New build houses

[Lloyd90]

Anyone had any experience of new build houses?

 

As always, I have heard some developers are much better than others. I have also read online some horror stories and stories of endless problems.

 

Something I would question , are the more expensive ones (£300k+) a higher standard than the cheaper ones? Or do they all equally suffer problems?

 

One thing my cousin has mentioned, some are apparently just timber frame whilst others are double block built, he said only go for the double block!

 

We are off to have a look at a show home tomorrow with Barrett.

[whitehackle]

most are the same regardless of price. also I have worked on a site that the show home was build far superior to the houses they where selling! they used better tradesmen and better materials.

[novice cushie shooter]

In scotland they all tend to be of the same build quality, thrown up quickly. Its the finishes that cost extra. Ie in cala homes they use more expensive knobs and handles and a better quality door etc. Thats what your paying for. Cant move for new builds near me its verging or the ridiculous tbh.

[Mice!]

I would look at the number of houses being built and the spacing as much as anything my brother in law is in a new build and needed a few bits sorting but not much but it was only 8 houses I think added to an already established street,

 

That's the thing I don't like about new builds it the way they sometimes cram them in, but as your looking at investment its just long term selling on that would concern me.

[Lloyd90]

I would look at the number of houses being built and the spacing as much as anything my brother in law is in a new build and needed a few bits sorting but not much but it was only 8 houses I think added to an already established street,

 

That's the thing I don't like about new builds it the way they sometimes cram them in, but as your looking at investment its just long term selling on that would concern me.

This one is with a view to live in with my partner

 

Would be left with enough to purchase a 3 bed semi / terraces to rent hopefully.

 

Not sure whether to just buy an older house that's nicer and live in it though!

[Mice!]

I suppose with an older house you know what the area is going to look like, the last time we moved was because we were having a look how the b-i-L house looked and what he was moving too.

 

I thought with you asking about auctions elsewhere it was an investment, do you think it will be a forever house? With new build its a clean slate not getting other peoples bad diy and if there are problems the house is under warranty.

 

Normally once the site is finished the prices jump up but not guaranteed also if its a big build then you may have to live on a building site for sometime.

 

You also don't tend to get big gardens or the instant wow of curb appeal but it will develope over time.

 

Guess it will come down to where in the country you are me and the missus enjoy watching most of the house and diy progs and it always amazes us the price difference from one area to another.

 

Good luck

[loriusgarrulus]

A lot of new builds are leasehold not freehold. Something to watch out for.

[button]

In scotland they all tend to be of the same build quality, thrown up quickly. Its the finishes that cost extra. Ie in cala homes they use more expensive knobs and handles and a better quality door etc. Thats what your paying for. Cant move for new builds near me its verging or the ridiculous tbh.

In scotland they all tend to be of the same build quality, thrown up quickly. Its the finishes that cost extra. Ie in cala homes they use more expensive knobs and handles and a better quality door etc. Thats what your paying for. Cant move for new builds near me its verging or the ridiculous tbh.

Same in Fife! Popping up everywhere

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, if a company called Bellway there was something about the land on which the property was built on ? maybe worth checking

[winnie&bezza]

Pretty much all just whacked up ****. Internal walls being constructed of metal studwork and plasterboard so fixings for things are a nightmare. There is a development just down the road from me and a lot of the houses are £800,000+ and the brickwork on the show home was terrible! If I had that amount to spend then it certainly wouldn't be on a new build. The 'tradesmen' on these sites are anything but.

[team tractor]

My house is a 60's house and it was terrible until I've rebuilt it.

My parents house was a self build ( not my parents) and the finish was shocking .

I'm currently working on a few £300k houses renewing the stairs and it's paramount boarding .i hate the stuff as you really can't find a fixing .

 

I think it's a game of luck.

 

15 years ago the lads were on £200-600 a day on site ( really) so rushed chasing the money.

Currently the prices are around £10 an internal door so they really are throwing them up to try and earn a penny.

 

It's all a gamble

[Walker570]

Just had some flash looking houses built in the next village. You would be hard pushed to slide a copy of Shooting Times between them, just enough space for one car, so the street is going to be full of parked cars. The walls initially went up, lifted up by crane, where timber frames filled with insulation and then skinned with brick. My home is not quite new build (1650s) stands on sandstone blocks, no footings to talk about. Solid oak beams everywhere and the bricks are like glass. The amazing thing is, it is cool in the summer and warm in the winter. I would not buy one of these new houses today, garbage. OK have one built to your spec, yes.

Edited April 26, 2017 by Walker570

[fortune]

are the more expensive ones (£300k+) a higher standard than the cheaper ones? Or do they all equally suffer problems?

Around here you might be lucky to get a house the size of a garden shed for that. Every land shark is trying to ram up massive 5 bedroom houses on a postage stamp. It is possible to do a deal and buy a house up front before they are finished and do the work yourself if you have the ability. A bloke I worked with did this and saved a lot of money. He came across​ all sorts of things that he got on to the builder about which would have been covered over and got them rectified.

