What to ask/expect of a small developer?

Claremac

Many thanks for the useful info. Spoke to the developer today and he said that the warranty will be through LABC. He says that he didn't rate NHBC as they never get involved but that LABC are allied with the local council and are more pro-active. I will be checking this with my solicitor.
Re the garage space he said that he could get the architect to check with council planning to see if it could be changed as a minor amendment. He was confident of there being 2 parking spaces available. Luckily not in a conservation area.
He's not a sub-contractor and would be happy to let us change the spec of eg oven, hob etc (obviously at a price). I have a good relationship with my solicitor as she has seen me through 2 failed purchases so far. I need to talk to her about a plan for snagging but the developer mentioned it today so hopefully not a problem.
Re the checking that planning conditions have been complied with does someone from the the council planning have to "sign off" the build on completion? So many questions....it seems that buying a new build is even more complicated than buying an "old build"!

Richard_Webster

Re the checking that planning conditions have been complied with does someone from the the council planning have to "sign off" the build on completion?

It would be good if they did, but so often they don't get round to it. One case I'm dealing with at the moment has a house that has been up three years and the Council never even approved the bricks etc to be used. They were supposed to do this before building started!

Claremac

Would I as the house-owner (maybe!) be able to ask the planning officer to come along as it seems to be in my interest fo future sale to have had everything signed off? Look at me - haven't bought it yet and selling it already!!!!!!

marcg

If you call your local council planning department you should be able to speak to the officer responsible for the project. Ask him/her if there are any outstanding conditions - this is publicly available information so whether or not you buy the house is irrelevant.

LABC is just the council. NHBC is in addition to LABC, not instead of. More importantly, NHBC gives you a warranty (insurance policy) that you can claim on for up to 12 years after the first sale of the house (transferrable to future buyers). It's not essential to building houses (a one-off house wouldn't have it), but extremely valuable. Without it the snagging needs to be fine-tooth. Get someone qualified and with their own PI insurance to do the snagging for you as a condition of completion.

Ian_W

marcg wrote: »

LABC is just the council. NHBC is in addition to LABC, not instead of.

I was intrigued when I saw this as I'd only heard of NHBC and Zurich (who have pulled out of new build warranties) in relation to new house warranties. However a Google search reveals LABC are now offering a 10yr warranty to cover:

• Speculatively Built Residential Housing
• Social Housing
• Self Build Housing

So I presume the big boys will remain with NHBC and smaller developers can choose.
Also I understood NHBC was also 10yrs not 12 as you state?

Doozergirl

Ian_W wrote: »

I was intrigued when I saw this as I'd only heard of NHBC and Zurich (who have pulled out of new build warranties) in relation to new house warranties. However a Google search reveals LABC are now offering a 10yr warranty to cover:

• Speculatively Built Residential Housing
• Social Housing
• Self Build Housing

So I presume the big boys will remain with NHBC and smaller developers can choose.
Also I understood NHBC was also 10yrs not 12 as you state?

And parking is an issue even outside conservation areas and if the required number of spaces is not available on drive, conversion of the garage will not fall under permitted development as they may take permitted development rights away as part of the PP. If there are two driveway spaces then conversion should not be an issue however.

Claremac

I'd looked at that LABC website and it seems to be as the builder described it but will speak to my solicitor tomorrow. Re the parking there is actually plenty of room but the council were fairly picky about the requirements for landscaping and the accepted plan will make things difficult to park 2 cars but hopefully not impossible. The difficulty may be to persuade planning department of that.

Claremac

If anyone else comes across LABC my solicitor advised me to check with the mortgage company, First Direct, if they were happy to accept the 10-year warranty from them. They were and told me that it was broadly the same as Premiere which it has replaced.