1 Self Build Plots, Abingdon, Oxfordshire
1 self build plot in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. A rare opportunity to craft a dream home close to the historic town centre.
2 people interested
1plots available
Livedin · A national project for self build
Self build in the UK
A practical project to help more people build their own homes — and to show what's possible when housing isn't only built by developers.
Self build is a small share of new UK homes — far smaller than in much of Europe. Livedin brings together every local self-build register, the plots people are working to bring forward, the architects who specialise, and the tools we've built to strip friction out of the process.
27
plots Livedin is tracking, mapped above. Open full map →
01The state of self build in England
The numbers tell the story
Under the 2015 Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act, every council in England has a duty to grant enough planning permissions to match the demand on its self-build register. The aggregate, as recorded across every authority Livedin tracks:
99,558
People on registers
across England, since 2016
63,296
Plots permitted
to meet that demand
36,262
Outstanding deficit
the gap councils still owe
86 / 348
Councils meeting demand
of those with reported data
Interactive self-build toolkit
Seven tools to think through your self build
Each tool answers one question. Jump straight to whichever decision you're currently stuck on.
02Why this matters
Housing built one home at a time
What we see
The UK builds the vast majority of its new homes through volume housebuilders. The product is standardised, the spec value-engineered, and the result is the housing the market now mostly resents.
Self build is the legislated alternative. Plots come forward singly or in small groups. Homes are designed for the people who'll live in them, built to a higher standard than developer norms, and add character to the places they sit in rather than blandness.
It's a smaller, slower, better way to add housing — and the register numbers above show it's massively under-supplied. The 2015 Act gave councils a duty; demand is outstripping the permissions they're granting.
What Livedin is doing about it
Making the system legible. Every local authority's register data, every plot we can track, every architect with self-build experience, surfaced on one page per area.
Building the tools that take friction out of the process: cost calculators, planning-condition checkers, biodiversity net gain estimators, and free site assessments.
And — for anyone who wants to shift the numbers locally — practical action plans for each district that name the concrete things that bring more plots forward.
03Find your area
Self build is local
Land supply, planning policy and the material vernacular all vary by district. Start with where you'd build — every local authority in England has its own page.
04Plots at planning
Sites people are working to bring forward right now. Registering interest adds weight to a plot at the planning stage — it's how serviced plots actually reach launch.
05If you're new to it
What "self build" actually means
Self build is when you take on the role normally held by a developer — finding the land, commissioning the design, organising the build. You don't have to swing a hammer. Most UK self builders work with an architect and a main contractor; what they keep hold of is the brief, the budget and the final say.
The term covers a spectrum. Custom build is a developer-led version where you choose from a set of design options on a serviced plot. Community-led projects — like Springhill in Stroud or Marmalade Lane in Cambridge — are groups doing it together. All three count under the same legislation.
The financial case is real. Self build typically saves 20–30% against an equivalent developer build. New self-build homes are zero-rated for VAT, most councils exempt them from the Community Infrastructure Levy, and self-build mortgages release funds in stages to match the build.
The bigger reason, for most people, is the result — a home sized, oriented and detailed for how they live, built with materials and standards a volume builder would never reach.
06Plot types
Self build plots, explained
The biggest variables in a self build — cost, timeline and risk — are mostly set by the type of plot you start with. Five categories cover the UK market.
Serviced plot
A plot with planning permission already granted and water, electricity, drainage and a road brought to its boundary. The most expensive plot type — you're paying for the developer's work to remove the planning and infrastructure risk — but the fastest to start building on. Often the only plot type sold on a custom build site.
Custom build plot
A serviced plot sold with a plot passport — design rules covering scale, materials and layout that the buyer's house must meet. You commission the design within the rules, then build. Lower risk and faster than a bespoke self build; less design freedom. More on custom build.
