is it possible to erect some form of habitat (eg, home) on land without building regulations?

Question

We have seen lots of land for sale with planning permisson but the prices are extreme, we are very DIY orientated/self build. Is it possible to buy a plot of land and put a mobile/static home on there to live in. If so what other forms of dwelling could be constructed for living purposes (eg, a home)

Answer 1

Why do you think land with planning permission is so much more expensive then ?

If you own the land there's nothing to stop YOU from applying for Planning Permission - but what's allowed varies depending on the land 'zoning' (housing / green belt / industrial / farming etc etc.) - and getting permission can take ages, especially if some neighbour objects - which is why land with permission is worth more ...

HOWEVER there are quite a few 'get out clauses' - as you have suggested, Mobile Homes / Caravans get around the need for Building Permission ... and if you 'park' on your own land you are unlikely to be 'moved on' :-)

This does not stop the Local Council poking their noses in - there could be questions about sanitation etc. ... and don't forget you will be classed as 'no fixed abode' (and what that does to your chances of running your affairs .. no postal address essentially means no bank a/c etc)

Huge numbers of people dream of building their own house == it's quite possible to 'do it yourself' - do a bit of research on "SELF BUILD", find a suitable plot of land (that's zoned for housing) and get your house designed and apply for planning permission yourself !

Answer 2

You do not need planning permission for a shed, or a tree house. Also, you do not need planning permission for a caravan or a mobile home. Similarly, you do not need planning permission for a tent.

Size is the issue with regards to what constitutes a shed. Have a look in some gardening centres, regarding summer houses and things like that. The size of the shed/summer house is critical. You can have electricity, and heating, along with some rudimentary plumbing in a summer house. What makes it an official listed dwelling is if the government recognises it as such, and lists you on the electoral roll at that address. (in the UK at least)

I have seen some homes built off Penang Island in Malaysia where the homes were build on the sea on stilts because this circumvented land ownership issues which were a problem because the government was excluding certain denominations of society due to their race, religion, or country of origin.

Answer 3

Almost every square inch of the planet is subject to some set of rules or another governing what can or cannot build there, so it's unlikely you will escape that! In the US, there is still a LOT of very cheap land though, so I assume you must be looking somewhere relatively expensive?

Price is not a smart reason to buy empty land if you plan to put a dwelling there anyway, it almost always works out cheaper to buy a pre-existing home, since (for now) the mortgage interest is deductible.

Mobile homes are an astonishingly poor investment, since (just like a car) they lose value immediately upon purchase.

Investigate ALL your options before spending any money!

Best wishes!

Answer 4

It depends on where you live, I am sure. Here in California, you need a permit to put up almost anything (yes, even a mobile home, or even an accesory structure, like a barn).

The reason for this is, there are building codes (Uniform Building Code, International Building Code, etc), whose sole purpose is to make sure that all structures are built to a minimum standard - for protection of the public. And, even if for private use (i.e. your home), you also have te option to sell your home, and for the protection of future home buyers, the structures must meet minimum standards.

You can build the home yourself, in most jurisdictions, but you should check it out. I appreciate the desire to save a buck, or even make sure you get what you want, but even the most trained of us forget important things. Most building inspectors are reasonable people - I say most, because I'm a realist and know there are some bad seeds out there.

I could go on and on, but seek help - at least to find out what you can legally do or not do. If you get caught building without a permit, where you needed one, you will end up paying more than if you did this on the up and up - they will charge a penalty on top of the required building permit fees. And you risk the inspector finding something that should be fixed which requires you to undo a good portion of work and redoing it. You could end up costing yourself more than if you had hired a contractor to do it right the first time.

Answer 5

No even if you own the land you'll still need planning permission to build anything on it. I'd imagine you could put a static caravan there without any problems. I like the idea of trying to build an ecologically sound, environmentally friendly home way out in the wilderness. Land is cheap on Orkney. Log cabins are available for homes but i believe they're quite expensive. I'd like to use old tyres to build the outside of a home with.

Answer 6

Regulations are there for your own safety. You should not try to wire your house, for instance, without knowing how as the result could be a fire. Digging in the wrong place could rupture water or gas lines. Even if you are good at DIY, you need permits. In order to satisfy both your bank book and your DIY dreams, why not go with a fixer-upper. These are more reasonably priced, and if you're good at fixing, you could have a real gem of a home at little cost.

Answer 7

You could live in a mobile home whilst building a proper house on the land. Mobiles still need planning permission. The link below has some more info.

Answer 8

frequently confident. yet you won't be waiting to because of the fact of zoning regulations, or it can not be recommended. yet there could be different catches, purchase a house extremely, from a builder, get it customised or custom build it. issues like utilities, water, sewer and telephone or maybe cellular telephone could be a issue, so which you ought to be care finished, i understand of people sitting on a captivating parcel of land and paying taxes and are not waiting to do not something with it. verify out each and every difficulty. This must be your first living house then get solid propose from a community lawyer and a banker, confirm the two banker and the lawyer (he/she) has no connection or interest interior the valuables which you're finding out to purchase. Plan forward do the investigating earlier finding out to purchase.

Answer 9

of course it would be possible-but it wouldn't be legal-so would be a waste of effort

Answer 10

no you cannot - you would be told to move it or tear it down.