Page 6 | To hate new builds?

Sello · 2022-05-07T16:29:06+00:00

This will likely be controversial, but my brother and his partner moved into a new build and now my parents are also moving into one. I find there is something soulless about them. The one my parents are moving into is in the process of being built and so they’ve put an offer in and been accepted, even though they’ve never seen it, only the plans. Our house is Victorian and although it does have some problems with damp and insulation, I loved the character as soon as we walked in. My in laws house is around 500 years old, it’s an old farmhouse and it has so much charm and character. I know it’s each to their own, but I just feel like they’re uninviting, like Lego houses and like a hotel or something.

SoggyPaper · 07/05/2022 19:33

Manekinek0 · 07/05/2022 19:27

I find new builds souless and ugly. I especially hate the size of the smallest bedrooms and the gardens.

But they do tend to be more energy efficient and not everyone can afford to/wants to live in a character property.

But they don’t all look the same. Nor are ‘period’ properties all attractive and full of character.

Nor do they all have small bedrooms. The one I had, had 5 large double bedrooms. Easily fit a king size bed you can walk around and still have space for furniture large. Even the smallest room in the house (the downstairs study) was big enough you could have used it as a double bedroom.

i think saying I hate all new builds they are x, y or z is silly. No one loves all Victorian terraces. Some of them are small and dark and damp. Others are lovely. some have original features, some used to, some really never had the nice features in the first place.

Wintersgirl · 07/05/2022 19:33

New builds aren't exempt from ghosts HangOnToYourself it depends the land they're built on...a new build estate not too far from me was built on the site of a Victorian asylum, there's been some odd goings on there apparently..

MrsDThomas · 07/05/2022 19:37

I absolutely loathe them. Bland, plain, just boring. Zero life in them.

prefer my 250+ yr old cottage with lots of period features and history. It has a story to tell.

StatisticallyChallenged · 07/05/2022 19:38

bellac11 · 07/05/2022 19:06

I havent seen new builds with 'plenty of parking', they normally come with garages that you cant fit a car in, which necessitates parking on the small drive or the road which isnt big enough to get past in cars but some do have 'allocated' parking which would also drive me mad

We have a garage described on another (now deleted) thread on here as being "a football field of a garage" when someone posted a floorplan of a similar house. It's a solid double. We currently have two cars sitting on the drive and ours is one of the smaller drives on the street, there are some which could comfortably take 6. There's a parking bay directly opposite our house which has space for 3 and is only occasionally full, mainly from trades/gardeners etc or guests rather than residents. There are several other similar bays around the estate so pretty much nobody has to actually park on the main road but if they do it's still big enough to get past. So yes, plenty of parking here.

nokidshere · 07/05/2022 19:39

I love my 'new build' which I was the first to move into 20yrs ago.
It's spacious, warm, maintenance free even after 20 years.
Easy to decorate. Plenty of parking, lots of green and trees.

And it has character because we have it some.

You just can't say all new builds are crap.
If you don't like them no one is asking you to live in one.

HangOnToYourself · 07/05/2022 19:39

Wintersgirl · 07/05/2022 19:33

New builds aren't exempt from ghosts HangOnToYourself it depends the land they're built on...a new build estate not too far from me was built on the site of a Victorian asylum, there's been some odd goings on there apparently..

Fair point, thankfully mine just has a few dinosaur ghosts and a caveman so far.

Trafficjamlog · 07/05/2022 19:39

I'm not against new builds as such, it's the massive estates they're on I don't like, Individually the houses are quite nice.._

what a stupid comment. Some are on a large estate some aren’t. Ours is a massive estate of 6 houses

Weightlossanne · 07/05/2022 19:40

bellac11 · 07/05/2022 19:06

I havent seen new builds with 'plenty of parking', they normally come with garages that you cant fit a car in, which necessitates parking on the small drive or the road which isnt big enough to get past in cars but some do have 'allocated' parking which would also drive me mad

The garage in our new build is larger than the one with our previous 1980s house, plus we have parking for two cars.

PlasticineMeg · 07/05/2022 19:41

I totally agree with you, biggest regret I have is moving into a new build. No character, and the neighbours house looks exactly the same. I hate it here

MissusMaisel · 07/05/2022 19:42

Snobby bullshit. I have a huge new build with massive rooms, solar panels, A++ rating, good sized garden, and it's not fucking souless, it's my home.
Are you always so rude and judgmental?

Ahgoonyegirlye · 07/05/2022 19:42

Each to their own. Some people don’t want the cost, or can’t afford the cost, of the upkeep of older houses. It is endless.

ChiefWiggumsBoy · 07/05/2022 19:46

Melonportal · 07/05/2022 17:33

YANBU to have your preferences but YABU to create another thread sneering at new builds. Just don't live in one.

I voted YABU for this reason.

MissusMaisel · 07/05/2022 19:46

MrsDThomas · 07/05/2022 19:37

I absolutely loathe them. Bland, plain, just boring. Zero life in them.

prefer my 250+ yr old cottage with lots of period features and history. It has a story to tell.

Christ. Insufferable

PlanBea · 07/05/2022 19:50

Not all new builds are created equal. Ours has large rooms, detached and on a good sized plot. Our gas bill is practically nonexistent as it's South facing and so efficient. Some new builds are small, paper thin walls and weird shaped rooms, but it doesn't mean all of them are.

