What all three routes have in common
Whether you self build, custom build, or join a community-led housing group, the end result is the same: an owner-commissioned home, one that is designed and built to reflect your choices, rather than bought off the shelf from a developer.
Owner-commissioned homes account for a small but growing share of new housing in England, and they consistently outperform developer-built homes in quality surveys. The differences between the routes lie in how much of the process you manage yourself, and how much is handled for you.
In all three routes, you are commissioning your home rather than buying it. That is both the opportunity and the responsibility, you get a home tailored to your needs, but you also take on the decisions that a developer would usually make on your behalf.
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