New Home Developer, which one?!
Discussion
I'm guessing it's a similar question to "how long is a piece of string".
MrsKeys and I are talking about moving, and we'd like to take into consideration new homes too.
Mainly because, apart from a snagging list, everything is done. In addition to that, there are some financial packages that could be useful for a quicker move.
Financial packages aside though, is there a general top 10 list of developers that show which people tend to favour?
Areas that we are looking at seem to have a mixture of Taylor Wimpey and David Wilson (Barratts).
MrsKeys and I are talking about moving, and we'd like to take into consideration new homes too.
Mainly because, apart from a snagging list, everything is done. In addition to that, there are some financial packages that could be useful for a quicker move.
Financial packages aside though, is there a general top 10 list of developers that show which people tend to favour?
Areas that we are looking at seem to have a mixture of Taylor Wimpey and David Wilson (Barratts).
We are currently 12 months into a brand new Linden home and it’s been brilliant. We went quite in depth with our snagging list, but even then almost everything on it was superficial touch up’s. They’ve fixed everything on our snagging list, and things that weren’t on the list that we didn’t even notice. We just gone through a second round of snagging after 11 months where they’ve come round and fixed all the settlement cracks and any other issues we’ve had.
Knowing what some people go through with new houses, I have absolutely no complaints. They even fixed the wall for me for free when I drilled through a pipe and had to hack a big hole out to patch up the pipe.
Knowing what some people go through with new houses, I have absolutely no complaints. They even fixed the wall for me for free when I drilled through a pipe and had to hack a big hole out to patch up the pipe.
It’s not the developer, it’s the site manager.
Two separate developments of exactly the same houses, materials etc will differ greatly in quality depending on management
That’s why you also see “my persimmon home is utter crap” then next comment “my persimmon home is great, almost perfect since day 1”
Two separate developments of exactly the same houses, materials etc will differ greatly in quality depending on management
That’s why you also see “my persimmon home is utter crap” then next comment “my persimmon home is great, almost perfect since day 1”
Echo the comments above - most will all be a mixed bag and a bit of pot luck unfortunately.
With that in mind look for developers who put customers first - things like 5* HBF will indicate which are more likely to come back and out things right.
Once you’ve got a list of developers that you’re happy will get you there in the end, it’s then more about finding the right house type in the right area.
Of the big’uns, I think Redrow probably do the nicest house. David Wilson are also nice.
With that in mind look for developers who put customers first - things like 5* HBF will indicate which are more likely to come back and out things right.
Once you’ve got a list of developers that you’re happy will get you there in the end, it’s then more about finding the right house type in the right area.
Of the big’uns, I think Redrow probably do the nicest house. David Wilson are also nice.
Ours is Charles Church (Persimmon) and although sorted now the problems we had were ridiculous and timely to get everything done. They did give us some freebies to compensate such as a huge drive extension, free back lawn and upgraded kitchen with breakfast bar. Now it may sound like I'm trying to put you off but, in all honesty, from the main builders, they were and still are one of the best in terms of layout and room size.
We've looked at a lot of new builds recently as we're thinking of moving to a new town but the houses that had good layouts, all of the rooms seemed to be 3/4 of the size of ours. We went to see a Barrat house last month and the kitchen family room was too small and there was a huge open utility area off the family bit and a massive downstairs loo. The layout was truly odd. Why not just make the living area bigger, the utility closed off and a small downstairs loo? All you need is a small room with a toilet and sink. This one could fit a sofa in. Totally wrong use of space.
We've looked at a lot of new builds recently as we're thinking of moving to a new town but the houses that had good layouts, all of the rooms seemed to be 3/4 of the size of ours. We went to see a Barrat house last month and the kitchen family room was too small and there was a huge open utility area off the family bit and a massive downstairs loo. The layout was truly odd. Why not just make the living area bigger, the utility closed off and a small downstairs loo? All you need is a small room with a toilet and sink. This one could fit a sofa in. Totally wrong use of space.
