Why are new builds teeny tiny?

[Baptiste11]

Went to view a new housing estate yesterday and had a look round the show home. Well. It was tiny. It was a 3 bed semi with parking for 2 cars but inside I could not believe the room dimensions.

The kitchen/diner had a small table and chairs in, the lounge was so tiny it only had a small two seater and an armchair. The family bathroom had no window and was tiny. The master bedroom did have a small fitted wardrobe but the other two bedrooms had no wardrobe space and were furnished with only a bedside table and dressing table - no room for a chest of drawers etc

For the price of what was obviously meant to be a family home I couldn’t believe how small it was. The thought of spending lockdown in the tiny living room made me shudder. There was also nowhere anyone could work from home - no room for a desk and chair.

How do developers get away with building such tiny properties?

Apparently most of the development is sold out & there is a waiting list for the next phase!
And you have to pay a service charge and a grounds fee every year (which they can increase whenever they want) just for the pleasure of living there!

I can't understand why people would choose one of these when they could get an older larger house cheaper

Because older houses mean greater cost of upkeep and potential hidden maintenance costs. With a new build you get a 10 year warranty, building regulation and planning approval certification and usually a dedicated customer service team and maintenance team to fix any snags (although admittedly some of them are rubbish!).I think a lot of people have become quite risk adverse when it comes to property. With a new build you know in theory it should be built to the latest safety and building regulations ie sound insulation, fire etc and you'll have a warranty from somewhere like the NHBC to back it up

Profit. Tiny houses on tiny plots, squished together, for very big price tags.

Britain is one of the few countries where it’s acceptable to talk about “Rooms” rather than Sq metres/Area. It’s a con.

Impressive new build 4 bedroom property only £425,000!
(80 sq metres)

Also the lack of chain is appealing - no chance of being gazumped or the vendor changing their mind

Also most developers will part exchange your current property so you don't even have the stress of having to sell it yourself

There are loads of advantages

But the small rooms sizes would still put me off every buying one

@twinningatlife

I can't understand why people would choose one of these when they could get an older larger house cheaper

Because older houses mean greater cost of upkeep and potential hidden maintenance costs. With a new build you get a 10 year warranty, building regulation and planning approval certification and usually a dedicated customer service team and maintenance team to fix any snags (although admittedly some of them are rubbish!).I think a lot of people have become quite risk adverse when it comes to property. With a new build you know in theory it should be built to the latest safety and building regulations ie sound insulation, fire etc and you'll have a warranty from somewhere like the NHBC to back it up

Those warranties aren't worth the paper they are written on.

My sister bought a new build off plan (do NOT do this!)

Tiny tiny garden (the width of the house and about 3 mtrs long!) Kept flooding and turning the grass into a swamp. She had astro turf fitted eventually. No storage, no loft/attic as it was a 3 story 5 bed job)

The housing company sold them AND their neighbour the same bit of land (at the side of the house) it's on both their deeds!

My sister was told it was her solicitors fault for not noticing.

She had sewage coming up through the dining room floor, damp, kitchen appliances not working as they weren't fitted properly, roof issues....

Dhs friend bought a new build and his snagging list had 118 things on it.

I would not touch a new build with a barge pole.

I will be telling my own dc to look for ex council properties in areas of high house ownership, or properties built before 1985.

@twinningatlife

Also the lack of chain is appealing - no chance of being gazumped or the vendor changing their mind

Also most developers will part exchange your current property so you don't even have the stress of having to sell it yourself

There are loads of advantages

But the small rooms sizes would still put me off every buying one

You don't get anywhere near Market value for part exchange

@doscervesas

Years ago I sat down in an armchair in a showhouse to adjust my sandal and could hardly squeeze into it, even though fairly slim.

That was when I realised they often furnish with extra small furniture.

It was about twenty-five years ago so not recent.

Same here, about the same time ago - I lay down on a 'double bed' to get a feel for the room, and realised they had used a 4ft double. The bedroom had a single built-in wardrobe, and nowhere for a chest of drawers.

I know of several property developers. Their own houses are gigantic mansions on huge plots of land.

How unfair to ask them to reduce their massive profits / own homes by enlarging the new builds.

Plus, they seem to know how to lobby to perhaps ensure their profits aren’t diminished by better building regs or say, having to pay additional taxes?

It’s only the little people who have to actually live in these houses after all.

It's common practise for showrooms to have 2/3 sized furniture in them...

It's even quite noticeable on some photos

You don't get anywhere near Market value for part exchange

Off to Google! Is that true?
I thought you got the middle valuation out of 3?

There's a new housing estate in a city location not far from me and its awful, they are mainly 3 stories high and so tightly packed in, each garden is overlooked by several houses.
The roads are awful too with no pavements.
They all sold though so a lot of people must think they're great.

My cousin just looked at buying a new build, the houses there cost an absolute fortune.
There's room in the kitchen for a slim fridge and a washing machine, that's it. No space for a dishwasher and or dryer. He was told he could keep a tumble dryer in the small shed at the top of the garden if he wanted to. You can't even open the kitchen door and the oven door at the same time or they would hit each other.

I don’t know why people are moaning about garden size. I’m a keen gardener and I see lots and lots of eye sores where people cannot be bothered to maintain their gardens. Quite laughable to read really.

Also isn’t it obvious why people would avoid buying an ex council house. I was brought up on a council estate so I feel I can speak freely about it. It’s absolutely not for me now.

@Onlinedilema

Also isn’t it obvious why people would avoid buying an ex council house. I was brought up on a council estate so I feel I can speak freely about it. It’s absolutely not for me now.

So was I.

Which is why I said ex council property in a high home ownership area.

The council estate road I was brought up on is now 2/3 private owned.

...and very sought after

Garden size is also about plot size. If there’s a good size garden, the houses also have more space between them. So many new builds are dark inside because of all the houses close to them.

Yes so is mine but it still isn’t for me. Neither is it for dh who was also brought up on a council estate. Each to their own but I imagine that’s why you get more for your money, it’s not all about size.

@Ghosttile

Garden size is also about plot size. If there’s a good size garden, the houses also have more space between them. So many new builds are dark inside because of all the houses close to them.

Very true!

My sisters house had her (miniscule) garage in front of her (tiny) front room window???

SO dark in there even on very sunny days.

I've noticed this happening more often..surely it takes out so much natural light?

@Onlinedilema

Yes so is mine but it still isn’t for me. Neither is it for dh who was also brought up on a council estate. Each to their own but I imagine that’s why you get more for your money, it’s not all about size.

If that's how you feel it's valid

Sadly so few decent sized non new build family homes coming up for sale so people are forced into buying new builds really.

Lots of reasons for the above ^

People living longer, not downsizing (so many older people living in huge houses no longer suitable with gardens they can't maintain...)

Family break ups, 2 parents needing (smaller) accommodation.

I work in this area and truly believe the government needs to put some realistic regulation on living space sizes into law. I've worked on studio flats where you can sit on your bed and cook dinner.

@LivingDeadGirlUK

I work in this area and truly believe the government needs to put some realistic regulation on living space sizes into law. I've worked on studio flats where you can sit on your bed and cook dinner.

Absolutely 💯

My brother visited a friend in his 2 bed new build.

He told me he could sit on sofa and reach out and touch the TV!!!!!

It cost his friend nearly £200k.

They all sold though so a lot of people must think they're great.

They probably feel like they have no other option & it's preferable to a lifetime renting.