Would you buy a new build home?
Discussion
I've just bought my second new build home and its by far better in terms of quality than the first.
I'd never heard of the builder and it seems they only build relatively small developments not massive estates etc.
I submitted my snagging list last week with 11 very minor items and I am quite picky.
The good thing about new builds, them snagging items will fix themselves.....
I'd never heard of the builder and it seems they only build relatively small developments not massive estates etc.
I submitted my snagging list last week with 11 very minor items and I am quite picky.
The good thing about new builds, them snagging items will fix themselves.....
Edible Roadkill said:
Ahbefive said:
Edible Roadkill said:
Integroo said:
Edible Roadkill said:
l
Not sure what builder you are looking at but I dislike persimmon homes you'll do well to avoid.
Not sure what builder you are looking at but I dislike persimmon homes you'll do well to avoid.
The one in now initials TW is miles better.
You pay your money you take your choice.
We bought a new build in September last year, my sister bought a 1950's end terrace place in March this year.
when we compare notes on issues ours tend to be cracking, creaking and doors not closing as the place settles. Hers seem to be dangerous electrics bodged by generations of DIYers, hidden nasties under carpets/behind wallpaper and tasteless décor.
It seems very yin and yang, old and new properties have snags, but just differing kinds.
when we compare notes on issues ours tend to be cracking, creaking and doors not closing as the place settles. Hers seem to be dangerous electrics bodged by generations of DIYers, hidden nasties under carpets/behind wallpaper and tasteless décor.
It seems very yin and yang, old and new properties have snags, but just differing kinds.
Another new build home owner here 
We bought our place from Charles Church (supposedly "posh" Persimmon) 4 years ago, sacrificing location in order to get out of renting. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, small garden but garage and 1 parking space (plus an unofficial 3rd space) and so far no regrets.
Positives:
- Cheaper and easier to get on the housing ladder
- You move straight into a ready to live in home, freshly decorated, with new kitchens, bathrooms, etc.
- Very energy efficient (we pay about £35/month total for gas/electric for the 2 of us in a 3 bed property)
- Peace of mind/financial security - eg. you're not going to be hit with a bill for something like a new roof any time soon.
- No chain!
Negatives:
- Hit and miss on the after-sales
- Being the first owner you're going to have to deal with any shoddy building work
- Postage stamp sized garden (but on the plus side, small = low maintenance)
- If you're one of the early ones to move in you have to live on a building site - 4 years on some parts of our estate are yet to be completed. Not too bad now as it's not near us, but some roads and pavements still need tarmacking.
- If you want to decorate you're limited for the first couple of years while the house settles.
- Limited parking - most homes have 2 official spaces (or garage + 1 space) but there's very few other options due to the way its designed.
There's also the issue of social housing if that's the sort of thing that bothers you. We've got a few near(ish) us but to be honest other than the obvious lack of care for the garden it's not too bad. Perhaps we're just lucky but before we bought the salesman pointed out where the social homes were on a map so we could see there was a bit of a buffer.
At some point in the next 3-5 years I think we'll move on to a non-new build place, purely because we'd like something with a bit more land and room for parking, which most new builds don't offer. But as a first home I can't fault our current place.
We bought our place from Charles Church (supposedly "posh" Persimmon) 4 years ago, sacrificing location in order to get out of renting. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, small garden but garage and 1 parking space (plus an unofficial 3rd space) and so far no regrets.
Positives:
- Cheaper and easier to get on the housing ladder
- You move straight into a ready to live in home, freshly decorated, with new kitchens, bathrooms, etc.
- Very energy efficient (we pay about £35/month total for gas/electric for the 2 of us in a 3 bed property)
- Peace of mind/financial security - eg. you're not going to be hit with a bill for something like a new roof any time soon.
- No chain!
