New build extras?

threestars

Hi everyone (especially new build owners),

Me and OH are considering buying a new build property about this time next year.

We went to look at the show home last week & nearly everything nice in there had a "this is not standard fixtures and fittings" sticker on it (and the furniture was very small but we already knew about that trick )

I've had a look on the internet & can't find any useful info about these fixtures and fittings so I've got a couple of questions for anybody who has ever bought a new build...

1. Would we get a catalogue of extras once we show more interest in buying?

2. Is it really cheaper to get them put in by the developer than buy & fit them seperatley?

3. Is it easy to haggle & get the extras included with the price of the house?

Thanks

WelshNic

Who's the developer?

Most have a standard spec sheet and an options sheet you can look at before buying - they won't include prices though.

When you say cheaper, that depends entirely on what the item is.

threestars

Thanks for the relpy WelshNic

The developer is Taylor Wimpey.

I was hoping we'd be able to find out how much any extras we wanted would cost so we know roughly how much to save in addition to the deposit & other fees.

The main area we would like 'ready to go' when we move in is the kitchen, so fridge freezer, oven, dishwasher, floors, worktops etc etc

And the flooring in the rest of the house...

And the garden!

So not much

WelshNic

You can usually get them to throw the flooring in, won't be the highest spec but they always have allowances for incentives.

Do they not include any white goods? That seems a bit tight!

threestars

It does seem a bit strange doesn't it! The seemingly normal oven, integrated fridge freezer and dishwasher all had 'non standard' stickers on.

Maybe the oven was an upgraded one (if you can upgrade an oven?) and if you didn't want fitted white goods they'd just leave a gap in the cupboards and worktop?

These are all questions I should ask the salesperson but I don't want her to think we're willing to spend lot of money so early on, if you see what I mean?

pr1nc3ss

We purchased ours in 2007 and managed to get 10k off the asking price with carpets and laminate in the kitchen put in, they wouldn't budge on anything else.

Garden was unturfed and unfenced but the normal fixtures and fittings were nice anyway.

Was also the worst mistake we've ever made buying this place! Lost 30k on it and what seemed like a nice neighbourhood when we moved in (with little neighbours) has turned into something that resembles a tramp site now the developers have !!!!!!ed off.

WelshNic

Yes you can upgrade an oven

They will often install a 'normal' spec and also offer an upgraded version. If appliances are integrated and most are in modern kitchens they are usually included - exceptions are usually washer/dryer - esp if there is a utility room, dishwasher - depends on the developer and fridge freezer - usually integrated.

Flooring and turf is essentially peanuts cost to them.

Be upfront with them and ask what incentives they have on offer

Grogged

They will have a catalog and it will be very expensive for updating furniture (such as wardrobe doors) and for any matching accessories.

We managed to badly scratch a kitchen unit door. They wanted £150 to replace it.
We eventually managed to work out who the supplier was and got one for £50 including delivery.

Best to get all the extras and changes you want up front as part of your offer.

Another thing to look out for is the fireplace and surround (assuming you want one).
Many new builds don't have them and the show home ones can dominate modern rooms.

SilverSix

threestars wrote: »

Hi everyone (especially new build owners),

Me and OH are considering buying a new build property about this time next year.

We went to look at the show home last week & nearly everything nice in there had a "this is not standard fixtures and fittings" sticker on it (and the furniture was very small but we already knew about that trick )

I've had a look on the internet & can't find any useful info about these fixtures and fittings so I've got a couple of questions for anybody would has ever bought a new build...

1. Would we get a catalogue of extras once we show more interest in buying?

2. Is it really cheaper to get them put in by the developer than buy & fit them seperatley?

3. Is it easy to haggle & get the extras included with the price of the house?

Thanks

I might just be your hero. In the process of buying a new build myself. The show home looked lush and as to be expected everything was an extra.

