What is the NHBC and what can they do to help me?

The National House-Building Council (NHBC) was established to maintain and enhance private house construction standards by means of independent inspection backed up by a 10-year warranty.

The UK now has other similar schemes, all generally based on the principles of inspection and insurance.

This can be done privately, simply by an architect or chartered surveyor, but who should have suitable professional indemnity insurance cover.
Mortgage lenders usually require independent certification in some form. There are now various packages on the market, which can be tailored to meet the specific requirements of individual self-builders.

Lenders may also require a valuation to establish the marketability of a property in addition to assessing its durability.