How A Supported Self Build Approach - aka 'Custom Build' Actually Works
Building your own home doesn’t need to feel complicated or intimidating.
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At Strawberry Grange, we’ve created a clear, supported 8-step custom build journey to help turn an idea into a completed home - calmly, thoughtfully, and with guidance where it matters most.
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You don’t need building experience.
You don’t need all the answers at the start.
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You simply move forward step by step, with structure in place and professionals supporting you throughout, and achieve your dream of building your own home in Aberdeen.
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This page gives you a clear overview of how the journey works, not every technical detail, just the reassuring big picture.
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Every custom home is different, because every homeowner is different. What stays the same is the process, a clear sequence that replaces guesswork with confidence.
A Simple 8-Step Custom Build Journey
Step 1:Plan, Explore & Pick Your Plot
Every home starts with understanding what you truly need from it
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This first step is about planning and research, in a very human sense.
We encourage you to think about:
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how you live day to day
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what works (and doesn’t) in your current home
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likes, dislikes and priorities
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what you need now and what may matter later
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a comfortable budget range
There’s no pressure to make decisions here. This stage is about clarity, not commitment.
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Pick your own plot
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At Strawberry Grange, you choose your own plot (much like picking your own strawberries).
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Each plot has its own feel, outlook and orientation, and that choice naturally shapes what kind of home will suit it best.
To help you visualise what’s possible, we can show flexible example home styles, such as farmhouse-inspired designs, modern vernacular barn styles, or well-designed single-storey homes.
These are starting points, not fixed house types. Every design can be adapted and tailored to your needs within the approved Design Code.
Step 2: Getting Finances in Place & Shaping Your Budget
Once your ideas begin to form, the next step is understanding how the finances might work.
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We don’t offer financial advice, but we can, if helpful, introduce you to specialist self-build mortgage lenders and experienced professionals who understand custom build projects.
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This stage helps you explore:
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funding for the plot and the build
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how staged build finance works
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what level of budget feels right for you
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Your architect, main contractor and potential suppliers can also help shape realistic cost expectations, ensuring you’re designing a home that delivers value as well as quality.
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It’s also worth knowing that custom build routes can offer significant savings on LBTT and VAT, which specialist advisors can help explain.
Step 3: Purchase Your Plot
With designs taking shape, the next step is securing your plot.
All plots at Strawberry Grange benefit from:
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planning permission in principle
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an approved Design Code agreed with Aberdeen City Council
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roads and services provided to the plot boundary
This early groundwork removes many of the unknowns that can complicate traditional self-build projects and allows you to move forward with confidence.
Step 4: Design Your Home & Prepare for Planning
This is where ideas begin to feel real.
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You’ll work with your architect, main contractor and suppliers to shape a bespoke home that suits your lifestyle, your plot and your budget. You don’t need technical knowledge. This stage is about conversation and collaboration.
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Designs are prepared within the approved Design Code, which provides clarity rather than restriction, helping ensure a smooth planning process.
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Your architect will then prepare the MSC (Matters Specified in Conditions) planning application for your individual home.
Step 5: Planning Approval, Building Warrant & Groundworks Begin
Once full planning approval and a building warrant are in place, work on site begins.
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Groundworks mark the moment when your home first takes physical shape . This is when preparing the site, setting out foundations and establishing the footprint of your house takes place.
Because earlier steps focus on clarity and preparation, this stage often feels purposeful and exciting.
Step 6: Built By Professionals, From Start to Finish
Your home is built by experienced professionals, ensuring the site is developed in a coordinated, well-managed and timely way.
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There is:
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no DIY
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no need for building experience
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no requirement for homeowners to manage trades
Construction is handled by trusted contractors and specialist teams, with quality and care maintained throughout.
Step 7: Adding the Finishing Touches That Make It Yours
This is one of the most enjoyable stages.
You’ll choose interiors, fixtures and fittings that reflect your taste and how you want your home to feel - from kitchens and bathrooms to flooring, lighting and details.
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If you’d like inspiration, this is a great time to explore our trusted local suppliers, all experienced in custom homes and quality finishes.
This stage is about choice, not prescription.
Step 8: Final Approvals, Warranties & Moving In
As the build completes, all final inspections, certifications and warranties are signed off.
Once everything is approved, it’s time to move in.
For many people, this moment feels exciting and surprisingly calm. It's the result of a journey that’s been structured, supported and thoughtfully paced from the start.
From first ideas to turning the key, the process is designed to help you move forward with confidence at every step.