20 October 2022

Building or extending your home in winter

By Self Build Zone

Starting a build or extension during the winter months is perceived by many to be a ‘no-go’, with many worrying about how bad weather can impact build schedules. Most people opt to carry out building work during spring and summer, but as this summer has taught us in the UK, extreme high temperatures and drought conditions can have just as much an effect on building works as well as heavy rain, storms, sleet, and snow. So when is a good time to plan your build?

Doing an extension or self-build throughout winter months is achievable, especially if your ‘power team’ is behind you. If circumstances around the weather and darker, shorter days can be factored in and you know how long you’re likely to be in ‘dig phase’ or without a kitchen, you stand just as good a chance to deliver a successful project as you would in the warmer months.

Working on your self-build or extension will bring challenges whatever time of the year, so it’s important you protect your project in case anything unexpected happens during your build. Weather damage can run into thousands of pounds, especially if it’s sudden or you experience delays in getting watertight. It’s always advised that before you start the work, you take out necessary insurance for your site.

Site Insurance is necessary to protect your investment when you’re carrying out a renovation, conversion, extension, or new build. Our self build site insurance policies cover the new work, existing structure and rest of the site.

Site insurance protects against and includes:

· Losses

· Fire and Theft

· Flooding

· Storm Damage

· Vandalism

· Accidental Damage

· Employer’s liability

· Cover for existing buildings/structures

· Optional legal expenses cover to help you pursue a claim in court.

It’s surprising how many people don’t have adequate self build or extension insurance, especially given the fact that a new home is quite likely to be one of life’s single biggest investments. Building sites are risky places, not just for accidents but also for things like theft – and anyone taking a project like this seriously needs to account for the bad things that might happen, as well as the fantastic and exciting things that will. This can happen at any time of the year, so it’s worth taking out cover to give you peace of mind.

To risk it without proper insurance could leave you in a desperate financial situation, especially if you consider that just one mishap could leave your project in dire circumstances.

You can review some of our specific product pages for in-depth information on Self-Build Zone’s Self-Build Insurance.

Self-Build Zone offers a range of self build site insurance cover. All of our site insurance policies include public liability and employers’ liability cover as standard. For more information, call 0345 230 9874, or visit the rest of our website selfbuildzone.com.

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