new builds (springfield in particular) and changes post purchase

BonBons2021

Does anyone have any experience? I'm particularly interested in being able to make minor'ish alterations.

We've never had a new build before and I was speaking to a couple of colleugues today about our plans (we have Springfiled new build early birded) and about how we would make a few changes. However, they were saying there is often a clause which says you cannot make any changes for over a year, one said they were even told they couldn't hang pictures or mirrors?!? What on earth! And one said she knows of someone who supposeldy was told they couldn't make changes for 25 years - surely that's bananas if you own the freehold. 

We have been in rented so long, the thought of having to have someone else tastes and choices imposed on me for any longer is making me a bit sad and want to pull out. We don't particualry want a new build we just cannot find anything else in this particualr location.

The person in the office was a bit useless and I am waiting for more info on Monday but thouht I'd ask here.

Changes/additions we were thinking;

Decorated/painted to our taste

Fire and fireplace in sitting room

Different kitchen - the choice's aren't great and a family member is a cabinet maker who does bespoke furniture, inc wonderul kitchens and can make us something really lovely and to our taste, as well as getting discounts on more premium worktops also would like a different oven to what's on offer

There's two entrances into the kitchen dinner from the hall I am interested in boarding one of them to make the kitchen less disjointed

Different floor covering downstairs - again choices aren't great or what I would choose

A nicer patio door out to the garden

Back garden properly landscaped

BonBons2021

FYI we would be buying this freehold. 

RAS

Have you or your lawyer actually checked any covenants and restrictions on the deeds? Until you do that no-one knows for sure what the developer has in mind for this development.

user1977

BonBons2021 said:

FYI we would be buying this freehold. 

Doesn't really matter whether it's freehold or leasehold, you'd still want to know what covenants apply. But I think your colleague's story about not being able to hang mirrors is either a joke or their misunderstanding - generally it's only external changes which might involve getting consent.

taylor86

Agree defo check for any covenants and restrictions. 

We are also buying a new build with a different builder and their guidance is not to decorate for 12 months to allow it to settle and dry out but we will be hanging pictures and mirrors etc before then. 

BonBons2021

user1977 said:

BonBons2021 said:

FYI we would be buying this freehold. 

Doesn't really matter whether it's freehold or leasehold, you'd still want to know what covenants apply. But I think your colleague's story about not being able to hang mirrors is either a joke or their misunderstanding - generally it's only external changes which might involve getting consent.

@user1977 we will definitely find that out we're not at that stage yet, I seem to remember you don't have to agree to things I mean conversley the vendor doesn't have to change either but I suppose the solicitor can have conversation. 

BonBons2021

I'm just wanting to get an idea in general. @taylor86 I wonder why I have done two major period renos in another life, extensions, walls back to brick etc and was never given that advice, we always decorated as part of the work and never had an issue. 

taylor86

We’ve had a new build before and there was a fair few cracks appeared (as expected) which the builder fixed within the first 2 years and made good as it was still white. If we had have decorated they still would have made good but wouldn’t have decorated it again for us. Our builder has said we can use a water based emulsion but avoid satin paints and wallpaper if poss. 

A Reno doesn’t need the same amount of drying out as new build. 

eddddy

BonBons2021 said:

Fire and fireplace in sitting room

Is this an option offered by the developer?

Or do you mean, after completion, you want to install a fire and fireplace in a place where there isn't one at the moment?

If so, presumably you mean a 'fake' fireplace with an electric fire. Retrofitting a 'real fire' fireplace would be practically impossible. 

BonBons2021 said:

Different kitchen - the choice's aren't great and a family member is a cabinet maker who does bespoke furniture, inc wonderul kitchens and can make us something really lovely and to our taste, as well as getting discounts on more premium worktops also would like a different oven to what's on offer

I doubt that the developer would be able to sell the house without a kitchen, or fit a kitchen made by your family member, or let your family member fit their kitchen before completion.

So it might be a case of accepting the developer's standard kitchen - and then ripping it out, and replacing it.

BonBons2021 said: 

Different floor covering downstairs - again choices aren't great or what I would choose

The developer might sell without floor coverings - but you'd have to wait until after completion to lay your own.

BonBons2021 said:

A nicer patio door out to the garden

Again, is this an option offered by the developer?

If not, you can replace the patio door after completion - but as with the kitchen, you'd be ripping out a perfectly good door to replace it with another one.

....

As a more general comment, that developer seems to offer NHBC warranties - which means there'd be a 2 year builder's warranty. That covers poor workmanship or poor materials used by the builder.

If you do stuff like replace the kitchen, block-up a door, replace a door frame, install a fake fireplace - obviously none of that will be included in the warranty, and there might be scope for arguments about whether a problem is the builder's fault, or your fault.