Options in new build-what is the better investment?

beachlou

Forgive me if this is in the wrong place but I was hoping to get some advise.

We are moving into a new build this summer and have to start thinking about the options we want to put in the house. Our budget is limited and we wondering what would be the better investment for whenever we come to sell.

In our hall we have carpets included, or we can upgrade to laminate (which I'm not keen on) or amtico (expensive! but like the look).

Kitchen-vinyl included or upgrade to ceramics for an extra £730.

Bathroom/ensuite/cloak-vinyl included or upgrade to ceramics for around £175 for all.

Outside tap-an extra £88-worth doing?

Side door to garage-£330 (pretty sure we have decided to do this as we have to go around the whole house from the garden to get into the garage).

What have others done when buying a new build? Thanks in advance.

andrewf75

I would do all of those if I could somehow find the money. What is a few hundred quid when you're spending the amount of money a house costs?

If you get nice floors they will last probably the whole time you're in the house. A cheap one and chances are you'd change it one day. My attitude on things like this is spend a bit more and it will prove cost-effective in the long run. Probably also adds value to the house or at least saleability if it is well finished.

Dan-Dan

I think you need to separate what `Investment’ means in regards to house value , and investment in reagrds to quality of life and saleability , so the things you describe , i would suggest will negate for a while the need for replacement (ceramics instead of vinyl) , additions (outside tap and courtesy door) , i don’t think they will add value to your house when it comes to sell though , mainly because you will need to live there a number of years just to recoup the premium you paid for a new build , and by then the flooring might well need looking at , and if it doesn’t , it certainly won’t enhance the value of the house , but it should help saleability (as will the courtesy door and outside tap)

beachlou

Thank you for your replies. We are tight on cash so I don't think we will be able to upgrade on everything, especially as we still have to buy lighting, curtains & poles for the house, as well as doing the garden (turf, patio etc).

Like I say the side door to the garage is a must as that will help our day to day living. I'm just not sure we can stretch to upgrading all the flooring. I think the kitchen may be the one to prioritise as it'll be cheaper doing in now than in the long run.

We would like spotlights in the kitchen too but at £69 each, they're out of reach for the time being.

MX5huggy

The prices seem fairly steep to me.

£88 for an out side tap that consist of about 1ft of copper to get from inside to out a £5 tap, may be 2 20p elbows and if you are lucky a ballafix valve to isolate (80p). Yes if you called a plumber in to do this job it might come to £88 but not as an ad on for a plumber already onsite.

How big is the kitchen divide £730 by area to get a price per m squared bet its more than you would pay plus they don't have to supply and fit the vinyl.

curiosity101

I'd have to agree about how much value you're adding as I don't think any of those add much value.

However I'd definitely go for the outside tap as depending on where it is it's probably easier to get it now than retrofit (if you can see yourself actually using it, which if you're about to lay new turf you might thank yourself).

Depending on how big your kitchen is and where abouts you are in the country I don't think it's a 'deal' with the price they're offering...

Same goes for all the other flooring options.

I'd just take the standard options + tap and side door.

beachlou

The outside tap would be something we would use often. We have one in our current house and it is so useful and used often. From what I can gather, £88 is a fair price to pay if we decide to put it in later so happy for them to do it there and then so it's ready for when we move in.

The kitchen is a little over 18m squared. After pricing up a couple of options to do it ourselves, it would work out cheaper to do so. Just more of a pain once we're living in the house with 2 children under 3. Having never done anything like that before, would it be a straight forward enough job? My husband is pretty handy but as we've never owned our own house it's something he's never tackled.

After just receiving a pack from the solicitors with a breakdown of fees, seems like we will be going for just the tap and door anyway :rotfl: . Good to know we won't be penalised for not upgrading on flooring. It'll leave more money for lights/curtains/garden.

Thank you.

robatwork

beachlou wrote: »

In our hall we have carpets included, or we can upgrade to laminate (which I'm not keen on) or amtico (expensive! but like the look).

Kitchen-vinyl included or upgrade to ceramics for an extra £730.

Bathroom/ensuite/cloak-vinyl included or upgrade to ceramics for around £175 for all.

Outside tap-an extra £88-worth doing?

Side door to garage-£330 (pretty sure we have decided to do this as we have to go around the whole house from the garden to get into the garage).

What have others done when buying a new build? Thanks in advance.

You didn't mention the laminate price but I would do it throughout and get rugs where you need them - they can be cleaned /replaced properly as and when.

Outside tap - absolutely. £88 is not expensive and will cost you much more if you do it later. Trust me, I did this.

Kitchen floor - probably not bother with that. The vinyl should be good for 5years +

Side door - If you don't have it when you come to sell it will be a big negative, and £330 is a lot less than if you get someone to knock it through subsequently.

You may want to get more plug sockets (in every corner of every room I would recommend, at least). Also think about aerial cabling, and ethernet cabling too.

beachlou

robatwork wrote: »

You didn't mention the laminate price but I would do it throughout and get rugs where you need them - they can be cleaned /replaced properly as and when.

Outside tap - absolutely. £88 is not expensive and will cost you much more if you do it later. Trust me, I did this.

Kitchen floor - probably not bother with that. The vinyl should be good for 5years +

Side door - If you don't have it when you come to sell it will be a big negative, and £330 is a lot less than if you get someone to knock it through subsequently.

You may want to get more plug sockets (in every corner of every room I would recommend, at least). Also think about aerial cabling, and ethernet cabling too.

Laminate in the hall was £445. To be honest I'm not a fan of laminate and really do want carpet in the lounge and all upstairs. I have a crawling baby and we have hard wood floors where we are now and I'm actually looking forward to having carpets again. We will have a look again at the laminate options for the hallway as I'd rather not have carpet as it does worn quickly.

Those were our thoughts on the side door/tap and it would make our lives easier.

Can I ask what Ethernet cabling is?

wallbash

Outside tap - absolutely. £88 is not expensive and will cost you much more if you do it later. Trust me, I did this.

What tap did you get then , that cost more then £88 to install??

quote ...Trust me, ......... not for installing an outside tap at that price.

beachlou

Extra plug sockets are £32 for a single-how does that sound? We seemed quite happy with what was included when we went through the drawings but now you've made me think. I'll get another look at the plugs.