FAQs

When you purchase a plot at Graven Hill, as well as the land you also purchase the ground floor slab, foundations and drainage system which are totally bespoke to your design. In addition, services are terminated at the plot boundary for future connections to be made by you.  The reason we have chosen this route is we are transferring to you a partially built home, rather than bare land.  In tax speak this means the sale constitutes “the grant of a first major interest in a residential dwelling”, which attracts a zero rating for VAT under current HMRC rules. In simple terms we do not have to include the VAT we have incurred in providing the roads, footways, drainage and landscaping which service the plot within your purchase price.

Once you have decided on the design and construction method of your home, and obtained planning permission, we will take your technical drawings and design your substructure, foundations and drainage.  Once agreed, we will construct them using a contractor approved by Premier Guarantee, the provider of the structural guarantee for your property.  This takes the hassle out of things for you as we take away the headache of the riskiest part of any build – the ground conditions.  Once the scope of works is finalised and we have provided a cost to you, this price is fixed regardless of actual ground conditions encountered or the impact of our wonderful weather i.e. we bear the risk.  Not only can you trust that the works are being carried out by a quality, approved contractor but, by grouping the foundations together, the cost of supervision and equipment is shared between you and your neighbours’ plots, which also helps to keep the cost down.  We also provide you with a 10-year structural warranty from Premier Guarantee and will dispose of the excavated material from your plot; which means by the time we have finished the groundworks, you’ll be fully equipped to start building that dream home!

So, now comes the question of cost.  Once the technical drawings, which are designed to accommodate the specific requirements of your home including things such as hard standings and topsoil, are agreed we will be able to give you a guaranteed price for your bespoke foundations.  This price includes the resources needed to lay the foundations including the construction workers, equipment, infrastructure, testing and work. It also includes the provision of points of connection for power, water, telecoms and gas which you will then extend to your home. You can use water and power from the points of connection during your building works but will need to arrange installation of a meter for electricity. As these supplies are yours, you will meet the cost of the electricity or water used. The final Golden Brick price reflects your individual design and the characteristics of your chosen plot, so once you tell us exactly what you need, and we have designed your foundations, we will be able to let you know how much it will cost.  Everyone’s dream home is different and so is their foundations. Remember a ‘golden rule’ for avoiding unnecessary costs before you have even got out of the ground is to minimise changes in direction and load-bearing walls or extra elements which require foundations to support them.

Throughout this process, you will have a Customer Journey Project Manager who will be your main point of contact. They will provide a schedule of what information Graven Hill requires and when, so you know what is expected and who to talk to if you have any questions.

Now you know more about the Golden Brick process, here’s the important question…how do you pick the perfect plot?  We have a few handy hints to help you along the way:

Come and chat to our Sales team at our Marketing Suite who can talk you through what is involved.

The term refers to the condition in which the plots at Graven Hill will be transferred to purchasers at the completion of the sales contract.

All Self-Build plots will be sold with the foundations, drainage, substructure walls, ground floor slab and utility connections to the plot boundary already in place.

The foundations, drainage, substructure walls, and ground floor slab will be designed and installed by Graven Hill. It is bespoke for each self-builder’s home design.

The adoption of this method of delivery is necessary in order that the sale constitutes the grant of a first major interest in a residential dwelling which currently attracts a zero rating for Value Added Tax (VAT) under current HMRC rules

It varies considerably depending on a range of factors. Your timeline will change depending on:

• The size of your home
• The complexity of your design
• Whether you do the work yourself or engage others (friends or paid contractors) to help you
• Your construction approach, for example a kit home may be quicker on site, but may require a longer lead in time before you start on site

Please note: The Graven Hill sales contract has a stipulation that your house must be built out within a specific period, which is currently two years from the date you completed on the Golden Brick foundations on your Self-Build plot.