Hunting a plot of land for self-build

cocoa123

Hi, we'd like to build family house in Dublin suburb area. We are thinking of buying a small plot, possibly part of large garden to build infill on. Unfortunately, nothing is available for on daft in the area that we're interested in. Any idea, folks, how to hunt plot for infill.

Eldarion

We're back to the self builds again I see.

Do you really think you're going to find a suitable empty site in the Dublin suburbs and build a 3/4 Bed for less than 200k? Honestly?

Cathmandooo

Did you try myhome.ie?

http://www.myhome.ie/residential/dublin/site-for-sale?view=map

http://www.myhome.ie/residential/dublin/site-for-sale

Various shapes and sizes available in varying location across Dublin. If you're looking for a specific area and can't find anything online then perhaps spotting somewhere specific and asking the locals might be an option.

cocoa123

Thanks Cathmandooo. Yes, I'm looking in area where I'm currently renting. Have already spotted some unbuilt spaces here and there.
I was thinking of putting adds in local shop or parish centre etc.

Eldarion, in my area you won't find new decent 3/4 Bed for less than 200k either.

Eldarion

cocoa123 wrote: »

Thanks Cathmandooo. Yes, I'm looking in area where I'm currently renting. Have already spotted some unbuilt spaces here and there.
I was thinking of putting adds in local shop or parish centre etc.

Eldarion, in my area you won't find new decent 3/4 Bed for less than 200k either.

That's my point. Every anecdotal report I've heard about self builds have worked out at being more expensive than buying a comparable finished house (even new) in the same area.

Mrs OBumble

I do not see the OP saying they want to do it more cheaply.

I do see them saying they want to build in an established area, instead of a new estate. The problem with this is???

Eldarion

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I do not see the OP saying they want to do it more cheaply.

I do see them saying they want to build in an established area, instead of a new estate. The problem with this is???

Forgive me, I went through his post history. Unless something has drastically changed in his financial situation he's looking at doing this with ~€160k-€200k.

fartyarse

OP I considered this avenue also, for all of ten minutes. Found the perfect site in a decent area (Dublin suburbs, South County mind), €285k, with NO planning permission (PP had been refused two years previously)

jmayo

Eldarion wrote: »

We're back to the self builds again I see.

Do you really think you're going to find a suitable empty site in the Dublin suburbs and build a 3/4 Bed for less than 200k? Honestly?

What is wrong with self builds if people want to do it and are willing to both pay for it and put the effort in.
Not everyone wants to live in an ubiquitous standard house that matches all the other houses on the road or in the estate.
Maybe they are fans of Grand Designs and want to build something special ?
And before you jumped on your high horse, did the OP even say how much they expected to spend on site and build ?

jmayo

jmayo wrote: »

What is wrong with self builds if people want to do it and are willing to both pay for it and put the effort in.
Not everyone wants to live in an ubiquitous standard house that matches all the other houses on the road or in the estate.
Maybe they are fans of Grand Designs and want to build something special ?
And before you jumped on your high horse, did the OP even say how much they expected to spend on site and build ?

Its not a bad idea as long as you are a realist, any non standard build will be hard to get a mortgage for so unless you are fully funding it yourself with out mortgage that rules out a lot of the grand designs type ideas, then there is the fees to the council which I believe can be anything up to twenty thousand depending on the situation, I think you would be better off buying a very small house that had potential and turning it in to what you want.

I have seen that done and it was a very good job when finished.

Cuddlesworth

jmayo wrote: »

And before you jumped on your high horse, did the OP even say how much they expected to spend on site and build ?

He already pointed out that the OP's budget in another thread is 160-200k. The major cost of a house in Dublin is the land, not the build. Hence why new estates have gardens the size of postage stamps and now scale to 3 story's on average.

Eldarion

jmayo wrote: »

What is wrong with self builds if people want to do it and are willing to both pay for it and put the effort in.
Not everyone wants to live in an ubiquitous standard house that matches all the other houses on the road or in the estate.
Maybe they are fans of Grand Designs and want to build something special ?
And before you jumped on your high horse, did the OP even say how much they expected to spend on site and build ?

