Struggling to get insurance for New Home with non-standard construction

Miri_J

Please see EDIT below:

I've had my survey report back on a property that I'm hoping to buy. There have been various delays and problems on this. 

The property is only 3 years old, it's a David Wilson Home, and I thought it was fairly standard construction until I got the survey report. Now I find it's not that simple.

The main walls the report says:  The external wall leaf is constructed of brick covered panels.  [Notably it doesn't say what the panels are made of - does anyone know?]. There is evidence in the roof space to suggest the internal wall leaf may be constructed of blocks, joined together with mortar mix. The right side gable end (separating this property from the neighbouring right side property) is constructed with boarding.

For the roof, the report says:  The roof is pitched and covered with tiles which appear to be plastic. [Possibly composite?]

On the comparison websites I seem to have no other choice than to put 'other' for both options. Then I only have two quotes on both Money Supermarket and Confused.com, both very expensive quotes! Direct line won't quote either.

Can this really be so, that a house builder is building houses that are near impossible to insure?

MS also are asking is the house still for sale when your insurance starts. According to their chatbot, because my insurance will start when I exchange contracts, the house will technically still be for sale & this pushes up the price further. My budget is very limited for house buying.

EDIT***: David Wilson have now confirmed to me that the Roof tiles are Marley Eternit Slate Grey tiles so they are an artificial slate. Mostly made of cement and water with some polymers for reinforcement. The Walls are Brick and Block construction.

user1977

Miri_J said:

According to their chatbot, because my insurance will start when I exchange contracts, the house will technically still be for sale

That is (obviously) nonsense, it starts presumably at the point you exchange contracts, in which case it is no longer for sale in any sense as you and the vendor are committed to proceeding with the transaction.

As for the construction, I wouldn't expect concrete block with fake brick panelling to be "non-standard".

Keep_pedalling

Direct Line don’t like anything out of the ordinary, when I tried to transfer our insurance to our new bungalow (6 years old) they would not do it because it has a large section of green (sedum) flat roof. I asked the owners who they used and I got cover through them and it was no more expensive than it was on the old house with DL. 

Hoenir

 Miri_J said:

On the comparison websites I seem to have no other choice than to put 'other' for both options. Then I only have two quotes on both Money Supermarket and Confused.com, both very expensive quotes! Direct line won't quote either.

Have you tried obtaining clarification of what the material is from the vendors (via your solicitor) ? 

Annemos

Yes like Hoenir says.

As the house is quite new, I would hope the Sellers would let you see a copy of their original new-build Purchase Package. One would think that would have details of all the materials used? 

And if you can find out the exact name/model of the house type, I would think David Wilson could also help provide details. 

Annemos

https://www.dwh.co.uk/range/a-great-range-of-homes/

If you entered the Postcode on here, would you be able to see the house type still? 

Miri_J

Annemos said:

https://www.dwh.co.uk/range/a-great-range-of-homes/

If you entered the Postcode on here, would you be able to see the house type still? 

Sadly not, all the homes have been sold. They are just putting the finishing touches to the last ones.

Miri_J

Annemos said:

Yes like Hoenir says.

As the house is quite new, I would hope the Sellers would let you see a copy of their original new-build Purchase Package. One would think that would have details of all the materials used? 

And if you can find out the exact name/model of the house type, I would think David Wilson could also help provide details. 

DW won't talk to me, as I'm not the home owner! I've asked them a few questions and each time they ask me to go back to the home owner and get them to ask the question. Frustrating!

The vendor's solicitor just tells me that it's up to me to establish these details through my survey.

I will be kicking up a fuss on Monday via the vendor's estate agents and may be able to get more details.

I spoke to another resident on the development this morning. He had his property insured with Admiral but he just thought he had normal brick walls and a normal tiled roof. He will have a shock if he comes to make a claim. I have just phoned Admiral and they do cover plastic or rubber roof tiles at a reasonable cost. 

I'm really wondering whether this is right for me, it's very last minute, but I've had problems that I can't get the freehold management pack so don't know what the service charges will be, but the management company want to charge a fortune to register my title. The vendors won't compromise on the issues picked up in the survey (though they are minor). It's just a litany of problems.

XRS200

What is the question being asked about the roof?  It's usually something like is it covered in slate or tiles

Annemos

What you are saying is really awful. 

It's as if we are trapped in a new era where "The Computer/AI/Person" always says No. 

It is so very unhelpful. 

It does sound like a bit of a nightmare already. And those Management Companies can cause a lot of issues. 

Should your Solicitor be doing much more of this legwork? 

Good luck whatever you decide to do. 

Just attaching a link below. (I have read of problems around here, through our Village Social Facebook page.)


https://hoa.org.uk/advice/guides-for-homeowners/for-owners/problems-new-build-estate-management-fees/#:~:text=The%20main%20problems%20with%20new%20build%20estate%20management,3%203.%20No%20right%20to%20manage%20for%20freeholders


PS Any Survey you have done, can't start pulling the walls apart to see what is in there!?

Also saw this in passing


https://erikasgrig.com/how-house-walls-are-constructed-in-the-uk/

user1977

Have you tried speaking to your surveyor to get any clarification you need? As I said, I doubt David Wilson have been building something "weird" 3 years ago.