I think a lot is down to attention to detail by the site managers.
I've bought two new builds in the past and there were a lot of niggly annoyances mainly due to a site manager with a 'that will do' attitude.
If I was going to do it again I would do things like visit on a very rainy day and look to see if all the gutters flow properly, does the driveway puddle etc. Then look at things internally like well positioned tiles and neat grout lines, well fitted skirts which are not chock full of caulk, windows which haven't been scuffed where they've laid in the yard. All very simple things and they can be rectified but they are indicators of poor attention to detail so there is a good chance bigger things like the damp proofing are also sub standard.
I've bought two new builds in the past and there were a lot of niggly annoyances mainly due to a site manager with a 'that will do' attitude.
If I was going to do it again I would do things like visit on a very rainy day and look to see if all the gutters flow properly, does the driveway puddle etc. Then look at things internally like well positioned tiles and neat grout lines, well fitted skirts which are not chock full of caulk, windows which haven't been scuffed where they've laid in the yard. All very simple things and they can be rectified but they are indicators of poor attention to detail so there is a good chance bigger things like the damp proofing are also sub standard.
z4RRSchris said:
am a developer
i would snag the s
t out of the place with a professional before you complete. And refuse to complete until you have agreement on all the items and a timetable.
This is good advice. We had a builder friend snag ours and our original list was 185 items long. We weren't being picky either, these were big things like a dent in the kitchen bench, missing kick board, a garden fence that followed the contours of the dumped soil rather than being straight and flat! It grew to nearly 200 by the time we discovered a few other things. All recorded on email. We had a major issue with the external garage which took over 4 years to fix but as we had it logged, they couldn't worm their way out of it. All sorted now so you have to be tenacious, patient and resilient. All things I used to be but less so now I'm grumpier and older. i would snag the s
t out of the place with a professional before you complete. And refuse to complete until you have agreement on all the items and a timetable. toon10 said:
Ours is Charles Church (Persimmon) and although sorted now the problems we had were ridiculous and timely to get everything done. They did give us some freebies to compensate such as a huge drive extension, free back lawn and upgraded kitchen with breakfast bar. Now it may sound like I'm trying to put you off but, in all honesty, from the main builders, they were and still are one of the best in terms of layout and room size.
We've looked at a lot of new builds recently as we're thinking of moving to a new town but the houses that had good layouts, all of the rooms seemed to be 3/4 of the size of ours. We went to see a Barrat house last month and the kitchen family room was too small and there was a huge open utility area off the family bit and a massive downstairs loo. The layout was truly odd. Why not just make the living area bigger, the utility closed off and a small downstairs loo? All you need is a small room with a toilet and sink. This one could fit a sofa in. Totally wrong use of space.
Charlie Church are good plots, Ashberry homes is the Bellway equivalent, Davidsons again good plots but as said, site agent, contract manager and construction directors on that site make a big difference to the level of finish. We've looked at a lot of new builds recently as we're thinking of moving to a new town but the houses that had good layouts, all of the rooms seemed to be 3/4 of the size of ours. We went to see a Barrat house last month and the kitchen family room was too small and there was a huge open utility area off the family bit and a massive downstairs loo. The layout was truly odd. Why not just make the living area bigger, the utility closed off and a small downstairs loo? All you need is a small room with a toilet and sink. This one could fit a sofa in. Totally wrong use of space.
I wouldn't rule out local family run new builds that maybe only have 2 or 3 sites in a county at a time, sometimes they're not as quick to move on to new ways of building, they stick to what they know but they also have good levels of quality as like with car dealers it is their name on the plot and it is easy to slate a firm for a bad job. More so now with the internet.
