Self-build Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

Self-build - Dissertation Example Findings revealed that the self-builders are satisfied with most of their projects’ aspects and all share a desire to promote self-building to other families. However, self-builders find the planning and permission gathering process tedious and tend to consume much of their time, money, and energy. Therefore, policy reforms regarding planning and permissions are suggested to alleviate the hardships that self-builders face even at the early stages of the project. Most importantly, the study revealed that planning is a significant component of self-building which primarily influences cost and build time. Self-builders should therefore, take it incumbent upon themselves to put the same effort to planning as they would the actual building. Table of Contents Executive Summary 1 Table of Contents 2 List of Figures 3 Chapter 1 – INTRODUCTION 4 Chapter 2 – EVALUATION OF SELF-BUILD CONSTRUCTION METHODS 7 Chapter 3 – REVIEW OF THE PROCESS OF SELF BUILDING 14 Looking / Finding Land 15 Financing the Self-Build Project 15 Designing the Self-Build Project 16 Planning the Self-Build Project 16 Choosing the Building System 17 Project Management 19 Compliance with Building Regulations 20 Building Contract 22 Compliance to Health and Safety 23 Materials and Scheduling 23 Chapter 4 – ANALYSIS OF THE PILOT STUDY DATA 26 Chapter 5 – CONCLUSION 43 REFERENCES 45 Appendix 1 – SURVEY INSTRUMENT 48 List of Figures Figure 1: Greatest Motivation to Self-Build 27 Figure 2: How Land was Availed of for the Self-Build Project 28 Figure 3: Factors which Facilitated Availment of Land for Self-Build Project 29 Figure 4: Early Problems Encountered in Self-Build 30 Figure 5: Type of Land / Plot Purchased or Used 31 Figure 6: Mortgage Type Availed 32 Figure 7: Build System Used 33 Figure 8: Total Floor Area 34 Figure 9: Status of Self-Build Home 35 Figure 10: Self-Build Project Budget 36 Figure 11: Percent of Budget Covered by Loan 37 Figure 12: Pers on Who Handled the Self-Build Project 38 Figure 13: Build Time 39 Figure 14: Level of Satisfaction on the Outcome of the Self-Build Project 40 Figure 15: Suggested Self-Build Reforms 41 Chapter 1 – INTRODUCTION The construction industry in the United Kingdom provides employment to about 2.4 million people. The sector contributed 8 per cent to the UK Gross Domestic Product. The construction sector also supports all other industries and government services in the UK in terms of their dominant role in the establishment of buildings and infrastructure. This may yet be a signal that as of 2010, the construction sector is springing back up from the slump in 2009 precipitated by the deepening recession (The Construction Industry Training Board, 2010). A review of the construction output reported by Office for National Statistics (2011), however, revealed that total output from the sector dropped by 18.3 per cent in February of this year, from last quarter figures. New work output de creased by 19.1 per cent, while repair and maintenance plummeted by 16.8 per cent. The largest decrease in construction output was in new work for private housing at 23.3 per cent. This documented decline may well be a consequence of the problem of housing affordability which Riley (2005) forecasted to be getting worse in the coming years. The government lost no time in implementing interventions to ease out