Is this normal? New Builds

[Lemonade84]

I bought a new build property two and a half years ago (England)- the new build is on a cul-de-sac and when I bought it 3 properties were complete with 10 left to build. I was told all houses would completed within a year. The contractor is a local contractor and not one of the big companies so the houses are built to brilliant standard and I’ve never had any issues with my home.

2.5 years later and there are still 4 houses to be finished-I've had 2.5 years of disruption (on and off) work men outside blasting music, the road is still a dirt track and ruining the car, lorries up and down throughout the day blocking me in my house. I WFH and so on a hot day there is always noise outside so I have to keep the windows closed all day.

I spoke to the site manager a few months ago who said it was due to lack of building materials/backlog since covid which I totally understand, but still think 2.5 years is a joke for 14 houses and I can imagine there is still at least another 6 months until the remaining 4 houses are complete (I wouldn’t be surprised if the situation is the same this time next year.) I know for a fact one reason for the delay is because they moved the workforce to another site which needed to be completed by a deadline and so the cul-de-sac was untouched for a good 4 months last year.

AIBU to think that if you bought a new build property on a small cul-de-sac with a completion date for the site to be done within a year it should be done by now? Is there anything I can do legally?

YANBU- I would be mad too
YABU-you bought a new build on an unfinished street- just deal with it.

The other houses won't be part of your contract

The other houses are nothing to do with you.

I can’t see that you can do anything but I do think they’re making excuses. In my area Covid causes a few months delay but other than that everything has gone up as planned

YANBU. I'd be annoyed too, that's a quarter of a decade!

But I guess maybe that's why you got the home for the price you did? Brilliant workmanship but it doesn't come for free, I suppose, without the profits other larger firms can make, they can't afford to work as quickly as others.

It's annoying, but I doubt there's anything you can do about it.

they probably need forward sales to fund the remaining builds, and aren't having much luck securing buyers for the unbuilt properties yet. That's the case with a lot of large scale builders ar the moment too. They will never build out more than a few units at a time without knowing they have buyers secure.

Correct, they are nothing to do with me. My frustration is that I've lived on a half built cul-de-sac with pretty much constant daily disturbance for 2 and a half years. Really getting me down now.

I work in manufacturing and you would t believe the huge delays we’ve had, 330 days late for some parts, I’ve heard building materials and trade can be the same, plus there’s still on going staffing issues and rising costs.

id say it is what it is and just be patient.

It's annoying - but the end is in sight!!

Building materials + labour have been shocking in both availability and price.

Don't let this annoyance ruin your home for you, you'll appreciate it so much when they've all left and you've got a lovely quiet place to live!

Absolutely normal. They told you what they needed to to sell the house and unfortunately you believed them (understandably) but its all about money.

It’s annoying for you but material shortages and labour shortages are still a very real issue. Insulation materials for instance have just gone back in allocation (ie rationing) for builders merchants. Timber / bricks could easily follow.

and let’s not mention the skills shortages caused by, among other things, Brexit.

sites are being delayed everywhere sadly.

That's really frustrating. I remember hearing about ghost estates in Ireland after the 2008 crash with only a few houses occupied. I doubt it's building shortages though, they are likely stalling in the hope of selling for more, new builds are struggling to sell at the moment, when the market dips new build companies deliberately stagger the houses, no benefit to them to get houses up quickly if they're not selling.

I'm not sure what you can do legally, might be worth an email to your solicitor?

New builds can take years and years to finish. Sometimes a lot sits empty and they come back and build the last house much later. You just have to deal with it.

we love our new build neighborhood. It did take almost a decade to complete.

Ah yes of course the forward sales for funding, what would be good to ask them is if they have sold the remaining properties, and if not, when are they expecting them to go to market.

I lived on a new build estate and after the houses opposite were finished they were inspected and they failed the inspection and they had to be demolished and rebuilt! We couldn't believe it.

It doesn't quite stack up though.

If they were working on them constantly for 2.5 years then surely they would have finished them by now.

In fact you also said they were "untouched for 4 months".

Basically, the labour will be allocated where the houses are actually sold. It implies that a lot of the houses in your area are not sold if there is no rush to finish them, and that a lot of places that are under development elsewhere have been.

I can see its a pain. But at the end of the day you've probably just got to wait it out.

Our new build estate has around 5 years left, probably more. We were one of the first to buy here 7 years ago 😭