Negatives:
- Hit and miss on the after-sales
- Being the first owner you're going to have to deal with any shoddy building work
- Postage stamp sized garden (but on the plus side, small = low maintenance)
- If you're one of the early ones to move in you have to live on a building site - 4 years on some parts of our estate are yet to be completed. Not too bad now as it's not near us, but some roads and pavements still need tarmacking.
- If you want to decorate you're limited for the first couple of years while the house settles.
- Limited parking - most homes have 2 official spaces (or garage + 1 space) but there's very few other options due to the way its designed.
There's also the issue of social housing if that's the sort of thing that bothers you. We've got a few near(ish) us but to be honest other than the obvious lack of care for the garden it's not too bad. Perhaps we're just lucky but before we bought the salesman pointed out where the social homes were on a map so we could see there was a bit of a buffer.
At some point in the next 3-5 years I think we'll move on to a non-new build place, purely because we'd like something with a bit more land and room for parking, which most new builds don't offer. But as a first home I can't fault our current place.
Integroo said:
Edible Roadkill said:
l
Not sure what builder you are looking at but I dislike persimmon homes you'll do well to avoid.
Not sure what builder you are looking at but I dislike persimmon homes you'll do well to avoid.
About 5 or so years back we were thinking hard about moving out into the sticks and and viewed a few new builds. Location was good and my wife fell in love with the show house (estate was about 75% complete) and it was a great house that we almost signed up there and then.
For one reason or another, things did not work out as planned but then 2 years ago we were back in house move mode and we decided to revisit the estate as there were a few of the type of house we originally looked at up for sale.
Jesus wept! Virtually every front door had faded, windows were peeling, cracks here and there, everything creaks (doors, windows, floors, stairs), seemingly no maintainence on common areas and it was oh so soulless that I thought they were due to start filming the next 28days Later film. Absolutely dead during the day. Sort of place where you’d order off Amazon everyday just to see the courier turn up and convince yourself that the zombie apocalypse hasn’t yet begun.
Not for me and I’m sure there’s plenty of quality builders out there but this lot put me right off. Research your builder carefully.
DonkeyApple said:
I don’t think the new build element is relevant. What you are looking at is being in your 20s and instead of living in the city centre of a great city where you can walk everywhere, be among a diverse range of people all living life considering moving out to a Soviet Workers housing gulag for cultural assimilation?
You’re in your twenties and you want to go and live where everyone is identical, driving identical cars to identical places, owning identical dogs and with identical wives and all seething with barely hidden contempt and loathing for everything around them and themselves while all desperately hoping for the sweet release of death?
You want all of that while you are still free and clear instead of waiting until you have young children when it might make sense?
“Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a f
king big television, Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin can openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose a three piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fk you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fked-up brats you have spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life . . . But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life: I chose something else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you’ve got heroin?”
It’s worth noting that heroin isn’t the only alternative but rather living in a city centre making the absolute most of what a great city centre like Edinburgh can offer you when you are young and without children. There will be a time later in life when suburbia makes sense.
^Agreed. I think the major question is location here given your current work/life balance, especially in a great city like Edinburgh.You’re in your twenties and you want to go and live where everyone is identical, driving identical cars to identical places, owning identical dogs and with identical wives and all seething with barely hidden contempt and loathing for everything around them and themselves while all desperately hoping for the sweet release of death?
You want all of that while you are still free and clear instead of waiting until you have young children when it might make sense?
“Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a f
king big television, Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin can openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose a three piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fk you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fked-up brats you have spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life . . . But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life: I chose something else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you’ve got heroin?”It’s worth noting that heroin isn’t the only alternative but rather living in a city centre making the absolute most of what a great city centre like Edinburgh can offer you when you are young and without children. There will be a time later in life when suburbia makes sense.
If you can get clinical grade diamorphine, I'd recommend it over street heroin btw.
toddler said:
Moving house is expensive with legal fees, estate agents, stamp duty etc. so it makes sense to move as little as you can.
Also unfortunately true so the temptation is to buy something that will last.Never.
