First home: New or old?
Discussion
I don't know if i can make polls?
I am purchasing my first home soon (when i can actually make a decision!), but have been wondering what everyones opinion on the following is...
For a first home, would you buy new, or old?
I have been very surprised by some of my friends' answers, so i'd like to see what the people of PH think!
I am purchasing my first home soon (when i can actually make a decision!), but have been wondering what everyones opinion on the following is...
For a first home, would you buy new, or old?
I have been very surprised by some of my friends' answers, so i'd like to see what the people of PH think!
as above it does depend on time and skills you have. We personally went for a new build due to working 70hrs plus a week and didn't want to spend time then trying to teach myself new trades and doing up a house to a reasonable standard.
We also factored in the fact that the boiler was under warranty, all electrics and plumbing were the latest technology we could wish for, and all windows/doors were new so running costs would therefore be minimal. The downside was that the gardens were small and as mentioned it has very little character, and that new shine everything has soon looses its appeal.
We do wish we had the time to go for something that needed gutting so we could put our own stamp on the place and potentialy make something from all the hard work.
We also factored in the fact that the boiler was under warranty, all electrics and plumbing were the latest technology we could wish for, and all windows/doors were new so running costs would therefore be minimal. The downside was that the gardens were small and as mentioned it has very little character, and that new shine everything has soon looses its appeal.
We do wish we had the time to go for something that needed gutting so we could put our own stamp on the place and potentialy make something from all the hard work.
My first house was a Victorian doer-upper, and while I wouldn't do anything different I probably wouldn't have bought it if I realised what I was getting into.
That said our second house was also a Victorian doer-upper and we've just had an offer accepted on a listed 18th century place, although it doesn't need that much doing to it.
We don't particularly like projects but it's the best way to get what you want.
That said our second house was also a Victorian doer-upper and we've just had an offer accepted on a listed 18th century place, although it doesn't need that much doing to it.
We don't particularly like projects but it's the best way to get what you want.
The idea of old is great, lots of features, lots of character and normally bigger gardens but the reality if you're not motivated to put in the work is living in a project for years.
We've done both and are now two years into living in a new build and of the two I'm happier here. We were in our first place for over 5 years and of that about 4 years were spent stripping all the wood work, painting, plastering, wallpapering etc etc and coming home from work to that was pretty sole destroying.
Fast forward to the new build and we spent the week after exchange painting the place and moving the furniture in and that was it. No nasty surprises behind walls and no stripping anything back. We bought from Bryant and can't fault the build quality. We're in an end of terrace and do not hear the neighbours so as far as I'm concerned the stories about thin walls etc hold no substance. Plenty of people in our development have dirty great plasmas hanging off the wall so as long as you use the correct fixings it will be fine.
Also, you'll get a 2 year guarantee normally and to date Bryant have not let us down with fixing teething troubles. The key thing here is if something goes pop in your old property you pay, if something goes pop in your new build you call them and someone comes round to sort it.
Main negative is the amount of properties on the site. We're lucky as we have a large garden in comparison to our neighbours but we still have around 5 other houses who can easily see into the garden so privacy is limited. Lastly parking is a b
h as they can build a house on the size of 3 spaces so they tend to be an after thought
We've done both and are now two years into living in a new build and of the two I'm happier here. We were in our first place for over 5 years and of that about 4 years were spent stripping all the wood work, painting, plastering, wallpapering etc etc and coming home from work to that was pretty sole destroying.
Fast forward to the new build and we spent the week after exchange painting the place and moving the furniture in and that was it. No nasty surprises behind walls and no stripping anything back. We bought from Bryant and can't fault the build quality. We're in an end of terrace and do not hear the neighbours so as far as I'm concerned the stories about thin walls etc hold no substance. Plenty of people in our development have dirty great plasmas hanging off the wall so as long as you use the correct fixings it will be fine.
Also, you'll get a 2 year guarantee normally and to date Bryant have not let us down with fixing teething troubles. The key thing here is if something goes pop in your old property you pay, if something goes pop in your new build you call them and someone comes round to sort it.
