Buying a Self-Build Plot: What to Expect, and What Nobody Tells You
Ask most people what worries them about building their own home and they will talk about the build. Finding the right builder, keeping to budget, getting through a winter with the roof half on.
Those are real concerns. But on the self-build plots we sell, the hardest part has usually happened long before you arrive. And the thing that does catch people out is rarely the one they were worried about.
The short answer: when you buy a self-build plot from We Are Millen, three things are worth knowing. First, planning, surveys, access and services are sorted before we sell. Second, the step that catches people out is CIL: miss the self-build exemption before you start work and you could face a bill of up to £50,000. Third, we stay with you through the whole process, with as much or as little support as you want.
What comes sorted when you buy a self-build plot from us?
Buying raw land and hoping for planning is a gamble. You pay for surveys, drawings and an application, wait months for a decision, and may still be refused. Many would-be self-builders give up at this stage, long before a spade goes in the ground.
On our self-build plots, that groundwork has already been done:
Planning permission: each plot comes with permission and, on most schemes, a clear design brief, so you know what you can build before you commit.
Surveys: the ecology, tree and site surveys needed to win permission have been carried out, so you are not paying to find out whether the plot works.
Access: a safe, approved way into the plot is in place. Access is one of the most common reasons land fails in planning, and one of the hardest problems to fix after you have bought.
Services: on most schemes, connections are brought to the boundary, so you are not starting from scratch with utility companies and their timescales.
That changes what self-build feels like. Instead of spending your first year on risk and paperwork, you can spend it on the part you were looking forward to: designing a home around the way you live.
If you are looking at plots from other sellers, our guide to the 10 things to check before buying a building plot covers what to ask.
What is the one thing nobody tells you about self-build?
It is the Community Infrastructure Levy, or CIL. Many councils charge it on new homes to help pay for local roads, schools and health facilities, at a rate per square metre that each council sets. On a generous family home in a high-charging part of the South East, the bill can run well into tens of thousands of pounds. The Government's Community Infrastructure Levy guidance explains how it works.
Self-builders can usually be exempt. The catch is timing. The exemption must be applied for and confirmed before work starts, and it cannot be claimed after the event. Forget, and you could be facing a bill of up to £50,000.
The CIL forms, in order
Form 2, Assumption of Liability: tells the council you are taking responsibility for any CIL due.
Form 7 Part 1, Self-Build Exemption Claim: sent before any work starts. Wait for the council to confirm the exemption in writing.
Form 6, Commencement Notice: tells the council when work will begin, and must arrive before you start on site.
Form 7 Part 2: within six months of completion, the evidence that the home is a genuine self-build.
All of them are on the Planning Portal's CIL pages. To keep the exemption, you also need to live in the home as your main residence for three years after completion.
The mistakes are often small. Build It magazine reported on a self-builder who emailed the council instead of sending the proper commencement form, lost the exemption and paid over £39,000 in CIL and surcharges. It is a strange thing: self-build is about light, layout and the garden you have pictured for years, yet one of the biggest financial risks sits in the timing of a form.
How much support do you get when you buy a plot from us?
As much or as little as you want. Some buyers arrive with an architect and a builder already lined up. Others have never read a planning condition in their lives. Both are welcome, and we shape our help around you rather than the other way round.
If you want to lead the project yourself
Bring your own architect and builder and run things your way. We will still flag the moments that matter, like the CIL exemption and any planning conditions that need discharging before you start, so nothing slips through the cracks.
If you want a hand along the way
Work with our architects and planning team to develop your design within the approved brief, or call on us when a question comes up. You keep the decisions; we help you make them with confidence.
If you want us alongside you throughout
We can guide you through the whole journey: design, CIL and the VAT refund scheme for DIY housebuilders, finding contractors and arranging services. You still get a home that is entirely yours, without carrying every detail on your own.
We are a family-run developer, and we think self-build should feel exciting rather than daunting. The question is not whether you can do it alone. It is how much of it you would actually enjoy doing alone.
What does the self-build journey look like?
Choose your plot: with planning, surveys, access and services already in place.
Design your home: within the approved brief, with your architect or ours.
Sort the paperwork before you start: discharge any pre-commencement conditions and claim your CIL exemption.
Build: a typical self-build takes between 18 and 36 months from start to finish.
Complete and claim: send your CIL completion evidence within six months, and your VAT refund claim, normally within three months.
Move in: and live in the home you designed.
Looking for a self-build plot?
We have self-build plots across the South of England, from Three Households in Chalfont St Giles to Stock Road in Essex, as well as plots in Chesham Bois, Chipperfield and West Berkshire. See them all on our self-build page, where you can also register for plot alerts.
Want our free self-build guide? Comment BUILD on our latest Instagram reel, or get in touch with the team and we will send it over. It is also worth joining your council's self-build register, which the Right to Build register was created for.
For a closer look at one of our plots, read about the self-build opportunity at Three Households or how Stock Road won planning permission.
Frequently asked questions
What should I expect when buying a self-build plot?
Expect to check planning permission, surveys, access and services before you buy. On We Are Millen plots, these are sorted before the plot goes on sale, so you can focus on designing your home.
What is a serviced self-build plot?
A serviced plot has planning permission, access and utility connections brought to the boundary, so it is ready for you to design and build on without arranging the groundwork yourself.
Do self-builders have to pay CIL?
Not usually, if they claim the self-build exemption correctly. Where a council charges CIL, a new home is normally liable, but self-builders can be exempt by submitting the right forms before work starts.
When should I claim the self-build CIL exemption?
Before any work starts on site, and early enough for the council to confirm it in writing. The exemption cannot be claimed retrospectively, and missing it can mean a bill of up to £50,000.
How much help will I get when I buy a plot from We Are Millen?
As much or as little as you want. You can bring your own architect and builder, or work with our architects and planning team and have us guide you through CIL, VAT, contractors and services.
Can I use my own architect on a self-build plot?
Yes. You can bring your own architect or work with ours. Either way, the design needs to sit within the approved planning permission and design brief for the plot.
How long does a self-build take?
A typical self-build takes between 18 and 36 months, depending on the size of the home, the design and the build method. Buying a plot with planning and services in place can save months at the start.
Can I reclaim VAT on a self-build home?
Usually, yes. New self-build homes can reclaim VAT on eligible building materials through HMRC's VAT refund scheme for DIY housebuilders, normally within three months of completion.
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