Plot with full planning permission
A specific house design is approved for the plot. Services may or may not be connected. You can build the approved design as-is, or apply for a non-material amendment to tweak it. Mid-priced — you're paying for the planning work but typically absorbing the utility connection costs.
Plot with outline permission or PiP
The principle of residential development is agreed, but the details — size, layout, materials — still need approval through a reserved matters or technical details consent application. The lower price reflects the remaining design risk. Six to twelve months of work before you can start on site.
Unserviced plot (raw land)
No planning permission, no services. The cheapest plot type — often 80–90% below the same plot's value once permitted — and the highest risk. You apply for permission yourself, arrange utility connections, and absorb the chance that permission is refused. Eighteen to twenty-four months before first spade, but the only route to most off-market and rural opportunities. Run a free site assessment before committing.
| Plot type | Planning | Services | Relative price | Time to start | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serviced plot | Granted | All connected | Highest | Weeks | First-time self builders, lowest risk |
| Custom build plot | Granted, with design code | All connected | High | Weeks | Design freedom within set rules |
| Full permission | Approved design | Variable | Mid-high | 1–3 months | Builders happy with an existing design |
| Outline / PiP | Principle only | Usually none | Mid | 6–12 months | Design freedom, some upside |
| Unserviced | None | None | Lowest | 18–24 months | Maximum control, maximum risk |
Serviced plot
- Planning
- Granted
- Services
- All connected
- Price
- Highest
- Start
- Weeks
Custom build plot
- Planning
- Granted, with design code
- Services
- All connected
- Price
- High
- Start
- Weeks
Full permission
- Planning
- Approved design
- Services
- Variable
- Price
- Mid-high
- Start
- 1–3 months
Outline / PiP
- Planning
- Principle only
- Services
- Usually none
- Price
- Mid
- Start
- 6–12 months
Unserviced
- Planning
- None
- Services
- None
- Price
- Lowest
- Start
- 18–24 months
Interactive — plot finder
Which plot type fits you?
Three quick questions. The recommendation links back to the definition above.
How much planning risk are you willing to take on?
How much design freedom matters to you?
What's your timeline to start on site?
Estimate only. For guidance, not advice — see full disclaimer.
See live plots by type →
Filter by planning status on the map.
07The process
From idea to handover, in five stages
Most self builds take 18–24 months from buying a plot to moving in. Roughly six months for design and planning, twelve for the build. Here's the shape of it.
- 1
Find a plot
Search local authority pages, browse plots at planning, or register interest in sites coming forward.
Browse plots → - 2
Join the register
Adding your name records demand. Councils have a legal duty to grant suitable permissions to meet it.
Find your register → - 3
Design with an architect
Architects translate site, budget and life into a buildable design — and shepherd it through planning.
Browse architects → - 4
Plan & finance
Self-build mortgages release money in stages. Building control, warranty and VAT all begin here.
Cost calculator → - 5
Build & move in
Most builds take 12–18 months on site. The reward is a home shaped exactly to how you live.
See projects →
Interactive — timeline estimator
When will you move in?
Pick your plot type, build route and site complexity. Self-build timelines are mostly driven by planning status and the route you choose.
Estimated total
24 months
≈ 2.0 years from purchase to handover
- Planning1m
- Design6m
- Services & connections3m
- Build14m
Rough estimate. Real timelines vary with planning delays, contractor availability and unforeseen site issues. A 10–15% contingency is standard.
Estimate only. For guidance, not advice — see full disclaimer.
08Build routes
Five ways to procure the build
Once the plot is chosen, the next decision is how to deliver the building. This is independent of plot type — any route here works on a serviced plot, a PiP plot or raw land. The choice is about how much you want to coordinate yourself.
Kit & package homes
A factory ships a complete or near-complete shell — frame, roof, often windows. You arrange the foundations and fit-out. Timber-frame and SIPs (structural insulated panels) dominate this market in the UK. Predictable cost, fast erection, limited design flexibility.
