ME Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 We are on the search for a new place and we have found two new houses that are being built on a plot locally to us. I did a drive past tonight and stopped to chat to the builder and to have a look around. At the moment they are built externally but if we had a deal, we could specify the internal fittings. By coincidence, I happen to know the owner of the holding company of this building company, they are a large concern and not a fly by night outfit. The same guy has built three houses locally and told me to get a reference from the other owners - he is confident of his abilities and reputation. The only downside is that the house isn't as big as we would like, but the upsides seem to outweigh that. I would appreciate some ideas for stuff to double check with the builder as far as the spec and finish etc. I don't want to buy the place making assumptions and then feel flat when it isn't exactly what I wanted. Thanks all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 built on a flood plain ? if it is insurance will be expensive . Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun4860 Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 (edited) If its not as big as you would like, then would it just be a stopgap house or a forever house? (not worth speccing it up to move shortly) If size is an issue (ooeer) then will Mrs ME be wanting to move again if the right sized house came up. If the size IS an issue then I would be waiting for now. However, do you know and trust the right trades to buy it as a shell then you can specify exactly what finish you wanted? Edited May 9, 2012 by shaun4860 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ME Posted May 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 (edited) If its not as big as you would like, then would it just be a stopgap house or a forever house? (not worth speccing it up to move shortly) If size is an issue (ooeer) then will Mrs ME be wanting to move again if the right sized house came up. If the size IS an issue then I would be waiting for now. However, do you know and trust the right trades to buy it as a shell then you can specify exactly what finish you wanted? We have looked at 20+ houses now and the market isn't great. There are not many houses and most are over priced. We are currently in rented and need to be out by November or move and rent somewhere else. I look at house criteria as ticking ten boxes, this one ticks 9/10. None of the other houses have come close. (the best other at about a 7/10) This thread isn't about the decision, it is about pitfalls in buying new. Like Harnsers answer above. We would buy it finished. We aren't looking to project manage the rest of the build. Edited May 9, 2012 by ME Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlistairB Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 I/we bought new. upside: we had all the stuff done that we wanted as part of the contract of sale it was big enough the house was what we wanted we got a reasonable deal we had a year of snagging calls that they fixed the builders/plumbers/sparkies were on site when we moved in so any problems they came round and sorted we could choose the flooring (most of which has been replaced) when the en suite shower flooded the utility room, the builders sorted the whole thing out for nothing downside: we had to pay to get the lawns turfed everything was magnolia the kitchen floor tiles lifted after 3 years so we replaced them the plumbers knackered a plumbing joint trying to fix it Go for it, the upside is with you really. AB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ME Posted May 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 With regards to the size, it isn't a small house. It has 4 bedrooms but 3 have en suites, that take a bit of the bedroom space. It is a trade off. We have two boys so en suites would work well for us. The reason I mentioned the size is that we have been spoilt in our current rental house. As far as the difference between our old house and this new house, it does offer us more space and a much bigger garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lister1 Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 I would say renting is dead money anyway. I used to rent an apartment just outside oxford, when I looked back and added it up it cost me over 32 grand. So I thought I may aswell get a deposit and buy somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampire Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 The plans and works specification must be there for you to look over,as for finish,go and look round one or more they have completed. Get a proffesional to snag it for you,as mentioned before,its far easier whilst they are on site as opposed to claiming through the warranty,which has its pitfalls/headaches. You could employ the services of an architect/surveyor to oversee the build quality for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 I'd avoid anything with more than a couple of shopping trolleys and or wizz / spew / blood stained mattress' in the garden. Likewise plywood windows, evidence of fire and / or 'paedo' sprayed up the side in a semi literate 4ft font would make me inclined to look elsewhere. Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatcatsplat Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 Make sure the floors fit with no gaps - This will save you a lot of grief later on. Have you had the place checked by a priest, just in case of malevolent spirits, doorways to hell and stuff? Are the bin men regular? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Albert Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 If it's on Busty Island then you better make sure the mooring to the mainland is permanent or you could find yourself floating down the Thames with some rather unsavourary objects from London. :o :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuji Shooter Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 Are the bin men regular? There is always Prunes if not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 (edited) If you don't have kids and plan to, make sure you are within the catchment area of a good school. Sometimes a few hundred metres in the wrong direction means you are outside The catchment of that school. Edited May 10, 2012 by Cosd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul T Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 Look for cheap shortcuts / minimum specs, which all depends on the house price. If it's a mass produced detached on an estate it will likely be built to a lower spec than if it's a select development of 6. Personally I have a minimum spec that I would expect in a new house. These are all things that would either cost a fortune change or things you are stuck with. Only you know whether you can live with them or not: Floors - Are they joisted and chipboard deck or beam & block or insitu concrete? If timber, do they bounce/squeak or sound downstairs. Partition walls - do they sound solid? I'd want every one double thickness plasterboard at least, pref blockwork. Doors and frames - Cheap, lightweight doors or are they solid core? Good quality ironmongery? Plumbing fittings - Good quality bathroom suite, kitchen sink etc? Good quality brassware? Kitchen cupboards - Build quality? Finish? Windows - uPVC or timber/steel hybrid? Quality and locking mechanisms? A cautionary tale: A mate bought a house with a cheap B&Q wc pan and found he couldn't replace the loose toilet seat without removing the pan. But because it was short coupled to the cistern, that had to move as well. Thing is they'd tiled up to it and so the tiling had to be replaced. End result was a loose toilet seat cost him over a grand to fix! Even seemingly small jobs can end up costing a fortune... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