I wish him all the best with that. Your "Grand Designs" nor my "high horse jumpings" aren't going to change the cold, hard facts at the end of the day. So I guess we'll see if he ends up finding that plot and building on it.

cocoa123

Cuddlesworth & Eldarion, I very very much appreciate the effort, time and dedication you have shown in digging and analyzing my old posts. And, yes, sometimes things do get better.

jmayo

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

He already pointed out that the OP's budget in another thread is 160-200k. The major cost of a house in Dublin is the land, not the build. Hence why new estates have gardens the size of postage stamps and now scale to 3 story's on average.

Fair enough missed that when I jumped on me own horse.

Eldarion wrote: »

I wish him all the best with that. Your "Grand Designs" nor my "high horse jumpings" aren't going to change the cold, hard facts at the end of the day. So I guess we'll see if he ends up finding that plot and building on it.

Oh I know that.
My point is that there is nothing wrong with self builds if one realises they bring their own set of issues.
Self builds can allow one to get a bespoke house, but it can work out expensive and a lot of hassel probably over a few years.

Cuddlesworth

cocoa123 wrote: »

Cuddlesworth & Eldarion, I very very much appreciate the effort, time and dedication you have shown in digging and analyzing my old posts. And, yes, sometimes things do get better.

I didn't dig up your old posts. But I'm going to be very clear on this, you will not find value in trying to purchase a plot of land in South county Dublin to build a house on. Take a existing equivalent detached house in any area you are interested in and start by adding 30% to the purchase price.

cocoa123

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

you will not find value in trying to purchase a plot of land in South county Dublin to build a house on.

BTW, I'm not interested in South county Dublin

the_syco

Eldarion wrote: »

Forgive me, I went through his post history. Unless something has drastically changed in his financial situation he's looking at doing this with ~€160k-€200k.

Depending on the area, he may get the land for €about half that or so... as said, land is often the most expensive part, esp if it's land that is in demand.

Anyhoos...

Option one; Find a big garden, and put in a nice house.
Example 1; http://goo.gl/maps/bw8R6
Example 2; http://goo.gl/maps/nzqzr

Option two; knock existing house, and put in two (slightly smaller) houses
Example; http://goo.gl/maps/R7Ixz

Option three; Find land next to house outside estates. In the below case, said extra house was built before all the surrounding estates were built.
Example; http://goo.gl/maps/hG5om

These are examples in my local area.

the_syco

Perhaps use and Google Maps.

OSI to check for large spaces between the land and it's boundary, and Google maps to see how much room is there. Be warned that others may have asked before you, and thus the landowners may have an unrealistic set price to sell for.

Although the bank may give you money to build, I doubt they will give money for land that you don't own, have no planning permission for, and is still attached to another house. In short; you may need to spend a lot of your own cash on the gamble that the bank will finance you once you actually own the land. Look around, and see if your friends could introduce you (I'm assuming you don't know directly) to someone who has done it previously, to see how they did it?

cocoa123

thanks a lot, the_syco

the_syco wrote: »

Be warned that others may have asked before you, and thus the landowners may have an unrealistic set price to sell for.

What do you think would be a realistic price for the plot of size in the Example 1; //goo.gl/maps/bw8R6

the_syco

cocoa123 wrote: »

What do you think would be a realistic price for the plot of size in the Example 1; //goo.gl/maps/bw8R6

Not 100% sure, but I think either a) he built it, and then sold both houses, or b) he built it, and gave it to family (house on the left sold for €232,500). I used that plot as an example, as there's quite a few "end houses" with a large plot of land next to their house.

Another example is http://goo.gl/maps/hMIMF if you look at it, turn 180 degrees, and you'll see a house being built inside the same patch of land.

I'd say look at the price of nearby property, dedeuct the cost of the build, and use the figure as a max.

Finally, maybe look into buying a rundown house in the area, demolishing it, and rebuilding it, with maybe an extension. This would be such a house. From the front, it's the same shape as the house next to it, but as you can see from the aerial photo, it's extended a good bit out back, and would also be a lot more modern. A number of houses on that road have been renovated like that, and some have been partially demolished first.