Turnkey contract
A single contractor takes the project from foundation slab to handover. You stay in charge of design and brief; they handle the build. The hands-off route — useful when your time matters more than total control over every detail.
Bespoke (architect-led)
Commission an architect, tender for a contractor, project-manage the build yourself or with a project manager. The most flexibility, the most reward, the most work.
Developer-led (custom build)
Tied to a custom build plot. The developer pre-approves a menu of house types and design rules; your role is choosing and customising within them. Lower risk and faster to start — typically the easiest first self build, at the cost of design freedom.
Community-led
A group of households pool land, design and resources, often through a Community Land Trust or co-housing structure. Often the only way to make truly affordable self build work in expensive areas — and the route behind some of the UK's most admired self-build neighbourhoods.
Eco / Passivhaus overlay
Any of the routes above, built to Passivhaus, AECB or near-zero-energy standards. Not a separate route — a standard you specify within the route you choose. Self build is the easiest way to reach genuinely low-energy living in the UK; there's no developer optimising the spec downwards.
Interactive — build route quiz
Which build route fits you?
Three questions on time, control and priorities. The recommendation links back to the route description above.
How much time do you want to spend coordinating the build?
How much design control do you want?
What matters most?
Estimate only. For guidance, not advice — see full disclaimer.
09Tools
Built for self builders
Every step of a self build has a question Livedin's tried to make easier to answer. Use any of these — they're all free.
Self-build cost calculator
Estimate build cost, professional fees, utilities, VAT recovery and contingency for your project.
Open →Stamp duty on self-build plots
Residential vs non-residential, the additional dwelling surcharge, and the £40,000 threshold.
Open →Self-build VAT reclaim
How the DIY Housebuilders' Scheme works, what qualifies, and how much you can claim back.
Open →Self-build CIL exemption
Regulation 54A, the form sequence, and the three-year occupation rule explained.
Open →Self-build vs buying
Where the 20-30% savings come from, where they disappear, and a regional calculator.
Open →Self-build timeline
How long each stage actually takes — planning, design, services, build — by plot type and route.
Open →Plot types compared
Serviced, custom, full permission, PiP and raw land — cost, time, risk and design freedom.
Open →Build routes compared
Kit, turnkey, bespoke, custom build, community-led — how to procure your self build.
Open →Is it self build?
Walk through a planning condition or description and find out whether it qualifies under the 2015 Act.
Open →Biodiversity net gain calculator
Work out the BNG units a small site needs to deliver, on-site or off-site, under the new statutory regime.
Open →Class Q checker
Quick test for whether an agricultural building qualifies for Class Q conversion to dwellings.
Open →Free site assessment
Upload a boundary, get a full report on planning constraints, allocations, designations and proximity factors.
Open →Self-build register data
Live data on every council's register — registrations, permitted plots, deficit, and policy.
Open →Trusted by UK Self-Build Community
As seen in leading UK publications covering self-build and property development
10Costs, mortgages and exemptions
What it actually costs to self build
UK self-build costs vary widely with location, specification and how much you do yourself — typical figures sit between £1,800 and £3,000 per square metre for the build alone, before plot and fees. Add roughly 10–15% for professional fees and 5–10% for contingency.
The arithmetic is helped by two structural advantages. New self-build homes are zero-rated for VAT, recoverable after completion through HMRC's DIY Housebuilders' Scheme. Most councils exempt self builders from the Community Infrastructure Levy. Self-build mortgages release money in stages tied to build milestones — usually foundations, wall plate, watertight, first fix, completion — to cover cashflow as you go.
Self-build cost calculator
Estimate build costs, professional fees, utilities, VAT and contingency for your project — based on UK industry rates and your specification.
Open the calculator →Interactive — savings calculator
How much could self-build save you?
A rough indication of the gap between what an equivalent home costs to buy ready-built versus self-build, in your region.
What a similar new-build would sell for in your area.
