To think people can be really snobby/rude about new build houses?

[TheSubtleKnifeAndFork]

Just that really... I know they're not to everyone's taste but since we bought ours we've had some really rude comments about it. One person even asked me outright (with a real sneer) "Why on earth would anyone ever buy a new build?"... We're happy with it, which I know is all that matters, but I'm a bit gobsmacked by some of the outright rudeness about our new home. For example I've never particularly fancied living in a bungalow, but I wouldn't say that to someone who lived in one, or was thinking of buying one!

Don't get me wrong, I love character properties too (our first home was an older house which we renovated) but equally I don't get why buying a new build is so frowned upon? Or is is just my circle of acquaintance where people seem to have an issue with them?

I don't mind what my house looks like from the outside. I'm mostly inside!

I’d LOVE a new build!

I've lived in houses of many ages and sizes. A 17th Century cottage, a 1930's detached, a Victorian flat, a 1970's semi and a new build detached (to name a few).

My period houses were money pits particularly as you tried to replace or restore period features. None were 'naturally warm' unless we pumped a lot of heating into them and bills were enormous.

The cheapest and easiest to live in is our new build. A very small development of mixed styled houses insulated within an inch of their lives. Heating bills are tiny and upkeep next to nothing. Lots of windows allows the sun to beam in and house came with proper chimney allowing us to install a wood burner. Surprisingly for a new build, the gardens are very large and have double driveways.

For me, coming home to a warm, dry and easy to manage home takes the prize - I was happy to leave stained glass, panelled staircases and thatched roofs behind and let someone else enjoy their upkeep.

New builds are not really to my taste, but more than I think they make you really car dependent. They tend not to have amenities within walking distance and often public transport links are poor too.

I am happy in our new build. Pros :
I really like the build and design of our house.
It’s easy to heat and well insulated.
We have a downstairs wc and an en-suite.
We haven’t had any problems with it the 8 years we’re in it.
Our kids love living on an estate with similar aged children to play with and a park.
DH and I don’t spend every Sunday fighting over DIY the way we did in our old houses.
We don’t have wet rot, dry rot a leaky roof or woodworm.
We don’t have mice anymore. 😁

Now the cons:
My living rooms are on the small side.
We don’t have much privacy in our garden.
The garden, which I thought big enough at first, is now too little for all the plants I like.

My home is full of furniture and curtains bought for an old Victorian cottage so looks a bit silly.

Ignore snippy comments and enjoy your house OP!

Oh I’d love a new build! Only ever lived in older houses, sick of correcting other people’s bad DIY.

each to their own i would never say that to someone but i dont like them knowing how cheaply theyre built

We rented a big Georgian farmhouse whilst we built our own house. It was the draughtiest place I had ever been in. The draught through the window frames were so bad that the fancy padded curtains bellowed out into the rooms! Our new house that we designed we put in the best insulation with underfloor heating and a lovely log burner is just bliss.

I don't like them only because they are all so small and I'm used to living in Victorian houses. However, we are saving up to buy and it's almost certain that it'll be a new build we end up with as that's all that's affordable for us. Plus we both work and have three kids, I like the idea of moving somewhere finished and ready so I'm not going to be fucking around with serious DIY jobs in my free time

We live in a three bedroom inter-war semi.

Pros:

Huge rooms other than the third bedroom.
Quiet tree lined road a short walk from a street with shops, pubs, cafes etc.
Convenient for city centre either by car or public transport.

Cons:

Only one bathroom and no room for en-suite. Two loos though.

We once had a new build (1990s) flat and across from us was a Georgian tenement. We could see into the other flats. God, we were cold just looking at the poor bastards huddled in jumpers and throws all Winter.

Chocolate
Someone in your village must have sold the land to the developer to build on. Don't be surprised if someone chooses to buy a house of the Developer.

I bought our house and knew their were objectors to the build (never gave it a thought - they are entitled to their view). However there is now recognition our little development had added life to the village as we've started up clubs, walking groups, dining groups and various village celebrations at Christmas and New Year. We volunteer in the shop, church and do projects to meet community needs. More than one 'objector' has explained their objections were misplaced.

Nobody is entitled to 'a view' and in any case the planners approved the siting - not the house buyer.

If you don't like were you live now you can always move, just like the 'incomers' did. Alternatively, all the villagers and landowners in your locale need to agree never to sell their properties!

To be honest, some people are very rude and opinionated, period.

My cousin moved into a little bungalow one year ago - lovely, cosy, £25 a month to heat, £30 a month electric, snug, rural area, and £65 a week rent (social housing,) and a lifetime tenancy.

A 'friend' of hers who has a 4 bed detached house with 2 en suites, and a £300K mortgage has made at least a dozen bitchy remarks since she moved in. How can anyone rent, waste of money, dead money, surely you want to own, poky, small, in the sticks, wouldn't do for me, and so on.........