[db135]

My friend bought a new build about 4 years ago 4 bedroom detached from a big name in new builds dosent matter were you look the build quality is terrible even down to the silicone around windows mess whole thing just thrown together with no pride in the workman ship

[wandringstar]

I bought a new build terrace in 2001, you could hear the neighbour stirring his tea in the kitchen, rubbish didn't come close to the soundproofing, the room sizes were laughable, they couldn't even turf the garden properly, they just threw turfs on top of builder waste.

 

When I moved in, they had forgotten to wire up the oven, and had forgotten the shower screen.

Edited April 26, 2017 by wandringstar

[oowee]

If you buy new you are buying something at the top of the market. A percentage of your purchase is new everything in the property. It will generally be tighter on space inside, outside and on the estate than a comparable older property. Its also always possible to build more so your opportunity for growth is likely to be more restrained by new supply.

With older property you are likely to get more of everything. Its not possible to build more.

 

In UK sellers rarely quote sq ft. I would divide the price of any house by its sq ft dimensions to help work out value for money.

[Lord v]

I rate TW, Linden and Cala. Not to say they aren't without their horror stories though.

 

A lot depends on the site manager, a good one will keep everything in order and actually quality check stuff.

 

Every plot on a site will be built the same as far as possible, keeps costs and subbies to a minimum.

 

Top tip is to brutal when snagging on your final walk round. Pick up everything and anything. Check every detail, even obvious stuff that should be done right. (Door frames square, level counter tops etc )

[kingo15]

I've done a couple of final inspections for friends on new houses. The finish and equipment can be shocking. One friend has had nothing but issues with his 500k house.

[manthing]

We looked around some of the mew builds they are throwing up around here, as I've been in the trade since school I see thing others don't I also did my apprenticeship mainly in new build.

Also did a stint as a site agent for a house builder.

From dpc we had to build a 3 bed detached in 12 weeks or a 4 bed with integrated garage in 14 weeks. These times will be even shorter now.

Of the local ones David Wilson seemed to have got it about right.

[wandringstar]

If you buy new you are buying something at the top of the market. A percentage of your purchase is new everything in the property. It will generally be tighter on space inside, outside and on the estate than a comparable older property. Its also always possible to build more so your opportunity for growth is likely to be more restrained by new supply.

With older property you are likely to get more of everything. Its not possible to build more.

 

In UK sellers rarely quote sq ft. I would divide the price of any house by its sq ft dimensions to help work out value for money

yes I always refer to sq ft, but agents never mention it, and its not something that people discuss, I don't know why, I always go to the floorplan, by the way, always check the sq ft that's being claimed.

Edited April 26, 2017 by wandringstar

[yod dropper]

About 10-15 years ago there was a(nother) massive development near me being built by big name national building companies and I know that one was building with bricks and the other timber frames and fronting the houses with brick.

[bentbarrel]

I've bought and lived in 2 new builds since 2007, the only reason I moved was to get a bigger house and have had no issues whatsoever. Yes there isn't as much land/space as an older property and some of the internal walls are plasterboard but it's worry free living, most appliances are new and guaranteed, the structure itself is guaranteed for 10 years and any quality issues get fixed straight away.

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, i would go the auction way, south wales aucton house web site, when you find something suitable get a survey done/ check out deeds/ planning/ re build costs/ VAT / capital gains tax/ what rent could you get in area.

[Bigbob]

New houses we are getting 65,000 new houses built here but there calling Edinburgh's rural expansion scheme as the folk cant afford to live in the capital take a tape measure with you because they put 3/4 sized beds in instead of a double as it makes the bedroom look bigger same with the furniture its made smaller in the show houses , Theres a lot of snagging faults here and a lot of horror storys here i think its pot luck which company you go for

[Lloyd90]

I suppose with an older house you know what the area is going to look like, the last time we moved was because we were having a look how the b-i-L house looked and what he was moving too.

 

I thought with you asking about auctions elsewhere it was an investment, do you think it will be a forever house? With new build its a clean slate not getting other peoples bad diy and if there are problems the house is under warranty.

 

Normally once the site is finished the prices jump up but not guaranteed also if its a big build then you may have to live on a building site for sometime.

 

You also don't tend to get big gardens or the instant wow of curb appeal but it will develope over time.

 

Guess it will come down to where in the country you are me and the missus enjoy watching most of the house and diy progs and it always amazes us the price difference from one area to another.

 

Good luck

Yes mate, at present I'm renting with my partner.

 

I was older going to uni so had some savings and also was left some money.

 

So I'm on the lookout for 1) a house for me and my gf to live in and 2) possibly a second place to rent out considering how mad the Bristol house prices are.

 

Or another option might be to just put all of it on one house and live in it. Although the way prices are going if I don't buy 2 soon I'll never be able to afford to again.