Charles Church & Persimmon Homes

dgtazzman

If I look at the speed they are throwing up houses in the development behind us compared to the other developers just down the road, I have to wonder how they manage it. Their build speed is around 3 or 4 times that of the others. The foundations of our house with another developer went down around the same time as CC/Persimmon put down the first foundations of their development for the show homes and a few sale homes already, 5 months later, our house is a month away from completion, while there are now around 100 houses up on the CC/Persimmon development with people living in them. I'm really amazed, but I can't help but be dubious when houses are put up with that speed.

I actually stood looking at some of the houses they are putting up earlier today, as there were one or 2 houses that seemed to be missing insulation in the cavity wall in some parts. Probably just me, or they were still to add it, but just seemed odd to me some parts would have insulation while others wouldn't at the stage the houses in question were.

Jonbvn

There is a thread on the Marina Development on the snagging.org forum. HTH.

http://forum.snagging.org/persimmon-homes/2166-northampton-marina-gardens.html

dgtazzman

Marina Gardens is the development just behind where we are renting now (by coincidence, an older Persimmon home built in 2006).

Did look at Marina Gardens to buy, but we felt they were well overpriced. Go across the road to Upton and you get a similar home on an ecologically oriented development for 10k-20k less. The regulations they have to build to in Upton also mean you get solar panels included and the properties have at least a B energy efficiency rating. I do admit, location wise I'd prefer to be towards the back of the Marina Gardens development as it's nice and quiet there and there is more green around. It also has a more 'upmarket' feel to it, but I think that's mostly because the whole site is newly developed, while Upton has seen development for the last 15 years or so. Marina gardens also has some upmarket detached houses in the development (some of which, on paper, I would certainly aspire to if I won the lottery), which I guess adds to the feeling of the development.

For some reason, Marina Garden is still selling like hot cakes though, every house they are releasing seems to be getting snapped up pretty fast. I don't think I've been able to find any of the completed properties that still have a 'for sale' sign on them, so they're all getting sold off plan.

geoffky

A good tip...Take a cat with you to your viewing..

Dystaxia

I bought a Charles Church house in 2013. Generally happy but there have been a number of problems that just won't get resolved. It took months to fix leaking radiators, months to repair a cracked shower tray etc etc, the list is pretty long. I'm constantly fobbed off by Customer Care and told things that I know not to be true, they don't call back when they promise to, they ignore my issues unless I constantly harass them. They are RUBBISH. The whole business has soured the pleasure of buying a new house and I'd not buy from them again.

Ybuynewbuild

dgtazzman wrote: »

Funny Tabby, we're in Northampton too, I guess you're talking about the Marina Gardens development. Didn't even think they had a show home yet, did notice they whacked a few houses up in under 2 months, so maybe one of those is this show home.

We live up the road behind what was the old hospital, which they've torn down to make this development. It's a good location, close to the motorway and Sixfields, yet not too busy around the area itself. I have noticed they haven't really gone very deep with digging up the area, looked to me like they only went down a foot, so God knows what's left under that from the old hospital grounds.

Also there were a few old houses on the grounds that had been condemned due to asbestos, I think they just tore those down too, without any extra measures for the asbestos, so remnants of that might be littered all over the grounds...

I actually stood looking at some of the houses they are putting up earlier today, as there were one or 2 houses that seemed to be missing insulation in the cavity wall in some parts. Probably just me, or they were still to add it, but just seemed odd to me some parts would have insulation while others wouldn't at the stage the houses in question were.

Dgtazzman. Do you actually know anything about building new houses?
Cavity insulation is (on most new build) installed when the house has a roof and windows fitted, a specialist company drills the blockwork from inside the house and blows it in, how you can see it from outside i dont know, as for your knowledge of ecological issues and demolition and footing depths i take it you've never seen an ecological and demolition report and land surveys showing the land has no contamination after demolition or clearance works, all have to be completed and signed off by building control before construction starts. Footing depths are designed by specialist engineers and take account of all ground conditions. Some may be 900mm some over 2000mm its all plot specific. As for speed of build its a number game - ie if 1 bricklayer would take 10weeks to build a plot then 10 bricklayers take 1 week etc etc. i think the best thing for you to do is not buy a new house as i don't believe you'll ever be happy in one.

dgtazzman

Maybe you read over 'it might just be me'. Also, they are using Rockwool type insulation and that seemed to be missing in parts, but I assume it's all good as they are being signed off by NHBC in the end. I do know from a little birdie buyers on the site are having issues getting mortgages as the valuations are coming in lower than asking, especially for the Charles Church homes.