£
Estimated saving vs buying
£90,000 – £135,000
20–30% of finished value in Midlands.
Self-build total cost
£315,000 – £360,000
Plot + build + fees + VAT
Buy ready-built
£450,000
Market price for the equivalent home
The saving comes from removing the developer's profit and from new self-build homes being zero-rated for VAT. Real outcomes vary with plot price, specification and build route — see the cost calculator for a detailed estimate.
Estimate only. For guidance, not advice — see full disclaimer.
Interactive — SDLT estimator
Stamp duty on a self-build plot
A rough indication for England and Northern Ireland. The residential vs non-residential call is yours to make — see the guide for help.
£
How is the plot classified?
Do you already own another dwelling?
Estimated SDLT
Treated as residential
£500
- 0% on £125,000£0
- 2% on £25,000£500
Treated as non-residential
£0
- 0% on £150,000£0
No additional-dwelling surcharge on non-residential purchases.
England & Northern Ireland bands. Estimate only — confirm with HMRC or your conveyancer. Scotland uses LBTT; Wales uses LTT.
Estimate only. For guidance, not advice — see full disclaimer.
Interactive — VAT reclaim estimator
How much VAT can you claim back?
New self-build homes are zero-rated for VAT. You pay it on materials as you go, then reclaim it from HMRC after completion under the DIY Housebuilders' Scheme.
m²
Specification
Estimated VAT reclaim
£29,000
On a £435,000 build at 2,900/m².
Build cost
£435,000
Materials (~40%)
£174,000
VAT to reclaim
£29,000
- · Materials qualify; most professional fees and labour from VAT-registered contractors do not (they're already zero-rated).
- · You can only submit one claim, after completion. Keep every receipt.
- · Conversions of non-residential buildings to dwellings may also qualify, at reduced rates.
Estimate only. For guidance, not advice — see full disclaimer.
Interactive — CIL exemption checker
Do you qualify for the self-build CIL exemption?
The Community Infrastructure Levy can run to tens of thousands per dwelling. The self-build exemption removes it entirely — but the rules are strict, the paperwork must come in the right order, and not every council charges CIL in the first place. Check your council's CIL charging schedule before assuming you owe anything.
Are you building a new single dwelling for your own occupation?
Extensions over 100m² and self-contained annexes have similar but separate exemptions (Forms 9 and 10). This tool is for new dwellings.
Will the dwelling be built by you, or by contractors you commission directly?
The exemption covers builds done "by or on behalf of" you. Buying a finished home from a developer is not self-build.
Will you occupy it as your principal residence for at least 3 years after completion?
Selling, letting or stopping principal-residence use within 3 years claws the exemption back.
Can you submit Form 7 Part 1 (exemption claim) AND Form 6 (commencement notice) BEFORE any work starts on site?
Both forms must be received by the council before commencement. Either one missed and the exemption is lost — even if everything else is in order.
Will you submit Form 7 Part 2 (with supporting evidence) within 6 months of completion?
Council Tax certificate, mortgage statement and title deeds are the usual proofs.
Estimate only. For guidance, not advice — see full disclaimer.
For Self-Builders
Self-Build Plots Currently at Planning
Browse available self-build plots with planning permission secured or in progress. Register interest for exclusive early access to new opportunities.
For Self-Builders
Find Self-Build Architects
Connect with vetted architects specializing in custom homes and self-build projects. Find professionals experienced with planning regulations and sustainable design.
For Landowners
Free Land Assessment
Get a professional assessment of your land's self-build potential. We specialize in securing planning permission for self-build projects, significantly improving your chances of approval.
Planning Guidance
Self-Build Rights & Registers
Understand your legal rights under self-build legislation. Learn how local authority registers work and how to use them to your advantage.
Planning Guidance
Winning Self-Build Appeals
Interactive map of successful self-build planning appeals across England. Learn winning strategies and strengthen your planning applications.