If I was to be something 'modern' it would have to be at least ten years old to be confident it was going to stay upright. Also a community is established by then so you can get a proper feel for things.
As for build quality, horses for courses. I stayed in one where you could hear someone touching themselves at the other end of the house. How a family could face growing up with that little privacy that is beyond me.
If I was to be something 'modern' it would have to be at least ten years old to be confident it was going to stay upright. Also a community is established by then so you can get a proper feel for things.
As for build quality, horses for courses. I stayed in one where you could hear someone touching themselves at the other end of the house. How a family could face growing up with that little privacy that is beyond me.
I bought a 9 year old Charles church and it’s been great. With the exception of the dicky boiler that the previous occupier forgot to disclose I only spend money on decor updates, unlike my prior house which was circa 1900. The gardens are a useable but manegeable size, and the room sizes very decent. Double garage and 3 car drive. Buy on the edge of the estate and you can have nice open space behind you. Narrow roads and inconsiderate parking is a risk but the benefit is that you get virtually zero traffic outside your home if it’s in a culdesac.
I like character proporties but unless spending major coin, most people confuse character with old. If it’s a detached Victorian villa that’s lovely, but your 4 bed Victorian terrace with no parking and a yard is usually just an “old” house, with limited character that doesnt offset its shortcomings.
I like character proporties but unless spending major coin, most people confuse character with old. If it’s a detached Victorian villa that’s lovely, but your 4 bed Victorian terrace with no parking and a yard is usually just an “old” house, with limited character that doesnt offset its shortcomings.
g3org3y said:
^Agreed. I think the major question is location here given your current work/life balance, especially in a great city like Edinburgh.
This is a concern. I work long hours, often 10-12 hour days in busy periods. I can't drive to work in Edinburgh. Do I really want to add a lengthy bus commute onto that? I think a house near a train station would be okay but bus or park and ride would be a bit tiresome. DonkeyApple said:
“Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fking big television, Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin can openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose a three piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fk you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fked-up brats you have spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life . . . But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life: I chose something else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you’ve got heroin?”
Choose designer lingerie, in the vain hope of kicking some life back into a dead relationship. Choose handbags, choose high-heeled shoes, cashmere and silk, to make yourself feel what passes for happy. Choose an iPhone made in China by a woman who jumped out of a window and stick it in the pocket of your jacket fresh from a South-Asian Firetrap. Choose Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and a thousand others ways to spew your bile across people you've never met. Choose updating your profile, tell the world what you had for breakfast and hope that someone, somewhere cares. Choose looking up old flames, desperate to believe that you don't look as bad as they do. Choose live-blogging, from your first wking big television, Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin can openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose a three piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fk you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fked-up brats you have spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life . . . But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life: I chose something else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you’ve got heroin?” k 'til your last breath; human interaction reduced to nothing more than data. Choose ten things you never knew about celebrities who've had surgery. Choose screaming about abortion. Choose rape jokes, slut-shaming, revenge porn and an endless tide of depressing misogyny. Choose 9/11 never happened, and if it did, it was the Jews. Choose a zero-hour contract and a two-hour journey to work. And choose the same for your kids, only worse, and maybe tell yourself that it's better that they never happened. And then sit back and smother the pain with an unknown dose of an unknown drug made in somebody's fking kitchen. Choose unfulfilled promise and wishing you'd done it all differently. Choose never learning from your own mistakes. Choose watching history repeat itself. Choose the slow reconciliation towards what you can get, rather than what you always hoped for. Settle for less and keep a brave face on it. Choose disappointment and choose losing the ones you love, then as they fall from view, a piece of you dies with them until you can see that one day in the future, piece by piece, they will all be gone and there'll be nothing left of you to call alive or dead. Choose your future, Integroo. Choose life.But seriously, it makes little difference. My 1970s council house is built of cardboard and plasterboard but works well. My mates new build is very efficient, well insulated, and full of mod-cons. His shower still leaks, mind.
