Opinions on new builds

kimbyanne

We have been in our new build house for just over a month and love it. It's a two bed semi-detached on a small development in a fairly rural community. It has a large garden and driveway for four cars. We paid £163k.

It was built by Persimmon and whilst we have had minor snags, some of which still need fixing - there is nothing major. Despite being a semi-detached we don't hear the neighbours which was a fear of mine. My parents previously lived in a new build Taylor Wimpey house and I kid you not, the walls were so thin you could hear next door talking like they were in the same room as you.

The development we are on is on/near a nature reserve so it's not a huge development and the houses are well spaced out so you don't feel like you are living in a "concrete jungle".

For new builds I rate Persimmon but wouldn't touch a Taylor Wimpey.

dirty_magic

A lot of the things mentioned aren't unique to new builds, there are plenty of older houses on housing estates. Most of the criticisms seem to be about living on an estate where houses are close together rather than actual issues with new builds.

I wouldn't buy one myself but that's because I don't think they have much character and I'd rather buy a house that needs a bit of work to get it exactly how I want it. I'd rather buy a slightly bigger older house that needs a bit of work than a tiny 2 bed starter home at a premium because it's new.

They're building a new estate by us and I've had a nose at them online but they all have really modern kitchens. Probably be a plus for most but I really hate gloss kitchens, I like a more rustic country style.

Another thing I don't like is that it's getting more common to build houses without drives; it's all allocated parking spaces away from the house. I lived in a flat without a drive and now I'd never buy a house without one.

ManuelG

onlyroz wrote: »

Aren't a lot of new build estates pretty soulless? No shops, pubs, cafes, libraries, schools, parks? Sure they might arrive eventually but it takes many years for a proper community to establish.

It's an interesting point. I've just bought on what I consider a new build estate as I remember it being built. Turns out that was in 1996:doh: Anyway, it helps that the estate was built in part on my Grandad's school, so I know the area. It's always had a local pub, that as the roads have developed has changed from country to suburban. It's always had an out of town supermarket that's now in-town, and a new batch of shops/cafes has opened up round the corner - still no absolute local school though.

And yes, maybe not 'community' I dunno, guess I'm going to find out!

But they seem better than they used to be in remembering to put pubs and the like into estates; there's a new one near me with all those things and more going up and being finished before the houses. In the past I've rented in true hell-holes that were hell-holes as much because they were a bunch of houses dumped on the edge of the city, and nothing put there for the residents to do.

Hopefully the planners are starting to realise people need more than bricks and mortar to call it home.

supersaver2

I bought a new build last month and we are very happy. Do your research on the house builders as some are better than others. We bought from Miller Homes and I could happily recommend them. We moved from a 1910 semi to a detached property and I thought I would miss my old house, you couldn't pay me to move back! No drafts, cheaper bills, straight walls and skirting boards and very helpful site managers that can't do enough for you.

varghesejim

We are also looking to buy our first property. We found all the new builds we have seen in South east is priced 50K-100K(in some cases even more!) more than comparable second hand homes.

Personally, I think you can make a decent second hand house into a superb home in and out, by spending less than 25K on refurbishment. So it wouldn't make sense to me to buy a new build.

marjrie_2

kimbyanne wrote: »

We have been in our new build house for just over a month and love it. It's a two bed semi-detached on a small development in a fairly rural community. It has a large garden and driveway for four cars. We paid £163k.

It was built by Persimmon and whilst we have had minor snags, some of which still need fixing - there is nothing major. Despite being a semi-detached we don't hear the neighbours which was a fear of mine. My parents previously lived in a new build Taylor Wimpey house and I kid you not, the walls were so thin you could hear next door talking like they were in the same room as you.

The development we are on is on/near a nature reserve so it's not a huge development and the houses are well spaced out so you don't feel like you are living in a "concrete jungle".

For new builds I rate Persimmon but wouldn't touch a Taylor Wimpey.

Can you tell me where Persimmon build in rural areas please, my son looked at the development in Hellingly East Sussex and said it was very close together.

catmiaow

We bought a Miller home and the house is lovely. However, my main bugbears are that there was a lot of problems when we first moved in that could have been sorted before we moved in if they bothered to check properly. Also the building work is still going on, at first it was Monday to Friday and now it is every weekend as well working until 6 every night(This has been going on for 4 months!). They really don't give us any peace, we can never open our windows. I can't believe how inconsiderate these people are. My opinion of them isn't great at the moment!!

Also note that after you have done the survey they won't come out and correct things as easily. Their customer service staff is generally okay, there is the odd one I don't like as I find them rude!

x90tsb

David Wilson and Barratt Homes spot on, I bought a house from Barratts last December, brilliant build quality, semi detached, I have not heard my neighbours ONCE and they haven't heard me either! As my first experience of a new build has been so good, a new build from Barratts or DWH will be my first choice in years to come when I want and can afford something bigger

Do it!!

AnnieO1234

Don't know why this ages old thread was resurrected but we bought a Gleesons house early in development in 2012, they had very restricted working hours (might have been a planning requirement not sure) but were basically Monday to Friday 8 while 5 iirc).

There was some politics with them when we purchased but as far as our home goes we fell in love with it. Gleesons don't tend to build on postage stamps; ours is detached so I can't comment on sound proofing; it's freehold and no estate charge. They do have some strange designs IMHO but are fairly traditional layouts, even the townhouses.

Xxx

robatwork

This just shows it's an impossible and fairly pointless question. The poster up there ^^^ says Barratts was great. I had exactly the opposite experience.

So it's not just down to the builder but the actual site, site foreman and the people who are putting the walls up. You may get straight walls, you may not.