Certainly. But on a like-for-like comparison, if you get an architect to do the design and project management (most architects offer this service for residential builds), and a main builder who manages things on-site and organises subcontractors and the installation of services etc. it should still be cheaper, even with the current price of plots. It doesn't have to involve a huge amount of work from the client either, other than organising funds (as I mentioned, mortgages are trickier to navigate), although most clients would find it difficult not to get more involved. After all, developers have to buy the plot, get designs drawn-up by an architect, and get the house built just the same, but they will also be looking to make a healthy profit at the end, so the end buyer will be paying a premium. Obviously, larger developers, such as Barratt can do things cheaper, as they buy large amounts of land, have in-house architects (and have set designs), and employ their own builders, but this doesn't necessarily translate into savings for the end buyer, but a greater margin of profit for Barratt themselves. But cutting out the middle-man so to speak (the developer) can translate into big-big savings, and it doesn't have to translate into a mountain of work and stress if you employ a competent architectural firm who do all the leg-work. Granted you pay for that leg-work, but not to the same extent as paying for the developers profits. Unlike just about anything else in this world, buying 'second-hand' doesn't necessarily save much money either, unless it needs work doing. Generally new-builds are priced to compete with existing housing stock. If I do manage to get planning on the barn, I'll be extremely lucky, as I'll be getting it for free. So I'll basically be avoiding the price of a plot, probably a good £80-100k worth (although the barn could be worth a lot more again with planning permission), and I'll be one of the lucky few who can build a house in the middle of the countryside with views down to the ocean. Planning laws prohibit this for most, which is a shame imo. I wouldn't want anyone and their dog building anywhere they want, but I can't say the odd house here and there spoils the countryside, especially is it's got some architectural merit. At the moment it's only really possible to build within close proximity to an existing town or village which pushes up the price of land in those areas to extreme levels, roughly 60 times its worth as agricultural land, which makes those lucky farmers who own that land instant multi-millionaires, and pushes the price of housing up for everyone, out of most people's reaches. Personally I'd like to see a cap of land-price introduced, and a change in planning law, which would lower the price of new builds and bringing the price of houses within the reach of more people. Sorry for the rather long post, and the off-topic nature, but it's something I'm rather passionate about