Also depends where in Edinburgh - Leith is central enough to be considered town, Cramond is lovely and like a village within a city. Both would make great places to live. Anywhere else out of town? You know, really, where you want to be. Is having one of the best cities in the UK outside your front door, with all the bars, clubs, and entertainment that offers worth living in a smaller place for 2 years?
Condi said:
Choose designer lingerie, in the vain hope of kicking some life back into a dead relationship. Choose handbags, choose high-heeled shoes, cashmere and silk, to make yourself feel what passes for happy. Choose an iPhone made in China by a woman who jumped out of a window and stick it in the pocket of your jacket fresh from a South-Asian Firetrap. Choose Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and a thousand others ways to spew your bile across people you've never met. Choose updating your profile, tell the world what you had for breakfast and hope that someone, somewhere cares. Choose looking up old flames, desperate to believe that you don't look as bad as they do. Choose live-blogging, from your first wk 'til your last breath; human interaction reduced to nothing more than data. Choose ten things you never knew about celebrities who've had surgery. Choose screaming about abortion. Choose rape jokes, slut-shaming, revenge porn and an endless tide of depressing misogyny. Choose 9/11 never happened, and if it did, it was the Jews. Choose a zero-hour contract and a two-hour journey to work. And choose the same for your kids, only worse, and maybe tell yourself that it's better that they never happened. And then sit back and smother the pain with an unknown dose of an unknown drug made in somebody's fking kitchen. Choose unfulfilled promise and wishing you'd done it all differently. Choose never learning from your own mistakes. Choose watching history repeat itself. Choose the slow reconciliation towards what you can get, rather than what you always hoped for. Settle for less and keep a brave face on it. Choose disappointment and choose losing the ones you love, then as they fall from view, a piece of you dies with them until you can see that one day in the future, piece by piece, they will all be gone and there'll be nothing left of you to call alive or dead. Choose your future, Integroo. Choose life.
But seriously, it makes little difference. My 1970s council house is built of cardboard and plasterboard but works well. My mates new build is very efficient, well insulated, and full of mod-cons. His shower still leaks, mind.
Also depends where in Edinburgh - Leith is central enough to be considered town, Cramond is lovely and like a village within a city. Both would make great places to live. Anywhere else out of town? You know, really, where you want to be. Is having one of the best cities in the UK outside your front door, with all the bars, clubs, and entertainment that offers worth living in a smaller place for 2 years?
The, the problem is more we can't afford to buy centrally as we need much more cash up front due to properties going above home report value, so the option is buy a new build or rent for longer and save to buy a two bed flat in the centre. k 'til your last breath; human interaction reduced to nothing more than data. Choose ten things you never knew about celebrities who've had surgery. Choose screaming about abortion. Choose rape jokes, slut-shaming, revenge porn and an endless tide of depressing misogyny. Choose 9/11 never happened, and if it did, it was the Jews. Choose a zero-hour contract and a two-hour journey to work. And choose the same for your kids, only worse, and maybe tell yourself that it's better that they never happened. And then sit back and smother the pain with an unknown dose of an unknown drug made in somebody's fking kitchen. Choose unfulfilled promise and wishing you'd done it all differently. Choose never learning from your own mistakes. Choose watching history repeat itself. Choose the slow reconciliation towards what you can get, rather than what you always hoped for. Settle for less and keep a brave face on it. Choose disappointment and choose losing the ones you love, then as they fall from view, a piece of you dies with them until you can see that one day in the future, piece by piece, they will all be gone and there'll be nothing left of you to call alive or dead. Choose your future, Integroo. Choose life.But seriously, it makes little difference. My 1970s council house is built of cardboard and plasterboard but works well. My mates new build is very efficient, well insulated, and full of mod-cons. His shower still leaks, mind.
