Why I became a BuildUp Member
Last week I discussed the project that changed my career, but that was only the catalyst. What followed soon after was the need to actually take action on this paradigm shift by putting the wheels in motion so to speak, and become a property developer who self initiates architectural projects. However the problem was, trying to get planning approval on land takes considerable time and financial investment, how would I achieve my property development goals if I went at it alone?
In this journal I will discuss my motivations for becoming a BuildUp member, and why it gives my property development enterprise Volume Metric Ltd, a strategic advantage within this turbulent financial time within the UK, and how it dramatically reduces the risk for site owners and venture partners to work on projects with us.
If you are a land owner or developer interested in unlocking the secrets of UK property development, be sure to sign up to my email list where I’ll keep you updated with the latest information for you to leverage.
What is BuildUp?
Buildup is a growth partnership organisation set up by Rosie Cassidy and Peter Hitchman, who not only provide fully funded for property investment opportunities, but also in-depth educational resources and exclusive access to networking opportunities with guidance from industry professionals to ensure success for their members. Essentially the set up is, Volume Metric Ltd will find the deals, and BuildUp will fund them.
Without any further delay, let’s get into the 5 reasons for why I became a BuildUp member!
1 - Risk
Sometimes I feel like all property developers ever think about risk, and there is a good reason for that! Being a property developer in the UK market seems to get tougher and tougher as fuel prices rise, steel tariffs go up and the ever increasing tangled web of legislation slows down development in all levels of the project. It is treacherous terrain and nowadays we are all feeling it, which is why understanding the potential site risks as early as possible is essential.
Fully accounting for all costs that are likely to be expected is the single most important skill a property developer must have, because mitigating risks early can save you major cost expenditure down the road. For example getting a nutrient neutrality survey early on in the process can save tens of thousands down the line and avoid unnecessary credit purchases.
The trouble is seeing all this information and knowing where to look, and without a comprehensive land sourcing software, this puts property developers at the major disadvantage because missing key information will come back round to bite you.
However luckily Volume Metric Ltd are BuildUp members and have access to SearchLand software, a highly effective land sourcing tool that arms us with up to date land information. SearchLand is a strategic advantage because it provides data on heritage, allocated lands, Local Plan policy and so much more to ensure that all the foreseeable risk is completely understood right from the start.
If you would like to learn more about the risks associated with planning, I actually have a full article on planning risk by decoding the National Planning Policy Framework.
2 - Finance
Imagine taking out a mortgage or using all the equity you currently have on a planning application only to have it refused. This is one the biggest reasons holding back many small to medium property development enterprises from getting their feet off the ground.
Having the security of having a BuildUp Partner is a major strategic advantage because BuildUp bears the financially that risk, and in doing so they are only going to fund projects that fall in line with projects that have achieved success for them in the past, or a site with a scheme that shows all the signs that tilt towards an approval.
Also some sites warrant a scheme that is too large for SME developers to take on, which is why having the financial backing of BuildUp allows crucial leverage for site owners to work with someone trust worth like ourselves, and gives confidence that they have a buyer who is seriously interested and will give them the best possible deal for their land.
3 - Knowledge
However none of this matters if you do not have the knowledge and experience within the property development industry to know what needs to be done, what needs to be accounted for and what you need to look out for. This is probably the situation that most site owners face when it comes to developing their land.
What’s so fantastic about BuildUp is not only do they provide extensive courses and resources for planning uplifts and property investing, but they also have real industry professionals, such as developers, solicitors, architects and accountants from all over the UK that analyse members' deals and means test them for viability.
Not only that, they have weekly seminars with Q&A’s, guest seminars from land agents and other industry professionals that provide valuable insight into the real estate investment for which would otherwise be impossible to get.
4 - Mentorship
In addition to the mentorship shared through course resources and Q&A sessions, BuildUp also provides mentorship in one to one when conversations are being had with land owners on a potential deal. This laser focuses in and delves deeper into ensuring no stone has been left unturned and makes sure the owner gets what they want out of the deal.
These coaching calls are so crucial to ensuring success because it ensures that not just one person has looked at the site and assessed the situation. Having someone look at your work to ensure you have accounted for everything is incredibly important, especially when there is so much at stake.
5 - Community
And last but not least, community. Not only do we have the BuildUp partners to leverage, but we also have hundreds of other members who are in this together to help with mindset, motivation and provide perspective by sharing their thoughts and experience along the way. Learning from the other members' mistakes and solutions with the experiences they share is also something that is very hard to find in traditional networking circles.
If I have a query about anything I know that I can post it in the BuildUp community and I will get a response usually the next day. If I'm feeling unmotivated I can post about that and get instant support from other members, as the biggest thing that I have noticed is that the mindset of the people within the community is flourishing with the art of positive thinking.
They say you are the average of five people you know, and seeing that I am around 620 highly ambitious members and enterprising entrepreneurs then I think I’m in just the right place.
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Why I became a BuildUp Member
Risk comes in many forms, it can be the financial risk of putting everything on the line to achieve a successful deal or simply the lack of information and support that invariably makes you fail. So essentially, I became a BuildUp member to joint venture partnership simply to reduce the risk of failure.
Something to note, if any property developer says they can guarantee you planning approval, then they are simply lying. Because with all the risk mitigation devices, there is still a possibility that planning could be refused. However the aim here is to tip the scales towards the approval as much as possible, and by staying within the National Planning Policy Framework so that we can build a case that makes it very hard for them to refuse - because we can say, ‘we adhered to the guidelines that you have set out in the NPPF’.
Additionally with all the finance and information aside, becoming a BuildUp member comes with a dedicated and motivated community of like minded entrepreneurs which is incredibly valuable in itself, because running a property development business can be incredibly isolating.
However if you are a site owner who is unsure if they can get planning permission, or property developer who would like to joint venture on a project, then make sure to get in touch by filling out the contact form below.
