Package Homes: Get Impressive, Great Value Design

Mark Stevenson, managing director of Potton, discusses why this self build route is a great option for creating a bespoke home

by Potton

23rd February 2021

When you self build with a package company, everything is under one roof (so to speak). Many specialist firms will take care of design and planning, manufacture and delivery of your new home, plus its erection. Some companies will even deliver the house to a weathertight stage, leaving your build safe, secure and ready for internal works to begin.

Using a package company ensures a single point of responsibility for the entire superstructure build, and with some firms also offering foundation design, you will enjoy guaranteed quality and a smooth build process from start to finish. This single point of responsibility is a key benefit for this self build route and should mean progress on site is quick and efficient.

Design & build

It’s a big advantage to work with a company that offers a design service, as opposed to one that will simply provide the house shell. With this route you will receive lengthy consultations, giving you as much or as little free rein on the look and layout of your home as you want, customising plans to create a bespoke result.

Your package firm’s experts should also examine your plot and the area surrounding it to make sure your house design will satisfy the site and therefore have the best chance of being granted planning permission.

Many package companies offer a variety of design services, ranging from the completely bespoke through to customising an existing design to make it work best for you. An in-house design team will work closely with you to find out exactly what you need from your house and might even suggest features you haven’t thought of.

With you every step

The package route can also save you the time, money and stress on the sometimes daunting planning process, so find out if the company’s in-house experts will navigate this complicated application for you. Most firms will have years of experience with the planning system and thousands of successful applications under their belt.

Ample daylight fills this Potton house thanks to various glazed solutions and an open- plan layout. The project won Best SIPs Home at the Build It Awards 2020

With this level of service, your chosen package home company will be with you through every step of the process. Once the planning application has been approved, they will begin manufacturing the prefabricated system for your new dwelling (most package companies work with offsite construction).

These materials will be of high quality and precision manufactured in a dedicated factory, ensuring dimensional accuracy and a rapid build. This offsite method means cost certainty and ensures you’ll get the high-quality home you paid for. Having the company’s specially trained team erect your new property on site will speed up the whole process and significantly lower risk because they’re familiar with the structural system.

It’s also worth noting that having one company responsible for all these structural elements is hugely efficient and economical. It also makes project management a much easier task, whether you choose to do this yourself or appoint a dedicated professional.

This route offers great value for money in comparison to engaging an architectural practice for your design and sourcing all the build elements by yourself. Your package home specialist will discuss your budget in full during your design consultation before any decisions are made, so the risk factor for any variables is very low. As your chosen specialist will provide all the structural elements for your build, you can relax knowing all of this will fall under the umbrella of your budget.

Mark Stevenson has been a construction professional for almost 30 years. Mark became managing director of Potton and Kingspan Timber Solutions after an extensive career in housebuilding, now helping self builders create their own homes. Call 01767 676400 or visit Potton