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Week to completion and steps and handrail appear on our new house

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  • HouseBuyer77
    HouseBuyer77 Posts: 961 Forumite
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    What were you expecting instead? If the house and the road/pavement are not on the same level something needs to be there.

    Were you simply unaware the house was on a different level to the road? I suspect this is a 'suck it up' situation and a good reminder of why it's important to view the actual plot you're buying when getting a new build rather than looking at the show home and otherwise going off plans.
  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 17,647 Forumite
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    I presume a house like this would be a instant no no

    https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.6539104,-0.4878333,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1stJuFhNs7EXPlDu_irZDH2Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
  • moneyistooshorttomention
    moneyistooshorttomention Posts: 17,940 Forumite
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    I'd be having a go at the developer in your position as to why they had done a "disability friendly" house - rather than the normal house I'd bought - and insisting the "disabled" adaptations be removed. Yep...in my 60s now - but I'd still be insisting that they be removed pronto.

    A new-build house is a different kettle of fish to an existing house.

    Personally - I'd have been prepared to buy an existing house that already had these adaptations and have them ripped out within the first week.

    But I would not expect it from a new-build house.
  • chappers
    chappers Posts: 2,988 Forumite
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    But they're not disabled adaptations, quite the opposite.
  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 17,647 Forumite
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    moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »
    I'd be having a go at the developer in your position as to why they had done a "disability friendly" house - rather than the normal house I'd bought - and insisting the "disabled" adaptations be removed. Yep...in my 60s now - but I'd still be insisting that they be removed pronto.

    I don't think 3 steps and a handrail is "disability friendly". Presumably the steps are there as the door is well above ground level, not so that the builder can practise their bricklaying skills.
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
  • teddysmum
    teddysmum Posts: 9,471 Forumite
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    moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »
    I'd be having a go at the developer in your position as to why they had done a "disability friendly" house - rather than the normal house I'd bought - and insisting the "disabled" adaptations be removed. Yep...in my 60s now - but I'd still be insisting that they be removed pronto.

    A new-build house is a different kettle of fish to an existing house.

    Personally - I'd have been prepared to buy an existing house that already had these adaptations and have them ripped out within the first week.

    But I would not expect it from a new-build house.
    The house is not disability friendly ,as any staircase of steps requires a rail (my son's council house has one and a good idea for the children ,as the youngest is not yet four and the drop quite high).


    A disabled person ,not necessarily in a wheelchair (most houses are not wheelchair friendly because of a doorstep),could well have problems with multiple steps as would a mum with a pushchair and possibly more than one child.


    Is there an alternative plot to be offered as a difference between ground level and house interior would not be obvious to the average person, as newbuilds often have gaps (eg for drainage pipes or cables) to be filled in before they are ready to live in.
  • chappers
    chappers Posts: 2,988 Forumite
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    HouseBuyer77 wrote: »
    What were you expecting instead? If the house and the road/pavement are not on the same level something needs to be there.

    Were you simply unaware the house was on a different level to the road? I suspect this is a 'suck it up' situation and a good reminder of why it's important to view the actual plot you're buying when getting a new build rather than looking at the show home and otherwise going off plans.

    Lots of houses are on different levels to the road, that doesn't mean they have to be accessed by flights of stairs.
    Yes by all means look at the plot, but the plans are the only actual way to tell the layout and finish of an off-plan purchase. the clue is in the name.
    All that being said, I have seen these !!!! ups with ground levels more times than I care to think about. I'm sure there will be another alternative, the developer will have just gone for the point of least resistance/cheapest option.
    I would say that not consulting on such a fundamental issue as changes to the access to the property and the basic appearance, was a major !!!! up by the developer.
    I wouldn't just be sucking it up
  • Doozergirl
    Doozergirl Posts: 33,813 Forumite
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    moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »
    I'd be having a go at the developer in your position as to why they had done a "disability friendly" house - rather than the normal house I'd bought - and insisting the "disabled" adaptations be removed. Yep...in my 60s now - but I'd still be insisting that they be removed pronto.

    A new-build house is a different kettle of fish to an existing house.

    Personally - I'd have been prepared to buy an existing house that already had these adaptations and have them ripped out within the first week.

    But I would not expect it from a new-build house.

    I would absolutely expect it from a new build house because building regulations have dictated for several years that houses must be accessible. Stairs with a handrail is the bare minimum required.

    New house are built with accessible loos with even the postioning laid out to make it easier, if not entirely easy for wheelchair users to manouver onto a loo. Plug sockets are also placed higher and switches lower.

    You can't dismiss people with accessibility problems just because you don't have them. Houses are built with legislators understanding that the first occupiers of the house are not the last and that even those first occupiers, if they stay for a long time, will get old.

    It's about having an inclusive society.
    Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
  • HouseBuyer77
    HouseBuyer77 Posts: 961 Forumite
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    Lots of houses are on different levels to the road, that doesn't mean they have to be accessed by flights of stairs.

    Indeed that's why I asked what else they might have expected. If it's gentle gradient then maybe they expected a sloping path? If it's a steep then stairs may have been the only practical solution.

    If they want it changed they need to identify what else would go in it's place.

    OP also needs to go back over the contract and any plans they may have. What do they have to say about the layout of the outside of the house? If something other than stairs is clearly indicated they have a stronger case that the builder needs to switch them with something else.
  • Jassa
    Jassa Posts: 355 Forumite
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    Thank you again everyone! The whole site is very flat and the gradient near ours wasn't obvious when we first looked and isn't actually very steep but is close to the pavement. Looks like the road/pavement was laid a little lower than expected - but will find out more when we can get closer to the house on Thursday. Building regs allow for stepped access for disabled people - I think there is a general assumption that wheelchair access could be made from the kitchen door. Thinking of asking for one step to be removed that is level with front door so handrail can come down and still comply with regs. Thank you again for your replies.
    I could give up chocolate, but I'm no quitter!
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