She is jealous as hell. And everyone can see it.

These people making bitchy remarks to you OP can piss off. EVERY house was a fecking new build at one time!

Just bought a house off plan due for completion in February.

I can’t wait. I love older houses, DH not so keen but a house is what you make it and our new home will be fabulous. I’m determined it will be perfect.

My nana got a new build council house in 1949, and was looked down on by cousins and friends at the time, as they were all square and 'without character...' Remember the song 'little boxes' ???

About new build homes that look the same? This was in the mid 1960's!

These 'boring drab samey homes' are highly sought after now. Big gardens, lots of storage, pantries, built-in wardrobes, big rooms, separate dining rooms. Lots of advantages...

THIS type.

^

Ignore da haterzzz!

And enjoy your HOME. 🏠

I think the issue with new builds is they tend to be on estates, they go up fast, lots of houses the same style in varying degrees, and usually small plots, the rooms tend to be quite boxy and they have no character.

I also wouldn't fancy one myself, unless I was single maybe, but I can also see the attraction of everything being brand sparkly new. I can't imagine ever telling somone I didn't like their home, and I'd be offended if someone said they didn't like mine. It's polite to tell folks their home is lovely, even if it's not for you,

And as someone said, every home was a new build at some point.

Some people always have to have a dig, I usually respond with, when I want an opinion I'll ask for one, thanks

I think the issue with new builds is they tend to be on estates, they go up fast, lots of houses the same style in varying degrees, and usually small plots, the rooms tend to be quite boxy and they have no character

Some are, by no means all.

I’m in my second new build. Both have had lots of storage and massive rooms. Last one was a flat and now wen have a house with a good sized garden and lots of space. Buildings do not have souls. They are inanimate so I never understand this. We looked at a few older properties, we’d probably need a new boiler, re-wired, horrible decor etc....everything here is new and perfect.

I think that the problem with new builds is that unless you spend a million plus, the new builds are tiny, cramped and really badly built. The walls are usually just plaster board and the look like Lego houses.
Which is fine if that's what you're in to. However, I'm all for older builds as you get larger windows, 10ft ceilings and just more space.

My issues with new built houses ( and am in Australia, so slightly different perspective in some ways) are -

• the majority are not energy efficient in their design. No deep eaves, no big verandahs, no double brick, windows placed so they are in the blaring sun, low pitched roofs that trap heat - all stuff that means an excess of electricity is required to keep them liveable in summer( like multiple air-conditioning units etc.) Power costs are bonkers here already - this seems crazy to me.

• too many rooms in the Mc Mansion style horrors. I mean who actually needs a den, a movie room, a gym, and more bathrooms than there are bedrooms

• the building process usually removes all vegetation that again would help keep the house cool and soften the stark appearance. Sure a certain area around the place is good bush-fire safety practice, but everything is removed on the whole block and nothing replanted for ages.

• identical homes repeated over and over in a street - just shows poor council input and a lack of imagination.

• designs that are out of keeping with 95% of the rest of the houses in the area. Say in a small semi-rural suburb where almost all homes are old style and most newer homes have been built in the design fitting for the area. Then there is this jarring slab built house plonked in the middle with no greenery or hedging to hide it , that looks so out of place in the neighbourhood.

• and they have no history or soul. That's always been part of the reason we've chosen our houses - on the basis of how it felt, and the energy that had been in it.

But - different strokes for different folks at the end of the day, though I do believe all new places should be built to be the most energy efficient they can be and that this should become law.

There's something really appealing to me about a new build and being the first people to live there. Everything is new, there's no dealing with years of ingrained dirt or remnants of previous owners. It really is yours from the get go.
I don't understand the snobbery either. It's about the only possession I can think of where second-hand is considered superior!

Some are, by no means all

Well yes, that's what "tends to be means"

What I never understand on these threads is the vast majority of new builds you see are on estates, small plots, small rooms etc, but no one ever lives in them, everyone lives in new builds on huge plots, with huge rooms etc, so who the hell is living on all these estates?

commander
Think you’ll find building regulations in UK are different. New builds must be energy efficient in UK and ours has the highest category for efficiency - and having a south facing home (getting sun beaming in) costs more .

My first house was a new build on an estate. Tbf it was all we could afford but it was beautiful! No issues with the house in the 6 years we lived there too so I don't think they're all thrown up as some Have said. I'll admit the parking is always a pain on estates though and houses are more crammed together. Gardens are smaller too.

We moved to an 80s house after which actually had far smaller bedrooms than my new build but had bigger downstairs common areas if that makes sense. If we move again I'd consider new build just as much as any other home. Tbh I do miss all the walls, woodwork etc being new with no dents or scuffs!