New builds are "shamefull shoeboxes"

FTBFun

shortchanged wrote: »

It's usually because people are suckered in by the shared equity schemes and other 'incentives' to buy an overpriced shoe box.

It's not that different from buying a brand new car, really, just writ large. How often do you see "0% financing to 2012", "Free air conditioning" etc on new car ads?

geneer

They're talking about "average" new builds. Some are certainly better than others.

However, this is a problem in the UK and kudos to RIBA for tackling it.

A lot of developers are forced to build "affordable housing" alongside their new market rate buildings.

The affordable housing is always very similar, except of course for the fact that affordable housing has a much bigger floor space.
Thats because the councils still use the minimum requirments that thatcher did away with.

C_Mababejive

geneer wrote: »

They're talking about "average" new builds. Some are certainly better than others.

However, this is a problem in the UK and kudos to RIBA for tackling it.

A lot of developers are forced to build "affordable housing" alongside their new market rate buildings.

The affordable housing is always very similar, except of course for the fact that affordable housing has a much bigger floor space.
Thats because the councils still use the minimum requirments that thatcher did away with.

Yes..another reason to not buy new builds. Who wants to pay for the cost of the house AND for the costs of social engineering?

wastedtalent

We're in the process of buying a new build, from a small developer. It's far bigger and has a better layout than any of the new build sby the bigger companies we've seen, and about 20k cheaper.

We measured all the furniture too to make sure they weren't 'bluffing' in the show home.

shortchanged_2

wastedtalent wrote: »

We're in the process of buying a new build, from a small developer. It's far bigger and has a better layout than any of the new build sby the bigger companies we've seen, and about 20k cheaper.

We measured all the furniture too to make sure they weren't 'bluffing' in the show home.

Out of curiosity are you buying solely with a deposit and mortgage or are you doing some form of shared equity?

Running_Horse

Blame John Prescott.

He was the one who encouraged developers to squeeze ever more houses into every acre, while living in a mansion.

mustrum_ridcully

Running_Horse wrote: »

Blame John Prescott.

He was the one who encouraged developers to squeeze ever more houses into every acre, while living in a mansion.

Very true. Developers were given density figures, so they'd build rabbit hutch flats and 1-2 bed homes, barely acceptable 3-beds and would then build nice 4-5 bedroom homes. All whilst staying within denisty targets.

ess0two

starsandmoon wrote: »

It is a killer isnt it? I went into shock when I moved from a small new build to my house. Ive got a new boiler and double glazing and my rooms can be shut off to keep heat in and Im still freezing. BF is the same. He shuts himself in a tiny front room in the winter as the main living room is just too cold and is an open kitchen/diner.

Yep,i've got nearly 3 foot of loft insulation,roof is slate.Walls dont have a cavity so can't insulate them.Windows are double glazed,all external doors have weather strips etc,just need to keep on top of closing doors etc.

LydiaJ

starsandmoon wrote: »

It is a killer isnt it? I went into shock when I moved from a small new build to my house. Ive got a new boiler and double glazing and my rooms can be shut off to keep heat in and Im still freezing. BF is the same. He shuts himself in a tiny front room in the winter as the main living room is just too cold and is an open kitchen/diner.

When I bought my 1960s house I was told that although downstairs (filled cavity wall) was warm, upstairs (single skin blockwork) was very cold. So I had extra insulation added to the upstairs rooms (insulating material just like they use for new builds, plasterboard, then skimmed with plaster). It wasn't that expensive, and I've only lost a couple of inches off the width of the rooms, and now it's much warmer and cheaper to heat. I'd recommend it to anyone who wishes their house was warmer in winter.

Really2

Ours are OK.

Guess it is the lower end that the major problem is though.


For the record I thought our 60's/ 70's was of far worse build quality and material. Wood shrinkage from that era was dreadful. Also they usually left feet of room under the downstairs boards causing large amounts of draft.