New Builds - what's normally included?

MadelinesMum

Hi, ours was one of the last built on the estate. The first ones had Neff appliances (as per brochure) but we ended up with cheaper appliances, informed by a scrappy photocopied list stapled to the back of the brochure.

The front garden was turfed but the back was not. Fences were included for the back garden but there was a clause about no fences allowed around the front.

I opted to pay for carpets (£2000) but I was disappointed with the quality. If I had the option again I would buy a better quality from a carpet shop.

dgtazzman

Loved the sales lady at the development today. Basically let me walk around at my leisure to look around then took me across the road to look at another house type, again, let me in and do my own thing and then took me back to her office, made me a cupper and put a box of biscuits on the table telling me to help myself and ask anything I wanted to know, straight answers and a very nice and helpful lady. I was actually there for nearly 4 hours, 2 of which we filled with chatter that had nothing to do with buying a house

I was at the Persimmon site for under an hour, never got offered anything to drink, as a matter of fact, I didn't even see a kettle or coffee machine in their sales office. Persimmons was also far more of a pressure sale and I wasn't feeling 100% when I went, so that probably contributed to me falling for it. Was an idiot looking back at it, so unlike me.

alibongo42

Having looked round a couple of local Taylor Wimpey developments recently, I can tell you that what you get included depends on the individual site, not the company itself.

Two TW developments, on the very same (massive) 'housing estate' offer very different items as standard. They also have completely different additional extras available, as well as different tiling and kitchen cabinet options. The difference is which regional area/branch runs that particular build.

caeler

I've bought two persimmons (Charles churches) one off plan and one completed. Off plan I got flooring (cheap vinyl and carpet), choice of tiles, outside light and power to garage and on the finished one I got all of that plus turf and an outside tap and with both I got a hefty discount off list price. Off plan experience was still way overpriced but I wanted it and the completed one bought the price down to what it was worth.


I wasn't all that interested in the other stuff - flooring was my priority so that I could move in and not have to sort it out myself. I've been happy to gradually add to the property myself. Ultimately money off was what I wanted not extras.


On both occasions I bought in October - this is important because for persimmon/cc their financial year end is December and they have targets to hit which thankfully I benefitted from! The first was PX'd for the second and they made a £6K loss on it - that never happens so they must have been desperate to sell.

lessonlearned

Another ex negotiaor here - again over a decade ago so I appreciate there will have been changes.

I have worked for several large house builders and a couple of small local builders.

it was standard practice that whatever extras had been negotiated were always recorded on the reservation forM. There should be a box marked "incentives" and it should be written down plainly and clearly.

The reservation form forms the basis of the contract so it is essential that everthing is recorded at the outset. Of course it also stops any confusion as to what is actually included and whether there are any terms to be upheld, for example "subject to 4 week exchange of contract" and the deadline date should also be recorded.

The reservation form is then signed by both the purchaser and the negotiator.

So it should all be clear from the outset. It can take several months waiting for,the property to be built by which time the negotiator,could have been moved to,another development so do not rely on verbal,agreements or someone's memory.

As to what is included and what are extras - well there are far too many variables to go into,here. However you are basically looking at the time of year, ie whether or not you are getting close to,their financial year end, the state of the market in general, and the stage of build.

An example, if it's the beginning of their financial year, the market is buoyant and the house is not yet built then you are unlikely to get large discounts and extra goodies thrown in. On the other hand if they are getting close to financial year end, the house is built and ready to go, then you are more likely to,get a generous discount and a nice package of,extras.

Most large householders have their financial year end At December 31st, but the cut off date for legal completion will be around the 20th. you might also be lucky and pick up,deals for the half and quarter year, it all depends on their sales figures.

It's all about cash flow.......a house that is built and standing empty will be costing them more money than one that isn't yet out of the ground, so,that's where the deals are.

Occasionally, you might get really good,deals when the development is just starting, before,the show house is even up and running. They like to,get the houses near to,the show,houses completed and lived in asap because it makes the sales area look nicer.

You,also,need to,remember that a lot of additional extras such as additional sockets, wall lights etc have to be ordered and paid for before 1st fix electrics so as soon as you see the roof going on you need to get organised, although your negotiator should keep you up to speed with that.

Most companies will not allow you to order paid for extras Until you have exchanged contracts and they will only accept an order with an upfront payment.

To be honest most companies (and negotiators) don't really want to get involved with paid for extras, it's a lot of work and hassle, and something of an administrative nightmare, because of course the sub contractors will be charging the main contractor (your builder) for the extra work.

