.com/default.asp?item=186025

Eco Essentials - add to over time

SOLAR PANEL HEATED WATER - Generating up to 70% of your hot water needs free
WATER BUTT - Connected to the down spout to collect rainwater, saving your water bill.
COMPOST BIN - For any garden/biodegradable waste, reducing the volume of waste taken to landfill
Pilkington K glass which is a low emissivity coated glass that reflects heat back into the room,
saving energy and cost of heating.
A/B grade appliances in kitchen.
A grade boiler to promote energy efficiency.
Ceilings and walls insulated to current regulations-improving energy efficiency.
Built to a robust standard.
Low energy light bulbs increasing energy efficiency and lessening electricity cost.

How much room does a house need

FACTS AND FIGURES

1	Only England and Wales have no minimum space standards for housing. All other European countries do. Even Scotland does! Comparative Study of the Control and Promotion of Quality in Housing in Europe, ODPM
2	Britain (including Scotland) have the smallest average room size and also we have the smallest newly-built dwellings in Europe:

3	British homes are becoming more condensed, with more rooms in the same space. Reduction in available living space is due to the inclusion of extra rooms, especially en-suite bathrooms and utility rooms. BCIS Five Year Review of UK Housing (RICS, 2005).
4	Old houses that are still lived in today have survived because they are roomy enough to adapt to lifestyles. Consumer Choice in Housing, the beginnings of a home buyer revolt: Ken Barlett et al, JRF 2002.
5	When faced with trade-offs consumers show that they strongly prefer additional bedrooms or larger rooms sizes to additional bathrooms. Preferences, quality and choice in new-build housing: Leishman, C et al for JRF 2004.
6	A study of 114 children, all aged four, in daycare and Head Start classes in New York found that pre-schoolers who lived in crowded homes and went to crowded daycare centres suffered more severe behavioural and cognitive development problems than children in just one of these crowded settings. Maxwell, L. (1995) Crowded homes and daycare centres located on http://www.news.cornell.edu/science.
7	A large-scale household survey into areas of West Belfast revealed an association between crowding and psychological distress among children. Blackman, T., Evason, E. and Melaugh, M. (1989) Housing and health: A case study of two areas in west Belfast, Journal of Social Policy, 18, 1-26.
8	People need enough space to be able to come together, and – crucially - to be apart and have some privacy. In accommodation designed for more than one or two people, this implies that there are either two separate living areas (one may be a dining room), or the bedrooms are large enough to allow the occupant(s) to use them for their private recreational activities or study/work as well as places for sleeping, dressing etc. Housing Space Standards, Drury et al for Greater London Authority, 2006.

new House Wishlist

Must Have

1) 3 double bedrooms


Desirable

1) Cellar
2) Games (exercise?) room - especially table tennis, pool, table football
3) grey water (from roof) for toilets etc
4) 4/5 double beds - 1 on ground floor

Hamesha

हमेशा

Shaadi

Areas to live in for good jobs

Rotherhithe - next to canary wharf - try near the park or the peninsular(where?)

Enfield, Chase side area

Somewhere to live around london - not bad prices, good area I hope, good transport, space for kids. Not sure about kids

Also like Rotherhithe


Buy
Eg



£264,995
3 bedrooms
Semi-Detached
Census Banner Ad



OLDBURY ROAD, ENFIELD, MIDDLESEX





CHURCH'S ARE PLEASED TO OFFER FOR SALE THIS THREE BEDROOM END OF TERRACE PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN EASY ACCESS TO ENFIELD HIGHWAYS LOCAL SHOPPING AND TRANSPORT FACILITIES. THE PROPERTY HAS POTENTIAL TO EXTEND TO THE SIDE (SUBJECT TO PLANNING PERMISSION). BENEFITS INCLUDE A 13FT KITCHEN, CONSERVATORY, DOWNSTAIRS FOUR PIECE BATHROOM SUITE, UPSTAIRS W/C, DOUBLE GARAGE AND OFF STREET PARKING. VIEWINGS ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.



ENTRANCE
Via entrance door leading to storm porch with door to:

HALLWAY
Open plan to:

LOUNGE
16'0" x 11'8" (4.88m x 3.35m) Open plan stair case, coving to ceiling, decorative ceiling moldings, electric fire with back boiler with ornate fire surround, x three wall light points, laminate flooring, x two radiators with ornate covers, built in display cabinet and door leading to.

KITCHEN
13'10" x 8'4" (3.96m x 2.44m) Range of eye and base level wall units including rolled edge worktop surfaces, one and a half bowl sink unit with mixer taps, gas and electric cooker points, plumbing for washing machine, part tiling to walls, integrated fridge freezer, breakfast bar, ceramic floor tiling and window to rear aspect.

CONSERVATORY
15'2" x 9'8" (4.57m x 2.74m) Window to rear aspect and side aspect, electric heater, laminate flooring, television point, door to side, double doors leading to garden.

BATHROOM
Four piece suite comprising of panelled bath with mixer taps and shower attachment, hand wash basin, low flush w/c, shower cubical, tiling to walls, ceramic floor tiling, radiator with ornate cover and window to side aspect.

LANDING
Window to side aspect and doors to bedrooms.

BEDROOM ONE
12'1" x 10'4" (3.66m x 3.05m) (into) Range of built in wardrobes and drawers, double glazed window to front aspect, x two wall light points, dado rail, laminate flooring and radiator.

BEDROOM TWO
8'5" x 8'0" (2.44m x 2.44m) Double glazed window to rear aspect, dado rail, laminate flooring, radiator and access to loft.

BEDROOM THREE
9'10" x 7'1" (2.74m x 2.13m) (max) Double glazed window to rear aspect, laminate flooring and radiator.

UPSTAIRS W/C
Low flush w/c, hand wash basin and tiling to walls.

GARDEN
Raised patio area and decking area, steps down to further paved area with walled plant and shrub borders, further decking area towards centre, pagoda, ornate pond, further paved area to rear aviary and garden shed.

DOUBLE GARAGE
To side with power and lighting.

FRONT
Mainly paved with drive providing access to garage and off street parking.



RENT





£1,100PCM
3 bedrooms
House
Census Banner Ad

Willow Road, Enfield, EN1




FEATURES

Semi Detached
Three Bedrooms
Two Receptions
Off Street Parking

Available Now
Letting Type: Not Specified
The Accommodation Comprises:-

Entrance: Porch leading to Front Door.

Hallway: Stairs rising to First Floor.

Reception 1:

Reception 2:

Kitchen:

First Floor Landing:

Bedroom 1:

Bedroom 2:

Bedroom 3:

Bathroom:

Exterior: Front Garden: Mostly laid to lawn with mature shrub borders.

Rear Garden: Mostly laid to lawn.