UK Self-Build Guides & Expert Insights
New to the self-build jargon?
Permission in Principle, BNG, Section 106, CIL, self-build register, custom build — a plain-English glossary of every UK residential land development term you'll come across on your self-build journey.
Open the glossary11Common questions
Self build, answered
What's the difference between a serviced and unserviced plot?
A serviced plot has planning permission already granted and water, electricity, drainage and a road connected to its boundary — usually weeks from starting on site. An unserviced plot is raw land with neither permission nor connections, typically 80–90% cheaper but 18–24 months of planning and infrastructure work before first spade.
What is a Permission in Principle plot?
Permission in Principle (PiP) is a two-stage consent. The first stage agrees the principle of residential development on the plot — location, scale and use. The detailed design still needs approval through a Technical Details Consent application before you can build. Plots with PiP cost less than those with full permission because the buyer absorbs the detailed design risk.
Is self build cheaper than buying?
Usually yes — 20–30% on average, and more in expensive areas where land dominates the cost. The savings come from removing the developer's margin and from VAT zero-rating on the build itself.
How long does a self build take?
From buying a plot to moving in, most projects take 18–24 months. Around six months for design and planning, and twelve for the build itself.
Can anyone self build?
Yes. There is no qualification, licence or experience required. What you do need is access to a suitable plot, finance, and either time to project-manage or someone to do it for you.
Do I pay VAT on a self build?
New self-build homes are zero-rated for VAT. You pay it as you go, then claim it back from HMRC after completion through the DIY Housebuilders' Scheme. Most building materials qualify; most professional fees don't.
What is the self-build register?
Every council in England maintains a list of people who want to self build locally. Joining is free in most areas, and registrations create a legal duty on the council to grant enough planning permissions to meet demand.
Do I need planning permission?
Yes — the same as any new home. Some plots come with permission already secured; for raw land you'd apply yourself, or buy on a Permission-in-Principle basis. Self-build sites benefit from explicit policy support in many local plans.
More questions? Browse the self-build advice library or check your local council's register.
Disclaimer
About the estimates on this page
The interactive tools on this page produce estimates for planning purposes only. They are not financial, tax, planning, mortgage or legal advice, and they are not a substitute for professional advice on your specific situation.
Rates, thresholds, statutory bands and regulations change frequently. Always verify current figures with the relevant authority before making decisions or committing money:
- Stamp Duty Land Tax — confirm bands, surcharge rates and reliefs with HMRC's official SDLT calculator and a conveyancer or tax adviser. The residential vs non-residential classification is fact-sensitive — get specific advice.
- VAT reclaim — see HMRC's DIY Housebuilders' Scheme guidance. Eligible items, deadlines and evidence requirements are strict.
- Community Infrastructure Levy — check your council's published CIL charging schedule. Many councils don't charge CIL at all. Where they do, the exemption procedure has hard deadlines under the CIL Regulations 2010 — speak to your council's CIL officer before commencement.
- Self-build savings — ranges are based on published industry averages (Homebuilding & Renovating, Build It, RICS BCIS). Real outcomes vary substantially with specification, region, build route and self-management.
- Project timelines — estimates assume typical conditions. Planning delays, contractor availability and unforeseen site issues regularly push real projects past the figures shown.
- Plot type and build route guidance — recommendations from the finders are signposts to investigate, not endorsements. The right plot type and build route depend on factors not captured by three questions.
The tools cover England primarily, with relevant differences noted for Scotland (LBTT, Additional Dwelling Supplement) and Wales (LTT). Northern Ireland uses the SDLT framework.
Livedin accepts no liability for decisions made on the basis of these estimates. Always take qualified advice before completing a purchase, applying for a permit, claiming an exemption or relying on a financial calculation.
Start where you'd build
Every local authority in England has a page — plots, register data, architects and the planning context that shapes self build locally. It's free to browse and free to register.