Self-build home: Confirm appointment of the supplier to fabricate and install the kit house

As the kit house supplier has already been selected, this appointment should be a relatively straight-forward process of confirming the purchase and agreeing the programme for the works.

However, it is important to be certain what is included in the contract and what may need to be procured separately, such as:

• Providing appropriate services to the site (water, electricity, gas, telephone, drainage and so on).
• Providing a foundation slab.
• Fitting out the interior.
• Landscaping the site and providing access to the house (this might include; paths, drives, ramps, steps and so on).

Some of these works will be required before the kit house can be installed. Any works that remain outside the main contract will have to be carefully co-ordinated to ensure the programme is properly synchronised and there are no delays. See Appoint a range of contractors and suppliers to construct the home for more information about organising separate trade contractors and suppliers.

The supply contract for the kit house should include information about:

• Start and completion dates and key dates for works outside the contract.
• Stage payments.
• Professional indemnity insurance, public liability insurance and works insurance.
• Warranties. Both for the fabric of the building and any fixtures and fittings.
• Toolkits and operating and maintenance manuals.
• Spares.
• The fixtures and fittings included; such as lamps, blinds, white goods, cupboards, floor coverings, security systems and so on.
• Other specific inclusions and exclusions.
• Certificates.

NB Kit houses may qualify to reclaim the VAT paid on eligible building materials and services. See VAT refunds on self-build homes for more information.

NB Self-build clients are ‘domestic clients’ for the purposes of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (health and safety regulations generally referred to as the 'CDM Regulations'), and so the client's duties under the regulations will fall to the contractor on a project where there is only one contractor or to the principal contractor on a project where there is more than one contractor. However self-build clients can attract health and safety duties under Part 4 of the Regulations if they control the way in which construction work is carried out. See CDM for self-builders and domestic clients for more information.

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