Also depends where in Edinburgh - Leith is central enough to be considered town, Cramond is lovely and like a village within a city. Both would make great places to live. Anywhere else out of town? You know, really, where you want to be. Is having one of the best cities in the UK outside your front door, with all the bars, clubs, and entertainment that offers worth living in a smaller place for 2 years?
Perhaps I'll see if there's any luxury new builds in central areas - get less for your money but might be worthwhile.
Integroo said:
The, the problem is more we can't afford to buy centrally as we need much more cash up front due to properties going above home report value, so the option is buy a new build or rent for longer and save to buy a two bed flat in the centre.
Perhaps I'll see if there's any luxury new builds in central areas - get less for your money but might be worthwhile.
Ah, gotcha. Ummmm..... bank of Mum and Dad? Perhaps I'll see if there's any luxury new builds in central areas - get less for your money but might be worthwhile.
Kinda comes down to what YOU and your gf want to do. Where is your heart? Just do that, you'll be unhappy with anything else.
But as for any reason why you shouldnt/cant buy a new house? Non at all. They build 150k or however many a year. Cant be that much intrinsically wrong.
Condi said:
Ah, gotcha. Ummmm..... bank of Mum and Dad?
Kinda comes down to what YOU and your gf want to do. Where is your heart? Just do that, you'll be unhappy with anything else.
But as for any reason why you shouldnt/cant buy a new house? Non at all. They build 150k or however many a year. Cant be that much intrinsically wrong.
Sadly not. It's frustrating as the bank will lend us a massive amount of money, much more than we need! Kinda comes down to what YOU and your gf want to do. Where is your heart? Just do that, you'll be unhappy with anything else.
But as for any reason why you shouldnt/cant buy a new house? Non at all. They build 150k or however many a year. Cant be that much intrinsically wrong.
Lots to ponder.
No because we did.
Many years ago we bought a lovely house and it was but imthe garden was tiny 30 foot long FFs what’s all that about.
Old houses have plot size for families new builds do not.
New builds have small rooms
New builds have not enough off road parking
New build estate 15 years after opening in my experience change to rather run down areas
Many years ago we bought a lovely house and it was but imthe garden was tiny 30 foot long FFs what’s all that about.
Old houses have plot size for families new builds do not.
New builds have small rooms
New builds have not enough off road parking
New build estate 15 years after opening in my experience change to rather run down areas
Having lived in a 4yo (relatively) new build for 4 years, no, never again.
The thing was cheaply thrown up with poor quality materials, bodges everywhere, paperthin walls, just problem after problem. ]
Now live in a 1970's house so still relatively modern, but made of much sterner stuff.
The thing was cheaply thrown up with poor quality materials, bodges everywhere, paperthin walls, just problem after problem. ]
Now live in a 1970's house so still relatively modern, but made of much sterner stuff.
I would never buy a new build house solely based on my experience as a litigator that has dealt with a fair few construction disputes. They may be perfectly fine until something goes wrong and then you are banging your head up against a brick wall (pun intended) in my experience. Many developers are impossible to deal with normally, and drag out the most obvious issues for aeons.*
Frustrating for me, far worse for my clients; at least any "snagging"/bodging by previous owners in my little Victorian place that have needed doing over the years are mine to deal with. It must be awful going in eyes wide open and expecting near perfection (perhaps naively) having paid a premium for it, to then spend an inordinate amount of time dealing with any issues that may arise.
*NHBC guarantees may be relatively effective in certain circumstances, but are not the magic bullet that some think they are.
Frustrating for me, far worse for my clients; at least any "snagging"/bodging by previous owners in my little Victorian place that have needed doing over the years are mine to deal with. It must be awful going in eyes wide open and expecting near perfection (perhaps naively) having paid a premium for it, to then spend an inordinate amount of time dealing with any issues that may arise.
*NHBC guarantees may be relatively effective in certain circumstances, but are not the magic bullet that some think they are.
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