TiddleyWink · 07/05/2022 19:52

I find these threads bizarre, you do realise that not all ‘new’ houses are one homogenous type that are all the same? Also:

All houses were new once and the old character homes that some people coo over were out of fashion and sneered at once. These things are cyclical and it’s silly to think you’re the first generation to turn up your noses at the current housing fashion.

Older homes are horribly inefficient in comparison. I find it interesting that so many who are sneery and snobby about new builds are middle class types who are all about being environmentally conscious…just not when it comes to their home apparently. They also often have 3 kids yet fail to consider that a growing population means more new houses are needed…

OP, perhaps your ageing parents like the idea of moving into a new property which should have pretty much zero maintenance required. Your inability to see their choice through their eyes shows a lack of empathy.

Sometimes buying a new property is the only option. If you’re privileged to be able to get on the ladder without one of the schemes that are often restricted to new builds, good for you. It wouldn’t hurt to be more aware year not everyone has the same options you do. Some people also can only scrape together the finances to buy but simply can’t risk the bills of unexpected repairs or renovations that uncover all sorts. Newer properties are a safer choice if your finances are precarious.

Some older properties can be really unpleasant, for all their character. We moved into our house full of original features but the state the previous owners left it in all but ruined moving day and cost is financially. It’s not that hard to understand that for some people, moving into a home with dog food and worse scattered across the floor isn’t appealing?

FWIW I don’t see myself buying a new build mainly because they tend to come on large estates which aren’t to my taste. But I would never sneer at people who do, same as I wouldn’t sneer at people who make all manner of choices that I wouldn’t but that just come down to personal taste.

And think yourself lucky that lots of people like new builds - imagine what would happen to house prices for the current housing stock if there was no viable way to build and sell homes for the ever growing population!

NamechangeFML · 07/05/2022 19:54

Id love to buy not a new build, but here we are buying one! Have you seen the market?

FleurDeLizz · 07/05/2022 19:55

MrsDThomas · 07/05/2022 19:37

I absolutely loathe them. Bland, plain, just boring. Zero life in them.

prefer my 250+ yr old cottage with lots of period features and history. It has a story to tell.

Nasty damp cottage with wonky ceilings and floors. No thanks. My lovely warm new build is much better.

MrsDThomas · 07/05/2022 19:55

Absolutely not insufferable. Its bloody lovely.

what happened to voicing an opinion eh? Fuck me. Sensitive.

StoneofDestiny · 07/05/2022 19:56

All the same, inadequate parking, soulless and cramped - oh wait, they are old builds!

MrsDThomas · 07/05/2022 19:56

Oh, nasty and damp? 😂😂😂 its not a cave.

HangOnToYourself · 07/05/2022 19:57

TiddleyWink · 07/05/2022 19:52

I find these threads bizarre, you do realise that not all ‘new’ houses are one homogenous type that are all the same? Also:

All houses were new once and the old character homes that some people coo over were out of fashion and sneered at once. These things are cyclical and it’s silly to think you’re the first generation to turn up your noses at the current housing fashion.

Older homes are horribly inefficient in comparison. I find it interesting that so many who are sneery and snobby about new builds are middle class types who are all about being environmentally conscious…just not when it comes to their home apparently. They also often have 3 kids yet fail to consider that a growing population means more new houses are needed…

OP, perhaps your ageing parents like the idea of moving into a new property which should have pretty much zero maintenance required. Your inability to see their choice through their eyes shows a lack of empathy.

Sometimes buying a new property is the only option. If you’re privileged to be able to get on the ladder without one of the schemes that are often restricted to new builds, good for you. It wouldn’t hurt to be more aware year not everyone has the same options you do. Some people also can only scrape together the finances to buy but simply can’t risk the bills of unexpected repairs or renovations that uncover all sorts. Newer properties are a safer choice if your finances are precarious.

Some older properties can be really unpleasant, for all their character. We moved into our house full of original features but the state the previous owners left it in all but ruined moving day and cost is financially. It’s not that hard to understand that for some people, moving into a home with dog food and worse scattered across the floor isn’t appealing?

FWIW I don’t see myself buying a new build mainly because they tend to come on large estates which aren’t to my taste. But I would never sneer at people who do, same as I wouldn’t sneer at people who make all manner of choices that I wouldn’t but that just come down to personal taste.

And think yourself lucky that lots of people like new builds - imagine what would happen to house prices for the current housing stock if there was no viable way to build and sell homes for the ever growing population!

This post is spot on!

StoneofDestiny · 07/05/2022 19:57

Traditional styles with none of the problem of old builds - because they are new builds!

FleurDeLizz · 07/05/2022 19:58

MrsDThomas · 07/05/2022 19:56

Oh, nasty and damp? 😂😂😂 its not a cave.

Oh I’m sorry I thought we were making ignorant sweeping statements about something we know nothing about. You went first, after all

SookieHouseboat · 07/05/2022 19:58

MrsDThomas · 07/05/2022 19:55

Absolutely not insufferable. Its bloody lovely.

what happened to voicing an opinion eh? Fuck me. Sensitive.

Fuck me. Insensitive.

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 07/05/2022 19:59

I'm intrigued - lots of people commenting that older houses generate more dust. Damp, I can understand, but why dust? My house is 1920s and it certainly feels more dusty than my last (1970s) house, but I'd always assumed it was because I had lower standards in those days.

Can anyone shed any light on the matter?