Fraser Besant

Tags: New Build

Fraser Besant, a self builder and exhibitor at the NSBRC (owner of Ablectrics), undertook his project in Bristol in September 2023, demolishing an existing house to rebuild his family’s forever home using block work construction.

Fraser’s Experience at the National Self Build & Renovation Centre:

How many times have you visited The National Self Build and Renovation Centre before?

Many times - I am an exhibitor there myself.

What would you say is the most helpful feature or resource?

All the specialist companies and the staff (Gareth was super helpful).

Did you use any exhibitors at the NSBRC? If so, who?

RK Door Systems.

Would you recommend the NSBRC to a friend, and if so, what aspects of the Centre would you recommend and why?
100% - I am always recommending the Centre. It’s great to find such a variety of suppliers and manufactures in one place. All offering good design advice.

Floorplans & Construction Notes

Please click on the image below to view the plans in full.

Lighting Design - Plans

Moodboards

Video Footage of Construction

A house build from demolition to finish

Luxury home lighting design and Rako home automation

Information compiled in November 2024.

Find out more about Fraser's company Ablectrics which specialises in lighting design.

Fraser Besant Lighting (@fraserbesantlighting) - Instagram

Fact file

Name:

Fraser Besant

Occupation:

Owner director of Fraser Besant Lighting and Ablectrics

Project Location:

Bristol

What type of project did you undertake?

Self build (bought a house and demolished it to rebuild)

What construction method did you use?

Block work

How would you describe the style of your project?

Modern

When did you begin work?

September 2023

When did you complete?

We moved in May 22nd 2024 so 8 months later, which is very quick, usually a job like this would take 10-12 months. If you want to keep your job going and people on site invest in a top hat, this is a full scaffold which covers the whole house and keeps all the rain/water out. It’s also great for privacy. They are anywhere from £10-20k but well worth it.

What is the floor area of your project in sq ft or sq m?

The house is 200 m2

Fraser's Self Build Journey

What first inspired you to undertake project – what did you hope to achieve?

To build a forever home for my family.

What was the cost & size of the land?

Plot is 600m2 - I paid £485k for the house (bungalow and land).

How did you find the land? Do you have any tips for others currently searching for a plot?

Rightmove, deceased estate, very poor condition and garden was very over grown. First thing I did was establish the boundaries and I could see the plot was a lot bigger than it looked, the driveway for example is wide enough for 4 cars, but the bushes were so over grown you could only fit 2. Being aware of things like this and finding sites/houses that are not looking their best and therefore are not selling. This house had been on the market 10 months and had had a £100k price drop, motivated seller and no chain.

Did you have any issues getting your planning permission granted or with building control? If so – why was this?

3 years, 3 applications and 2 appeals. Bristol planning is a nightmare, no real answers ever given or anything useful, just work with your architect and try to form a relationship with the planners. Be patient and appreciate it’s a process.

Why did you choose your method of construction?

To me a block-built house with block and beam floors is a solid method of construction. I wanted a proper robust and solid home that will last for 100+ years with minimal maintenance.

Did you use a project manager, or did you choose to self project manage?

Self managed – which saved me £75k.

What was your budget and were you able to stick to it?

£400k ended up spending £425k as we had serious issues in the ground also some design aspects of the job were not correct.

What is the value of the property now?

£1.2 million.

Did you reclaim the VAT, and if so, how much were you able to reclaim?

In the process you need to have all paperwork and build control sign off to reclaim VAT on a self build, this will take months so try to buy items at zero vat. Get a good builder on board who can help with this.

What aspects of the process did you find stressful – and do you have any tips on how to avoid the pitfalls you encountered?

Being told by the builder things were not included in the price, like the internal insulation. This cost me £4k approx. 6 months into the job and I simply had not allowed for this. Builders will always try to squeeze more money on a job. Even if you don’t change your mind and stick to the plans as I did, they will always surprise you. Remember they have been doing this a lot longer than you and know how to cover things up and squeeze extra money on a job. Overall the ongoing back and forth between myself and main contractor was hard, and not enjoyable. My advice is to get a very solid and well detailed contract - it’s in the details. And when it’s all done before you sign make it clear you want them to detail a list of any and all things NOT included in their price. With a stipulation you will not be paying for anything in addition to the agreed sum unless it’s an extra and you have asked for it. If it’s needed to construct the house according to the scope of works you expect it to be costed up front.

What did you find most enjoyable about working on your project?

Learning about building, planning all the second fix and seeing my design and ideas all come to life.

What is one of your favourite features about your project?

The open plan lounge that leads into my daughter’s play area. It’s amazing having so much going on in a single space.

How did you tailor your home to suit your lifestyle?

Open plan living, key to the way we want to live. A lovely open garage / cinema space hidden behind a secret door, which is a lot of fun. Upstairs bedroom suite with a large balcony and walk in wardrobe.

Is there a possibility you would ever undertake another project in the future?

No, I will now be building up my rental property portfolio. Having built an HMO in 2022 my plan is to get 3-5 more of these in the next 5 years.

What would your top tip be for other NSBRC Visitors about to embark on their first self build or home improvement journey?

Take time to plan everything, and get a solid team around you. Get a very robust and detailed contract. Allow 15% more for time and for money in any job. (E.g., 6 months add min 3 weeks, £100k job allow £115k). If this works and is affordable you will have no real stress.