Over the last 7 years or so we have gone through a barrage of different DIY programmes on TV, representing the countries need to be different within our homes. There was a time when, keeping up with your neighbours was the thing and wanting to have the “in colour scheme” or bathroom suite was the way to live our lives, but the DIY show revolution, gave us the confidence to be different from our neighbours and show our own personality through our home.

But after the “zillionth ” show (if there is such a word,) there was obviously going to come a time when the ideas ran out and we the public got bored with seeing the same things done with just a shade different here or there. But rather than giving up the ghost, there seems to be an upsurge in DIY houses, yes forget about the small jobs within an existing house, the British have now taken a bigger interest than ever in DIY, by building their own home.

Being pushed on from new TV programmes that show what is possible for the same money, as a ready-made home, has stimulated the entrepreneurial minds of many of the British public. Knowing that if they do it right, their home would immediately be worth more than they paid for it the day they moved in and have a home where every part of it was part of them.

Of course there are many countries out there, where building their own home is a common as fish and chips, but the “Brits” have up until recently left this mainly to the bold and brave, within a small island where land is more at premium than others and where new families don’t necessarily want a house next to their parents.

The positive point I see with the new TV programmes and magazine articles is showing the downfalls of taking on such ambitious projects. In most cases it ends up costing more than the initial budget and taking longer. Trying to get workmen to do what you want, keeping the quality of build together, dealing with weather issues, getting deliveries on time and even points you did not consider are all part of the trials of building your own home. But rather than putting people off, there is almost a feeling that this enormous challenge actually encourages a normally boring “9 to 5er” to get off their butt and do something with their lives. They can then not only show off their new beautiful home but feel good inside about the personal challenge they overcome to get there. They really do want their home to be their castle, built from sweat and tears.

Understanding that you can build your home from more than bricks, is doesn’t have to be square, it doesn’t have to conform to normal popular building practices, so long as it is safe and conforms to planning permission, really does open the mind to what can be achieved. The cost of the project is only market driven by the cost of the land. Then materials drive the rest of the project costs and labour costs, rather than house prices, which do mean if you get everything, right a very good investment opportunity. However DIY does not mean do everything yourself. Having professional support through the design stage and management of the project might seem expensive but could save you much more in lost time and correct building procedures in the long run. Because if you get this project wrong, a dream home can become a nightmare building site.