And, no matter how clear your and the negotiators instructions are the electrical contractors nearly always get the placing of additional sockets and wall lights wrong. If it's not,on the original wiring diagrams they often forget about them altogether.

I always made it a policy to double check what they had done before the plasterers went in so that the site agent could haul them back to rectify their mistakes.

kimbyanne

Our Persimmon house came with the below as standard;

Outdoor lights (front and back)
Doorbell
Outdoor tap
Water Butt and Composter
Oven
Gas Hob
Extractor Fan
Fences
Turf (to front and back)

It didn't come with flooring but it was considerably cheaper to do it ourselves so worth the week of living with concrete floors.

r2015

When I bought my new build 24 years ago there wasn't even any light bulbs in the light fittings.


I moved in December and went to have a look at the house the previous day after my work at 4:30, it was lit up like a Christmas tree while the workmen were putting finishing touches to it.


2 pm the next day I turn up with the removal men and it was pouring down and dark and dismal, so I ceremoniously open the front door, the site manager was there, and the inside of the house was dark.
I switch on the lights and nothing, I asked the site manager if the electric was off and he said no you have to put light bulbs in they aren't included in the price HA HA!


!!!!!!!s.

a_j_nicholson

Hi,


I just thought I'd weigh into this conversation with some perspective.


A year and a half ago we bought a Persimmon home 2 bed semi and were very pleased with the process with it being our 1st home. We were told from the outset what was included as standard and what is extra, so from the start we knew we had to pay for flooring and turf.


The house isn't perfect, we've had a few issues with water leaks from bathroom but usually the customer care team sort things pretty quickly. In fact we had an internal door that had a small chip in the wooden skin and they were going to replace the whole door but I decided against it because for the sake of a chip it wasn't worth it. I saw someone saying that you'll get a garage that's too small to fit a car and a driveway not big enough for 2 cars, well our house came with a garage you could easily fit a car in and have space around it for gym equipment and then the driveway was for 2 cars but you can easily fit 3 and our garden is a decent size.


We are now in the process of moving house into another Persimmon home a few miles down the road. Again we were told what's extra and what's included, in addition to this we have the experience from our first house. I was initially worried about using Persimmon again after seeing them on watchdog, but the way I see it is they're building so many houses and all the developers will be in the same boat. My Dad always warned me about new builds, but again if you think about it, any housing estate was new at some point and I'm sure they would have had issues too.


You have to go into the purchase of a new build with a pinch of salt and yes these developers (especially Persimmon) will charge a lot for extras but the thing you have to consider is that all of those things will then be complete for when you collect the keys, because you can get work done yourself, but then you have the hassle of organising external trades people in your own time and if you get flooring done yourself you have to go through the stress of making sure all your furniture is out of the way for them to lay flooring.

gg234

I bought new build from croudacehome and they didn't included any flooring or carpet

jaxkesa

a_j_nicholson wrote: »

Hi,


I just thought I'd weigh into this conversation with some perspective.


A year and a half ago we bought a Persimmon home 2 bed semi and were very pleased with the process with it being our 1st home. We were told from the outset what was included as standard and what is extra, so from the start we knew we had to pay for flooring and turf.


The house isn't perfect, we've had a few issues with water leaks from bathroom but usually the customer care team sort things pretty quickly. In fact we had an internal door that had a small chip in the wooden skin and they were going to replace the whole door but I decided against it because for the sake of a chip it wasn't worth it. I saw someone saying that you'll get a garage that's too small to fit a car and a driveway not big enough for 2 cars, well our house came with a garage you could easily fit a car in and have space around it for gym equipment and then the driveway was for 2 cars but you can easily fit 3 and our garden is a decent size.


We are now in the process of moving house into another Persimmon home a few miles down the road. Again we were told what's extra and what's included, in addition to this we have the experience from our first house. I was initially worried about using Persimmon again after seeing them on watchdog, but the way I see it is they're building so many houses and all the developers will be in the same boat. My Dad always warned me about new builds, but again if you think about it, any housing estate was new at some point and I'm sure they would have had issues too.


You have to go into the purchase of a new build with a pinch of salt and yes these developers (especially Persimmon) will charge a lot for extras but the thing you have to consider is that all of those things will then be complete for when you collect the keys, because you can get work done yourself, but then you have the hassle of organising external trades people in your own time and if you get flooring done yourself you have to go through the stress of making sure all your furniture is out of the way for them to lay flooring.

Interesting first post. You work for Persimmon by any chance? :T