Paying for Extras in a New Build Home

Stephen_Newman

I would greatly welcome the opinions of others. Many chats on this topic refer to changes to plumbing, electrics etc.  I have a concern about appliances. Same could apply to other upgrades in a new home. Here's the scenario. My developer like others offers a range of options and upgrades I am free to choose or ignore. 

The house comes with a fitted gas hob. I cook electric. They offer me an induction hob at a cost of £450.  My choice is to say yes or no. That's not the issue. However the developer has costed the house to include a gas hob. If I accept the gas hob it's mine. But if I upgrade that hob never leaves the developers warehouse or supplier even though I have paid for it in the price of the house.  If three new buyers in three new houses do the same as me, that gas hob is rejected three times in favour of an electric option, it is  paid for three times  and never installed !  In fact I am having another discussion about rejecting a small oven in favour of a combi. at a cost of £980 fitted and guaranteed. Again I stress, if I choose this route I know I must pay. That is not the issue but shouldn't builders actually subtract the price of the applaince they are not installing from the sale price of the house?   

RelievedSheff

In short. No they don't have to.

You are choosing different appliances and the kitchen carcasses will also have to change to suit the different appliances.

They budget for a standard kitchen layout so any amendments to that cost them, hence what you perceive to be a higher price for the appliance.

Racky_Roo

They probably have a ton of gas hobs they bought in bulk, I doubt they're ordering individually per house so it's more work for them to source the electric hob. 

If it was me, I would ask for them to leave the gas hob in the house but not fit it, then you can sell it later and not pay for it to be disconnected. Then source your own hob for way less than £450.

Same with the oven, ask for it to be left in the house but not fitted and sell it on

Stephen_Newman

RelievedSheff said:

In short. No they don't have to.

You are choosing different appliances and the kitchen carcasses will also have to change to suit the different appliances.

They budget for a standard kitchen layout so any amendments to that cost them, hence what you perceive to be a higher price for the appliance.

Thanks for the reply.  Yes I get that. No argument. If I want a change I should pay for it.  I am being charged for a customisation of the work top anyway £150.  My beef (and I know I will probably lose) is that they want to charge close to full retail on the Combi £980 . Of course I could buy cheaper and pay to install.. Lets assume they want to charge another £200 for installation. They'd be mad and I'd be mad  but lets add that too. What sems to have been the convention forever is that your new home which has been costed by a Quantity Surveyor and the Cost Accountants  gets marketed at a price to include the standard kitchen units and appliances. I have paid for a standard appliance and a new appliance. Surely the old appliance is mine or there should be a discount on the house sale price less any further expense incurred in having the upgrade which is  priced in the brochure anyway?  I know I am going to lose the argument but it just seems crazy to allow this to happen.  The moral position is surely  "Give him the old appliance he has bought but does not want" or offer him a discount on the house sale price and we'll keep it and use it in the next new build" This is entirely my fault. I have not moved in many years but I will ask my lawyer to give me the legal explanation. Thanks for responding. 

Slithery

Stephen_Newman said:

What sems to have been the convention forever is that your new home which has been costed by a Quantity Surveyor and the Cost Accountants  gets marketed at a price to include the standard kitchen units and appliances. I have paid for a standard appliance and a new appliance. Surely the old appliance is mine or there should be a discount on the house sale price less any further expense incurred in having the upgrade which is  priced in the brochure anyway?

You haven't payed for the standard appliance and the upgraded appliance though. All you've done is payed the developers asking price for fitting an different appliance instead of the standard one. They don't ever fit the standard one and then remove it...