Buying New Build / Bovis Homes.... any advice

Baylissss

ok... I suppose someone might suggest not to buy a Bovis Home!! I was of a similar opinion until recently, however, I have found a development in a perfect location and would really like to buy one. They are listed at 310K and when I went to showroom was told they were currently on offer and there is  5K off 3 bedroom properties and 10K off 4 bedroom properties. The homes are sold pretty bare and with the upgrades (tiled bathroom!) and flooring that would work out at another 10K.

Of course, the really desirable plots have not yet been released, so I'm just wondering when they are if there will be any incentives?
The development is in a desirable location and being reserved quite fast. 

Anyone have any experience of dealing with Bovis or any other new build developers and any suggestions or advice?

Thanks

Cash-Cows

1. Checking the planning permission to make sure it's built out correctly and know what planning conditions might be relevant to you. Don't just rely on the solicitor for this. 
2. Look around and see if other undeveloped land. Establish what's going to happen to it by again looking at planning. Note that developers can always change their mind and submit something different. 
3. Measure everything. Parking spaces is one in particular. Don't look at plans, see a car on it and assume it's car sized. Check what it should be and confirm on site. 
4. Check whether the roads will be adopted. Don't assume they will be. Some councils won't adopt small cul de sacs. 
Sports pitch - this will likely be shown as cricket, but the reality will be football with cars all over the place and players swearing first thing Sunday. 
5. Avoid shared drives if you can. 
6. Be aware of how many parking spaces each plot has. If generally only one then there's a good chance of parking problems. 

badger09

In desperation, we viewed a Bovis showhome on a 2/3 complete development very close to us.
It was the biggest house (4 bed) on the site, obviously one of the best plots, and had all the upgrades. The one becoming available was over £450k & we were offered £10k of 'upgrades'

Pros:
Estate has a mix of designs, houses not as close together as on some newbuild estates, and several green spaces. 
Management charge less than £150pa.
Very spacious and very well planned rooms and layout.
All 4 bedrooms large doubles.
Bathroom & 2 ensuites fairly generous and looked to have reasonable finish. 

Cons:
Plot becoming available was much further into estate where roads felt so much narrower.
Hugely overlooked on all sides.
Obviously not enough garage space for most of the 4 beds, which had only single garage & parking for 1 car.
Kitchen, despite being the upgraded version, was cheap looking budget kitchen. In fact ours in our previous home (mid range from Magnet) almost 30 years ago was much better quality.   

Conclusion  - we won't buy Bovis.

AdrianC

Baylissss said:

Of course, the really desirable plots have not yet been released, so I'm just wondering when they are if there will be any incentives?
The development is in a desirable location and being reserved quite fast. 

I think you've just answered your own question.

They aren't going to discount if they can sell quickly at full price.

Mickey666

A good friend used to work for Bovis as a ‘snagger ’ - fixing things that were wrong or broke after the new buyers moved in.  Some of his stories would put anyone off buying a new build!

RelievedSheff

Mickey666 said:

A good friend used to work for Bovis as a ‘snagger ’ - fixing things that were wrong or broke after the new buyers moved in.  Some of his stories would put anyone off buying a new build!

Not all new builds are the same though. In fact build quality varies so much from development to development even by the same builders that to rule out all new builds is absurd. 

We bought a David Wilson house last year and are very happy with it. We have had a few minor snags mainly with doors and windows but these have been sorted out quickly and were of no detriment to the construction of the property. This new build feels a far more solid property than the 1930's semi that we traded in against it. That really was a shoddily built property.

RelievedSheff

AdrianC said:

Baylissss said:

Of course, the really desirable plots have not yet been released, so I'm just wondering when they are if there will be any incentives?
The development is in a desirable location and being reserved quite fast. 

I think you've just answered your own question.

They aren't going to discount if they can sell quickly at full price.

Agree with this. They will only discount properties and offer incentives on properties that they are struggling to sell. Popular plots will sell for full price.

Mickey666

RelievedSheff said:

Mickey666 said:

A good friend used to work for Bovis as a ‘snagger ’ - fixing things that were wrong or broke after the new buyers moved in.  Some of his stories would put anyone off buying a new build!

Not all new builds are the same though. In fact build quality varies so much from development to development even by the same builders that to rule out all new builds is absurd. 

We bought a David Wilson house last year and are very happy with it. We have had a few minor snags mainly with doors and windows but these have been sorted out quickly and were of no detriment to the construction of the property. This new build feels a far more solid property than the 1930's semi that we traded in against it. That really was a shoddily built property.

Fair point.  It’s hard to believe ALL new builds are poorly built.  But my Bovis friend plus a distant relative who bought Persimmon haven’t inspired me with confidence.  Still, tiny sample and all that.  Meanwhile I’ll stick to my preference for really old houses.  It’s not that I think all old houses were built better than modern ones, far from it and I’m sure cowboy builders have always cut corners, but in my book any house that has survived for a few hundred years (around 450 in my case) must be pretty solid!  I wonder how many Bovis, Persimmon, etc houses will still be lived in by 2450!