Prices off the top of my head from the catalogue: (As they're tight they won't give you one unless you are seriously interested or have a reserved plot)

Upgrade to:

Double Oven: £400 (supplied in 4+ bed builds)
Personnel door to garage: £500
Power & Light to garage: £375
Power & Light to loft: £120 (unboarded might I add and not designed to take heavy weight)
External power socket: £85
Upgrade kitchen draw/cupboard/carcasses: £350
Whitegoods (washing machine, dishwasher & fridge): £2500 (dishwasher, washing machine & American) style fridge freezer barely tops £1600/1700
Upgrade kitchen with soft touch close draws, glazed cupboards etc (includes re-design): £4000
Full height glazed internal door: £210
Pair of FH glazed doors (to lounge) £400
Upgrade bath shower from the taps to a fixed unit on the wall + screen+ full height tiling to bath area: £500
Extra single socket/arial/phone socket: white £55/chrome £60
" double £65/£75
Chrome towel radiator cloakrooms: £215
Chrome towel radiator Bathrooms: £300
Upgrade taps throughout house to nicer ones: £80
Door handles w/o lock £5, with lock £10
Upgrade all sockets & switches to chrome £1100 for a 4 bed.

Fitted wardrobes were very nice but very expensive.

Tiling, wanted £5500 to do:

(Ceramic polished) The hall, downstairs wc floor, utility area, kitchen & breakfast area.
Half height tiling in downstairs WC.
Fully tile bathroom (full height all walls) and floor.
Ensuite - full height & floor.

At £30 per square meter for materials and £30 per square meter fitting the same job works out at £3500. Certain tiles would be cheaper as they're not all ceramic polished. Not to my suprise before figuring this out the sales rep and I quote "our tiling prices are very good actually", if you're a fool then yes they are.

Carpets worked out around £4-500 cheaper depending on what you wanted.

Downlights/Spotlight: Regular fitting £50, splash proof for bathroom £65 (both fire rated). Been quoted £35 per light. With a total of 45 lights (12 splash proof) it reduces the cost from £2500 to £1500. Depending on if wires can be first fix laid by the builder or if they have to be done after the completion ceilings would need patch re-skimming.

In some areas you will save a fortune! Some jobs such as taps, radiators (involves putting pipes in the correct places in walls), power & light to loft, door handles, kitchen cupboards etc is worth just paying for as it would cost you more to change these yourself.

Other things if you're in the position to be able to live with a bare concrete or chipboard floor for a few weeks while you get carpets & tiling done then live with it and save yourself a packet. Getting an en-suite tiled so you can shower whilst the other bathroom is done is wise otherwise you can't really wash while you wait! There alarm they want £900 for. ADT do a bells only alarm for £600 or a monitored alarm for £300 with £26p/m for 3 year contract.

Switching sockets to chrome won't cost you more than £400/£500 tops. Switch the breakers off and change them over yourself and save yourself the same again. Phone sockets or any other ones get the electrician to do when he does your lighting.

Don't even ask for their prices of granite! A bit of my own research shows a few companies offering 3 x 3M lengths of granite fitted for the region of £1500.

Edit: Turf, fences, sky dish & Tv aerial, doorbell & outside tap come as standard. Oh and a washing line *rolls eyes*.

If you want to have a cupboard where an appliance would be it's a £150 upgrade.

They make about 40% profit on upgrades. So hammer them down on the sale price of the property with the intentions of spunking lots on upgrades and then get them done externally cheaper. By just asking I had £15,000 reduction, stamp duty of £7800 paid and £1000 towards my legal fees. I'll save myself a further £3500 by having tiling, carpeting and lighting done myself. If you don't ask you don't get.

WelshNic

Wow BennyC, is that Taylor Wimpey?

There are a few things there I'd expect to be standard!

SilverSix

WelshNic wrote: »

Wow BennyC, is that Taylor Wimpey?

There are a few things there I'd expect to be standard!

Yep that's Taylor Wimpey.

I'm meeting the builder today to discuss the build and hopefully will be able to talk about options a bit. Might be able to pay him directly to do certain jobs such as lighting & power to the loft though we'll see.

Not only will you save money doing flooring, tiling & lighting yourself (external contractor) but you can also make your house a bit more 'you' rather than it looking like every other house on the development due to the small range of choice you have for materials.

What were you expecting to be standard? I was very shocked to find that flooring isn't included and you're just left with bare concrete and chipboard. For a couple of hundred thousand you would expect to at least give you plain white tiles and some basic carpet.

In answer to the OP questions:

1: Yes
2: Yes
3: That will depend how well the development/build is selling and also on your position (FTB/Cashbuyer etc). If you're going to haggle over extras get things which will add a little value to the house and be useful such as a double oven, shower above bath etc rather than carpets or naff white goods.

The plot I've reserved was the second to last left for the first phase for the particular build I was interested in which has sold like hotcakes! So I did quite well, I thought. She didn't seem willing to add any extras in at the time.

If you do your research and present yourself at the right time you might be suprised.