Buying new builds - a discussion

secondtoughest

Although I would never in my life buy a brand new car, there's something in me that would prefer, when it comes down to it to buy a new built house.

I'm a FTB and I can't afford to buy now but when it comes to it, that's what I want. I'm useless at DIY etc and would be willing to pay that bit more for things to already have been 'done'.

I want to hear all the success stories, the do's/don'ts and the horror stories from people who have also bought a new build. Please note I would like either a 2/3 bed house and not a flat.

ginvzt

I think I am like you. We have biought a 'nearly new' house a year ago and we still had a lot to do (painting, flooring, changing snks etc.). We are moving again now due to job. As much as i enjoyed doing all those things, I am not sure I have enough steam left to do it all from the begining. We have been looking at few new builds, but so far didn;t find what we like. We saw one that didn't have enough space for a proper fridge (only small one, to fit under worktop) or a dishwasher, or freezer. Things might look nice on the floor plans, but it might be not that good once they out their chosen kitchen or bathroom. In this case we were told they can't change the layout of the kitchen!

Good luck for you!

glen8

Generally you pay more for a new build to start with, but can choose the kitchen, carpets, bathroom tiles etc etc

You have to way up the extra cost vs how much it would cost to 'do up' a second hand house.

You also get your 10yr NHBC and usually 2yr builders guarantee on new homes.

If you are a FTB then developers can pay your legal fees, deposit, stamp duty etc etc among other things. Make sure you negotiate hard with them as they are bending over backwards to sell new houses at the minute.

Good Luck!!

Lotus-eater

We've only ever had older houses, at least 30 years old, but loads of our friends have new builds. In my experience the quality of the new houses is OK, but not brilliant, its the fragile feel that does it for me, paper walls etc. You really get what you pay for in new houses, the more you pay, generally the better quality of fittings you get.

dubsey

I certainly wouldn't ever buy off plan. We almost did with our last house, showhome lady told us it was due for completion around June-July but an identical design came up with a larger garden and was only about 5 months old. The off plan one we nearly bought didn't complete until 22nd December!

Biggest problem we had was not being able to hang anything on the walls, three times our coat rack fell down, even with massive rawplugs and with hardly any coats on it. We were on phase 1 of the development which was lovely when we moved in, by phase three it was absolutely awful. The newer houses had smaller cobbled roads with nowhere to park (one car space and a garage) so they all decided to park near us and walk.

Yes, the older house we are in does need work, it has taken me weeks to do the dining room because of re-plastering as has been the same with every room. We still need the windows replaced and I would like to save up and re-design the kitchen, but there is a certain satisfaction from changing things and redoing things as long as you aren't the type that wants everything perfect immediately so gets a home improvement loan to do it. I think it would be very disheartening to be paying for 10-25 years on a loan when the work was finished many years before.

glen8

You should never use rawplugs in a new house (ie: plasterboards walls)

You need to use the metal corkscrew style fixing...you can hang ANYTHING off them and they will never come down

knuckledragger

I bought a 3 bed semi off plan in 1996. They didn't even have one built anywhere on the estate near me so I couldn't tell what it would finally look like. But a study of the floor plans told me that it had everything that I was looking for. I just kept looking at the plot of land and watched it go up over the course of a few weeks. It looked so small when just the foundations were laid. But it turned out to be just what I needed and having extended it twice, I can't see me moving.
The benefits are also a two year deal with the builder's maintenance firm to put right any minor problems that creep up. Having a 10 year guarantee on the windows was useful. It's amazing how the handles of all the windows became loose/defective after I'd been in the place for about 8 and a half years. Nice of them to replace all for free . Make the system work for you...

secondtoughest

I'm one of those freaks who likes small rooms. I find too much space = too much mess.

Ideally I'd like an older structure that has been renovated, something by a smaller builder maybe. One that at least tries to make an effort with the design. I'm appalled by the parking situation in some of the newer estates, and would quite like a drive.

Addy1, you're right there's some very nicely decorated older houses and to be honest in my area (Bristol) they'd be a lot cheaper.

Besides I'm a year or so off buying so I'll weigh it all up then but thanks for the advice! The 10 year guarantee would put my mind to rest, although I'm not sure what exactly it covers.

dubsey

Glen8, we did! Just checked with DH to confirm and he said on both the second (which he blamed me for overloading, hence it coming down) and third (no overloading this time) times. When it did come down it took huge chunks out of the wall.

A lot of things in a new build seem to be related to 'bunging them up quick'. So is this a new thing, to just build as quick as possible and as cheap as possible? Surely this would have been the same in the past?

gfplux

I quote part of Glen8 post
"Generally you pay more for a new build to start with, but can choose the kitchen, carpets, bathroom tiles etc etc"
Where o where has this idea come from that new builds should cost more than second hand. Houses are not cars.
When I bought my first house in 1965 we bought a new build BECAUSE it was cheaper. We could add the extra's in our own time.
When you move into a new build you normally have to add:-
plants, garden structures such as pergola's, curtain fittings, net curtain fittings, blinds, shelves in cupboards, shelves in the garage, door stops and much, much more.
Your neighbours in a new build may be all tenants/absent landlords, short wave radio enthusiasts, pigeon fanciers etc.
Give me the stability of a completed area where I can see some of the obvious problems.
Lets also get rid of this idea that some (I think mainly) younger people have that you SHOULD pay a premium for a new build. The builders have managed a beautiful con in persuading so many of this foolish idea.

Jorgan_2

OP, why not consider a property that is two - three years old? All the snagging issues should have been sorted, the gardens will have been established and more importantly so will the area. You should be able to get an idea what the neighbours are like.