New Build, shown wrong drawings, please help

DreamingDebtFree

Hi everyone,

My partner and I have purchases a new build, which is due to be ready March. When we reserved the plot a number of months ago, we were shown the wrong drawings, meaning we have now discovered that the utility room is in fact a utility cupboard as the external door we were shown, is not going to be there. (there is also no window.

A few other things as well but the above is the biggest issue.

So what do you think we should do? I was thinking of demanding the door but they've made it clear that is not possible due to health and safety, so maybe a window and then some extras (we already have kitchen, fitted kitchen appliances (not laundry) and flooring so what do I ask for and how much is reasonable?

Or if we decide to walk away, as its there mistake, can we recover all our money?

Any help would be great, thank you

sal_III

I'm a bit confused, external door to utility room? I guess you meant internal door. If the Developer doesn't want to put it because of H&S snow-flakiness that everyone seems so obsessed today, is it an option for you to put it yourself post completion i doubt it will cost you more than £200-300. So ask for freebies that cost about as much.

If the lack of door is a deal breaker for you, walk. You should be able to get your reservation fee back based on their mistake, but i doubt you will be able to recoup any other fees spend on this purchase.

DreamingDebtFree

It is an external door from the utility to the carport

foxy-stoat

A question probably for the developer - but if you can live with the actual layout I would be negotiating a discount but you are more likely get some upgrades or buyer incentives included than anything else.

If you cannot live with the new layout then read your contract, they are probably in breach of it and request your money refunded - not sure about mortgage fees or legal costs.

davidmcn

If you've exchanged contracts (have you?) then the contract states what specification the house is meant to comply with. It usually gives the developers a fair amount of room for amending layout etc. Very much doubt you'd be able to walk away for something as minor-sounding as this.

Silvertabby

I take it that you do have a back door, presumably from the kitchen? If so, and if your utility room is small enough to warrant being called a 'utility cupboard' then having two doors (one from the kitchen (?) and one from the carport) would severely limit what you can do with the available free space.

I'd want a window in there, though, if you intend fitting a washing machine and/or tumble dryer.

robatwork

Gotta love house builders. Such attention to detail!

wesleyad

Silvertabby wrote: »

I take it that you do have a back door, presumably from the kitchen? If so, and if your utility room is small enough to warrant being called a 'utility cupboard' then having two doors (one from the kitchen (?) and one from the carport) would severely limit what you can do with the available free space.

We have both and I'd not live without the utility door. I guess it depends on lifestyle. I'm always out in the garden making a mess (of myself) and i come back in that way so kitchen is kept clean. Also when winter comes and we take the dogs out we will enter that way and (try to) dry dogs before entering the main house. Basically used as a rear porch.

Silvertabby

“ I take it that you do have a back door, presumably from the kitchen? If so, and if your utility room is small enough to warrant being called a 'utility cupboard' then having two doors (one from the kitchen (?) and one from the carport) would severely limit what you can do with the available free space.
Originally posted by Silvertabby

wesleyad wrote: »

We have both and I'd not live without the utility door. I guess it depends on lifestyle. I'm always out in the garden making a mess (of myself) and i come back in that way so kitchen is kept clean. Also when winter comes and we take the dogs out we will enter that way and (try to) dry dogs before entering the main house. Basically used as a rear porch.

Our back door is from our (large) utility room, which also has internal doors to both the kitchen and the downstairs cloakroom - ideal for when I'm 'caught short' during a muddy gardening session! If we did have a back door from the kitchen as well then I agree we probably wouldn't use it. However, in OP's case, it does sound like there just isn't enough room for two doors.

DreamingDebtFree

space isn't the issue. they have said it wont be fitted as it opens onto out carport and if a child comes out of the door, someone could run the kid over on the driveway under the carport. Carport is solely ours. This new build site has no walkways, just paved shared space for cars and padesiants, they feel this is save, but a door opening onto our carport isnt

DreamingDebtFree

oh we have exchanged contracts before we were aware of the issue