working dog Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 Pros - should get a good deal not having a chain Cons - Nothing to do to a new house once you have the inside and outside to your liking (or is that a pro ?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 (edited) personally I don't think I'll ever buy new I just don't like how houses are built these days and the lack of character and general space. However if you are seriously contemplating it then the obvious ones are how are the finances going to work, obviously you want to lay out as little as possible till its finished to keep the builder keen and reduce chances of him going pop. Obviously you can credit check the company etc but little tends to show up till they are really in trouble. The other thing to check is whether in the planning they have removed any permitted development rights etc to stop you extending it in the future. If they haven't then obviously you may at a later date be able to cure the size problem. Obviously you have been looking for a fair while so know what properties have been hanging about and might take a cheeky offer, lots round here are going for far less than advertised once they have been on the market 6 months or more. My current one was a tender job and really we got it cheap and 9 months later we have the house we want for something like 60K less than its worth now having done a full renovation on it. The days of easy money in property are long gone but if you are looking for a house to do up to live in then the bargains are out there you just have to look past little things like mouse infestations and old biddy decoration Edited May 10, 2012 by al4x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canis Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 my advice on buying a brand new home- clarify exactly what is included so there are no suprises - new builds frequently do not include things like curtain rails! I would also ask for all internal plasterboard walls to be plywood backed if they are still at the early build stage ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 I'd avoid anything with more than a couple of shopping trolleys and or wizz / spew / blood stained mattress' in the garden. Likewise plywood windows, evidence of fire and / or 'paedo' sprayed up the side in a semi literate 4ft font Have you had the place checked by a priest, just in case of malevolent spirits, doorways to hell and stuff? Also avoid Injun burial grounds and pet cemeteries. Also if there is a well in the garden leave, um, well alone.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polester Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 Most new builds are built to a set price with a set spec and if you want to up spec it you will have to pay the extra. It really depends on the standard build spec as to the quality and this will be reflected in the price. House building is quiet at the moment so most developers will do a bit extra to get a sale but that wont mean thousands of extras thrown in but you might get things like the lawn turfed or a bigger patio if you haggle. If you can choose the lay out then you can ask for things like extra sockets or high level sockets for wall mounted tv's as it's cheap to do at 1st fix stage but v expensive after. Before you exchange do a snagging list of any major things you don't like but be fair nothing is perfect if you look hard enough. Does the house come with plastic fascia and soffet as wooden can be a pain to maintain depending how easy access is and how high the house is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ME Posted May 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 Thanks for all the replies. I took Mrs ME and her friend round to look this morning and discussed all the points raised, and more! We weren't looking for a new house, but this one is on a larger than normal plot for a new build (90 foot rear garden) and the builder comes highly recommended. Mrs ME was pleasantly surprised about the size of the rooms upstairs and is excited about having the input for the spec and finish. We made an offer while we were there and await a call back. Keeping everything crossed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeds chimp Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 we bought a new house and any snags the builder came round himself. When the boiler next dont went got a brand new one with a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashman Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 Will the mortgage valuation meet the new build valuation placed on the property by the developer? Mortgage lenders now shy away from including a new-build premium when valuing and you may find there's a difference between the price you agree to buy and what the mortgage company's surveyor thinks it's worth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ME Posted May 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 Will the mortgage valuation meet the new build valuation placed on the property by the developer? Mortgage lenders now shy away from including a new-build premium when valuing and you may find there's a difference between the price you agree to buy and what the mortgage company's surveyor thinks it's worth. I have been watching these houses for a while and they are recently reduced. We have no estate agents involved and obviously as we are in a good position, I have made a low bid. We have looked at 15+ other houses and have a good feel for local values. I can only hope that the valuer agrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 Hi It would be useful to you to know whether the dwelling comes with any sort of NHBC/LA Building Control 'warranty' - and what this includes should things go awry................ L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ME Posted May 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 Yes NHBC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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