Anyway, we ARE in the process of buying a new build, with it's own complications, so don't assume you know me, as you don't, thank you for the attack on my persona, have a nice cup of tea and chill...

As for how deep they dig, shrug on what the regs are, all I know the Persimmon we are renting has been built on top of old, disused water mains that flooded ours and our neighbours gardens last year, so who knows what is acceptable...

Viz76

Buy or not to buy a Charles Church home you hear stories of all those benefits of buying a new home. we went with Charles Church due to their prestigious brand and outstanding homes

we are fools .

when negotiating a price off plan GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING. I already own proprieties and believed that nothing can get pass me but they did.

Do not go with their Solicitors, yes its quicker as they already have all the information and charge for it numerous times.

I have no idea what a car barn was but when the sales person informed us that it was a garage without a door. you assume that it has 3 walls and a opening, we didn't get that, we were informed that the house was situated on a cul-de-sac and once the road out side was completed it was a through road through the estate.
we have very young children, who once you open the door they just run out. unfortunately we do not have a path outside so it leads straight onto the road.

we evening had to fight to have frosted windows for out on suite ,after 2 years living here. we still have quite abit of snagging to do and it seems like we are having to repeat ourselves numerous times to the builders and customer service (Southern Division) staff as everyone seams to be leaving.

To get to the point. GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING AND MAKE SURE YOU CONTACT YOUR SOLICITORS ASAP TO COVER YOU BACKS, AS COSTS DO MOUNT UP. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE DO NOT COMPLETE UNTIL YOU ARE READY AS THEY HAVE TARGETS TO HIT AND WILL RUSH YOU.

AS ONCE THE MONEY TRANSFER THEY DO NOT CARE!!!!!

HOPE EVERYONE HAS A BETTER EXPERIENCE THEN US.

Viz76

I had trouble with the Customer service i have dealt with 3 as they keep on leaving Contact Director in Charge, Charles Church Southern Customer service. go to the top as they don't know what happening in their business.

Dystaxia wrote: »

I bought a Charles Church house in 2013. Generally happy but there have been a number of problems that just won't get resolved. It took months to fix leaking radiators, months to repair a cracked shower tray etc etc, the list is pretty long. I'm constantly fobbed off by Customer Care and told things that I know not to be true, they don't call back when they promise to, they ignore my issues unless I constantly harass them. They are RUBBISH. The whole business has soured the pleasure of buying a new house and I'd not buy from them again.

Viz76

I know how you feel Simon, we are having issues for 2 years and nothing down on paper. and they are not sticking to they word.

Good Luck

Simon1970 wrote: »

My wife and I agreed to buy a house on the Mulberries development in Sawtry, all was going well until we noticed that they were building the plot next to ours the wrong way round!! Incredibly they only gained planning permission this way round although everything on any of their plans website etc shows it the way it should be to any normal human being! Check their website and see plot 85, they are building it back to front and NOT as shown on the plan making my plot 86 totally compromised and guess what? Profit is all they care about!! They told me that they had applied to turn 85 round, I phoned the planning dept, surprise, they didn't bother!! So we are expected to have 2 bedrooms looking directly into each other over 15 feet and kitchen and dining windows directly opposite each other, oh and apparently they don't care that next doors windows will open directly over my drive!! Lovely people who take customer care very seriously, what a joke avoid them as they just don't care, plots 85 and 86 are just that, plots, peoples lives are irrelevant to Adrian Evans, all he cares about is money, they need to do the right thing and dig it up and start again, sadly they just want to refund my deposit and hope that I will go away, good luck with that because the last 3 months cannot just be forgotten.