Main negative is the amount of properties on the site. We're lucky as we have a large garden in comparison to our neighbours but we still have around 5 other houses who can easily see into the garden so privacy is limited. Lastly parking is a b
h as they can build a house on the size of 3 spaces so they tend to be an after thoughtI moved into a new house about 15 months ago. It's the first new build I've ever lived in, and I can't believe how shoddy it is. My partner bought it just over 2 years ago, and I spend all my time filling cracks that just appear, planing and repainting doors to make them fit the doorways that go out of square apparently overnight, and rehanging curtain rails, pictures and mirrors. The most annoying thing is getting fixings for the void, then finding you're drilling a dab.
Having said that, there's no chimneys to sweep, the windows keep the draught out, and there's an abundance of places to st or shower, compared to an older house. Everything works, more or less as you'd expect it to. There's not a lot of character about the house.
I reckon the best thing about old houses is not necessarily the quality of the build, but the quality of the neighbours. You'll get a mixture of people that have lived there for ever, and people like yourself, that are new to the area or the street. You'll not get the community feel in a new build on an estate that you get in an area with a bit of history.
I reckon, anyway.
Having said that, there's no chimneys to sweep, the windows keep the draught out, and there's an abundance of places to s
t or shower, compared to an older house. Everything works, more or less as you'd expect it to. There's not a lot of character about the house.I reckon the best thing about old houses is not necessarily the quality of the build, but the quality of the neighbours. You'll get a mixture of people that have lived there for ever, and people like yourself, that are new to the area or the street. You'll not get the community feel in a new build on an estate that you get in an area with a bit of history.
I reckon, anyway.
Ungarsee said:
One tip if you do go new build, arrange your own flooring. We did for no more than the developers quoted and ours is of much much higher quality than the neighbours who took theirs off the developer. Let them build the house but do not let them furnish it as it will be cheap cack.
I moved into an 18 month old house that the previous people didn't decorate, the carpets are all beige and the walls are all magnolia, so you should factor in time/money to decorate the whole place.I have no trouble hanging heavy stuff off the walls, they sound quite flimsy but with decent raw plugs it's fine to hang mirrors, TVs, etc.
First house I bought was with the girlfriend (now wife) and it was brand new. Neither of us had any skills or inclination to do up an older property. We just wanted to go out and enjoy ourselves. Second, current and family home is 1800's cottage that has needed about £60k spending on it to get it the way we want. However it is a keeper and we have no intention of moving if we can help it.
We'll be going old but that's because we want to stamp our identity all over it, and our identity happens not to be generic developer 2011 spec.
Like said if you don't have the time or dedication (believe me the stress I've seen people go through evan when having a house refurbed by builders) then go for new or ready refubed, but like others say be carefull, many new and especially a lot of refurbed properties are completed to appallingly cheap standards.
Like said if you don't have the time or dedication (believe me the stress I've seen people go through evan when having a house refurbed by builders) then go for new or ready refubed, but like others say be carefull, many new and especially a lot of refurbed properties are completed to appallingly cheap standards.
I've known a few people who bought new builds who had quite a few problems with their houses, which the builders didn't manage to fix quickly (in fact one we went to view to buy was three years old and the owner was still in dispute with the developer over an issue with it which he spotted the day he moved in).
As with cars.... 'nearly new' is often the best answer.
I hate DIY, so didn't want an older house, but I didn't want one that was brand new - mostly to avoid waiting around for it to be built, but also, at 3 years old when we bought it (but, strangely, never actually lived in for more than a couple of days at a time by the first owner... she met her other half just after buying it, but before it was built), all the niggling little 'snagging' issues had all be sorted.
I hate DIY, so didn't want an older house, but I didn't want one that was brand new - mostly to avoid waiting around for it to be built, but also, at 3 years old when we bought it (but, strangely, never actually lived in for more than a couple of days at a time by the first owner... she met her other half just after buying it, but before it was built), all the niggling little 'snagging' issues had all be sorted.
98elise said:
New houses...made of cardboard, and fitted on the smallest plot possible. Even the roads are tiny, with no parking.
My current old house (1970's) has off street parking for 4 cars, and a large garden (120ft) and its not even a particularly large house.
Old houses for me
Very true, although the insulation is very good - heating bill is very low and of course the boiler and everything is brand new. I would get a new house first because its more financially viable. Then when u want to start a family or something - then move to a proper house where the walls are not made of cardboard.My current old house (1970's) has off street parking for 4 cars, and a large garden (120ft) and its not even a particularly large house.
Old houses for me
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