New build, not cheap but nasty?

RetroBob

I was viewing properties on Saturday, one of which was a new Barrett development; two friends and I looked around one two bed place, it was not yet finished (breeze blocks showing, floors in). Looking at the plans we worked out just how small it would be. A standard 4x6 bed would fit in the master bedroom with around a foot or so either side! I grew up on a farm, decided the entire floor area of each floor was little bigger than the kitchen at my family home. The one window in each room was very small so it was clearly going to be dark which we found when viewing. The porch roof was made of vac formed plastic, and the tiles were not your typical clay or slate whatever they use, but some kind of very fake looking effort. I described it as a Noddy House. She asked if I wanted to look at the fittings, carpeting they had etc, I said to be honest I'm not going to waste any more of her time or my time.

I was shocked, I knew that builders had probably cut back to save cash but this was just horrendous. I'm renting a 2006 persimmon build which is marginally better, but the places around 10-15 years old seem to be the optimum quality for what I'm looking at. Anyone else found horrendous corner cutting on new builds?

smallfry1983

I've always found new builds to be very small... my partner and I hate new builds with a passion (because of the size, but also because its risky what quality you'll be getting).

They are so overpriced (here at least) when compared with 70s/80s houses that have double the footprint, I just don't know how people can buy them?

We are waiting to exchange on a 70s house which was marketed at the same price as brand new builds, but this one has 4 bedrooms, massive kitchen, a garden you can actually do something with, and yet the new build sold first, despite being in a worse area too... I just can't fathom it. Worked to our advantage though

Saver-Rob

I am looking for older properties as I find new builds extremely expensive for what you get, which is normally:
- Tiny bedrooms
- Tiny rooms in general!
- Tiny garden (if any)
- No parking, or parking for just 1 car (most people want a minimum of 2 spaces)
- Poor quality. Will these houses be standing in 150 years time?

Although they are generally ready to move in to they have no character and very little potential to improve.

Thats my opinion anyhow!

ali-t

Saver-Rob wrote: »

I
- Poor quality. Will these houses be standing in 150 years time?

I recall hearing that the average new build house these days is only likely to stay up for approx 75 years. definitely not something to leave the grandchildren.

LydiaJ

The house I rent is 5 or 6 years old, built by Barratts. I'm happy living here because although it's needed all sorts of repairs, those are the LL's and LA's problem, not mine. However, my experiences have certainly made me feel I would never want to buy a Barratts house. (For example, they had to send a contractor to retile the shower because I started to get water through the ceiling of the room below. The guy who came started taking the old grouting out and after half a minute said he was surprised it had lasted so long before leaking because it hadn't been done properly in the first place. There have been half a dozen or so other problems of the same sort, too.)

Running_Horse

In the 80s I remember seeing a documentary about the poor quality of Barratt homes, and for a while there was a craze for Barratt homes jokes. Yet people keep on buying them.

Hectors_House

RetroBob wrote: »

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I was shocked, I knew that builders had probably cut back to save cash but this was just horrendous. I'm renting a 2006 persimmon build which is marginally better, but the places around 10-15 years old seem to be the optimum quality for what I'm looking at. Anyone else found horrendous corner cutting on new builds?

This is why I stopped looking at new builds and concentrated on the older, Victorian house.

Although I couldn't afford the larger, 4-bed houses without taking on a mortgage the size I thought would be imprudent I found a lovely 3-bed mid terrace.

They are larger then they look from the outside and we were lucky enough to find one where the old coalhouse and outhouse had been converted into a kitchen.

I've noticed the new builds seem to have 3 storeys, and I guess that is to make up for the smallness of the rooms themselves.

I believe it is something to do with certain laws or regulations here in the UK that allows developers to build houses so small that you have to buy cut-down furniture!

Running_Horse

Hectors_House wrote: »

I've noticed the new builds seem to have 3 storeys, and I guess that is to make up for the smallness of the rooms themselves.

I assumed it was to meet Prescott's targets of a zillion homes per acre. A lot of these new estates (particularly the infill ones), look horrendously cramped, with minimal open spaces. You really wouldn't want to raise children there.

twirlypinky

I bought a brand new Bryant home in 2001, and I loved it, it was perfect for me at the time.

I agree though that more recent builds just seem a bit plastic.

Also, I bought the show home and I've heard several times that these are generally of better build quality because so many people buy the other houses based on the show home.

My situation has changed again recently and I've been thinking that I'd like to live in that style home again, although I'd rather have an older character home that's been completely refubished than a new build from scratch ifswim. The walls are too thin!

ukcarper

New and old houses both have good and bad points. I think the reason new houses were/are overpriced is because they usually include kitchen appliances carpets etc and had offers like low interest rates and legal fees paid . I bought a new build back in the seventies and it had none of those things and was not overpriced compare to older houses of the same type.

sooz

You are lucky that you saw it empty, & that you have the ability to work out room sizes/areas

They get up to all sorts of visual tricks in the show homes, by removing doors, & getting custom built small scale furniture to make the place seem larger. So whilst the show bedroom might seem to have a double in it, with 2 bedside tables & a wardrobe, actually it's a 4 foot bed, on high legs - so that you can see the floor underneath - & the wardrobe is too shallow to fit clothes in. Forget about trying to squeeze a king size bed in.