Self build 'best for green homes'

Those wanting to live in an eco-home are best off adopting self build as their method of acquiring such a property, an expert on the subject has recommended.

Ross Stokes, editor of Self Build & Design Magazine, said the motivations of a developer and a self builder would be very different.

He stated that while the developer would build it to "minimum" eco-standards in order to keep costs down and profits up, a self builder would opt for the "maximum" standards as they would be living in the house.

"The self builder isn't interested in the profit, they're interested in low running costs for the long-term - because they're the ones who are going to have to pay the bills," he added.

Self building has become increasingly popular for those looking to live a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle.

Figures from Norwich and Peterborough Building Society, which provides green mortgages, have shown that every year around 20,000 people in the UK build their own homes.


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