I am a developer and have sat on the boards of some of those mentioned
No housebuilder sets out to do a bad job
Some have better specs than others and spec will vary depending on location and market
Site manager is important in terms of quality, so look at other units on the site
Snag it several times during build and don't be afraid of setting out issues in writing
Identify when their year end is, you may get a better deal if you can complete by year end
No housebuilder sets out to do a bad job
Some have better specs than others and spec will vary depending on location and market
Site manager is important in terms of quality, so look at other units on the site
Snag it several times during build and don't be afraid of setting out issues in writing
Identify when their year end is, you may get a better deal if you can complete by year end
It was said above about same developer and different sites. Twice we've moved within the same development for a bigger house. Once in the same street. Quality even a few doors away can vary somewhat. Certainly as a used purchase it can make a big difference as to how accepting the first owner was.
Another point, assuming you get a good un. New builds aren’t all done, despite being ‘done’
All the kinds of jobs you might want to do like shelves, built in cupboards, wardrobes etc seem to be required, and more difficult, in new build houses.
Than all the doors. Adjusting after carpets fitted. Settling.
My snagger chap said mine was good for a new build, but I seem to still have a list of tasks to do just adding basic functionality, or getting things nice and homely, or rectifying bad bits here and there (ie, shoddy decorating on fine cracks that’d been previously fixed)
Not a gripe at new builds by any means. Just pointing out that a new build doesn’t equate to no jobs to be done…
All the kinds of jobs you might want to do like shelves, built in cupboards, wardrobes etc seem to be required, and more difficult, in new build houses.
Than all the doors. Adjusting after carpets fitted. Settling.
My snagger chap said mine was good for a new build, but I seem to still have a list of tasks to do just adding basic functionality, or getting things nice and homely, or rectifying bad bits here and there (ie, shoddy decorating on fine cracks that’d been previously fixed)
Not a gripe at new builds by any means. Just pointing out that a new build doesn’t equate to no jobs to be done…
austinsmirk said:
Just be careful that some of the site isn’t affordable housing. Ironically if it is, it’ll probably be better and better snagged than the sold units as it’ll have professionals all over it before accepting ownership.
Planning pretty much means all sites will have affordable housing. But it comes in many tenure types and like all housing some of the residents will be great and done bell ends. The most complaints I have ever had about neighbours on a new build was on a site of 17 homes that now are easily £2m each. One of the purchasers was worse than any social housing tenant I have ever come across.
blueg33 said:
I am a developer and have sat on the boards of some of those mentioned
No housebuilder sets out to do a bad job
Some have better specs than others and spec will vary depending on location and market
Site manager is important in terms of quality, so look at other units on the site
Snag it several times during build and don't be afraid of setting out issues in writing
Identify when their year end is, you may get a better deal if you can complete by year end
This, especially some have better specs .No housebuilder sets out to do a bad job
Some have better specs than others and spec will vary depending on location and market
Site manager is important in terms of quality, so look at other units on the site
Snag it several times during build and don't be afraid of setting out issues in writing
Identify when their year end is, you may get a better deal if you can complete by year end
We work with quite a few of the usual subjects ( Although we are canning Persimmon) And the best specs we get are from Croudace. They use lead where others use GRP ( Dormers/bay windows etc) And are the only developer that builds some fat into the programme. We’re told that if we foresee a delay, let’s bring it up in a meeting so everyone can adjust. It will only be a few days, but that rush rush you get off other house builders nagging about getting their CML’s isn’t there. And the improved end product shows.
blueg33 said:
I am a developer and have sat on the boards of some of those mentioned
No housebuilder sets out to do a bad job
Some have better specs than others and spec will vary depending on location and market
Site manager is important in terms of quality, so look at other units on the site
Snag it several times during build and don't be afraid of setting out issues in writing
Identify when their year end is, you may get a better deal if you can complete by year end
A couple of sites I work on the site managers are very good but then get overruled by the contract manager with stupid deadlines, even going so far as telling 2nd fix trades to get plots finished before I had even started in them (tape/jointed) because apparently that gets the plots finished faster No housebuilder sets out to do a bad job
Some have better specs than others and spec will vary depending on location and market
Site manager is important in terms of quality, so look at other units on the site
Snag it several times during build and don't be afraid of setting out issues in writing
Identify when their year end is, you may get a better deal if you can complete by year end
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