Didcot and Taylor Wimpey Homes

[CookieDoughKid]

I'm considering buying a new build on the Great Western estate in Didcot by Taylor Wimpey. Anyone bought a home from this developer recently? Any strong views on Didcot? The power station apparently is being demolished next year which is great news as its a huge blot on landscape. Commute into London is very good. Theatre, cinema and shops all there. So why is it so cheap compared to other Oxford places?!!

[CookieDoughKid]

callmenancy why is that then?

[Onesleeptillwembley]

Not recently, but I bought a Taylor Wimpey home. Avoid, avoid, avoid. Dangerous (seriously - deadly) electrics. Then neighbours had same after they'd promised to check other houses, would be 5 minutes to check at the meter. Liars, incompetent, shoddy, dangerous. Oh, did I mention to avoid?

[minibmw2010]

We have a Taylor Wimpey home, this is our 9th year here, we have been very happy with it. Just redecorating now, only one appliance has needed replacing and the sound proofing between us and neighbours is ver good

[CookieDoughKid]

mini sound proofing on floors ok? I think it depends on the site manager and how well your property is managed during build which may affect quality??

[Onesleeptillwembley]

The site manager had a bearing, yes, but the company lied and left other people in danger.

[MrsAlwaysRight]

Didcot is fine. I wouldn't personally choose to live on GWP because of the location. I've also heard that the properties are extremely close together (even by modern estate standards). I'm not sure what facilities will be available on the estate when it's completed but I would assume that you would be living amongst ongoing building work for some considerable time due to the vast number of houses to be built there.

Whilst a lot of people are concerned about the number of houses on the new estate I don't think people would hold it against anyone who chooses to move there!

[CookieDoughKid]

Cool! Thank you for the update.

[ToddleWaddle]

Bil and sil live there. Hate it and anxious to move. Very little to do restaurants pubs etc.
They do enjoy proximity to Oxford and ease of commute to London.
Apparently low crime too.

[Mum2Fergus]

Can't speak for the area but would never buy a TW home ever again...

[minibmw2010]

Sound proofing within the house is not 100% but it's ok, realistically it's what happens when it's a new house I think regardless of developer.

[HaveToWearHeels]

I have a Taylor Wimpy house for five years, I love it, really spacious nice size garden. We had a few cosmetic problems but they were all fixed within 6 months. Agree though it depends on the site manager on the finish, some of the earlier ones on our development are shoddy. First site manager was sacked as properties were running over, mortgage offers expiring (it was 2008), second one was fantastic and the delays worked in our favour.

[dizzyday07]

I live in a village outside Didcot but in a new David Wilson home!

The shops in town are limited so more suited to day to day needs but its easy to get to Reading or Newbury or Oxford if you need bigger stores.

The development is huge and stretches between 2 roads into Didcot and is encroaching upon one of the outer villages which is why there is opposition to it. I believe there is talk of a new primary school and most probably a secondary will be needed too especially when it is all built and full!

[CookieDoughKid]

Thanks Dizzy. I hope you are enjoying your DW home! If you could provide one tip with dealing with a new build developer, please pass on here! Thx!!

[ThermoLobster]

As other people have said, the site manager is key. Schmooze him or her. They do surveys once you are in. This can be used for bribery! Don't take any nonsense. Do a very detailed review when you move in. Note everything that is not 100%. Put all snags in writing. We bought DW and love it. mainly because they gave us skips for the first couple of weeks so we could chuck stuff out as we unpacked

[ThermoLobster]

Don't know that area or development but TW over the road from us, and I haven't heard many complaints.

[MyBachisworsethanmybite]

If you want to move to Didcot, move to Didcot proper where everything is in walking distance, not that estate which is a couple of miles away out near the A34.

My first home of my own was in Didcot and it's a nice enough place with excellent transport links and far better shops now than then.

No views on Taylor Wimpey, just think the location is a bit rubbish.

[MyBachisworsethanmybite]

Oh and it's cheap because it's not a historic market town or a pretty village. But I'd rather live there than, say, Abingdon which is not nearly as easy to get in and out of.

[MrsAlwaysRight]

One of my friends is in a David Wilson house not on that development but nearby (possibly same village as Dizzy) she hasn't had any problems and has found the site manager very agreeable to doing extra work for her (possibly as she held off on completing the survey!)

They have come and put up extra bathroom cabinets, hung mirrors, mowed her lawn and all sorts! Her neighbour has also managed to get them to do lots of extras for free. So it definitely pays to develop a good relationship with them.

[CookieDoughKid]

thanks all for your input. I'm now considering Didcot 'proper' like Ladygrove and Wheatfields estates where they are more established!!

Hope to see more family properties in rightmove soon as there seems to be a dearth in Didcot!!

[MyBachisworsethanmybite]

There are loads of family houses in Didcot - but people do tend to stay in them.

Another thing is that it doesn't have any really bad areas. (Somewhat balanced by the dearth of really nice ones, of course)

[MrsAlwaysRight]

Don't know much about Wheatfields but Ladygrove is on the whole a nice estate to live on. Close to train station and an easy walk into the town. There is a family friendly pub on the estate, couple of shops, nursery, leisure centre, football club as well as good sized playground and two small lakes.