Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Other subjects
Original poster

New build houses.... what are the advantages??

49 replies

Toothache · 26/07/2005 12:31

We are looking to buy a 3 or 4 bedroomed detached or semi-detached house in the Falkirk area.

There are LOADS of new build developments around here: Bett, Bellway, Persimmon and Walker being the most predominant.

I have looked at some of the developments and the houses look amazing BUT they have NO front garden and only a tiny strip of a back garden!!

So what are the advantages? A garden is really important to me (albeit a slabbed one that I don't have to maintain ). So I'm now thinking I'd be as welll buying an older property.... but wanted to hear peoples views on new builds.

TIA

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 26/07/2005 12:33

Bigger kitchens, many w/eat in potential and room for extras like dishwashers and large side by side fridge/freezers. Not as much carpet. Attached garages, fully paved driveways. More than one loo. Built in cupboards. Double glazing. Better insulation/lower ceilings. Many have utility rooms so you can have a separate drier.

Hausfrau · 26/07/2005 12:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

dyzzidi · 26/07/2005 12:36

The benefits for us was that ther was no maintenace needed for the first few years. We bought 'off plan' so picked the house with the biggest garden I also picked my kitchen, bathrooms and all the tiles etc. We love our house and would definately buy new again we have llived there for just over a year and have not yet painted any walls. We will do it but just at our own pace and it is all lovely and cream at the moment.

expatinscotland · 26/07/2005 12:36

Put vents in the loos! That's what we did in a new build I owned in the States.

roosmum · 26/07/2005 12:42

well it's\all clean, fresh, new & that's all v. nice.

we've owned 2 new builds now (not from brand new tho) & i really really don't want another - characterless box-to-live-in without a straight wall in the place ime!

would love a period property some day, tho boring newbuild serves its purpose for now. plus count ourselves lucky that dh & i have somewhere fairly nice to live that we actually own, lucky in current housing market i think!

piffle · 26/07/2005 12:45

I live in a 3yo house now after previously living in victorian terrace 2 oop 2 down secenario.
Personally we looked at TONS of new houses, we bought the on with the victorian room dimensions, new houses are soooooooo boxy, but we got lucky, things I hate are the paint they use is total shite and wipes off, the gloss on the paintwork goes yellow fast, the internal doors are rubbish and the double glazing is not the greatest quality.
Aside from that we love it!

Scatterbrain · 26/07/2005 12:56

I'm in my third new-build now - really really wanted a period property this time - but the sad reality is that we neither have the time or the expertise to maintain or "do up" ourselves - and after buying the house wouldn't have had the money to get someone else in !

If you choose carefully, design and plot-wise you can pretty much get what you want. Also all teething problems are usually covered for the first year by the developer - and if they are still building on the site you get really quick service.

BTW - have NEVER heard anyone else weeing in my house HausFrau ! Perhaps it depends on the quality of the house ?

Original poster
Toothache · 26/07/2005 12:58

lol... check

this house out

Posted this link on another thread as a bit of a joke, but now I'm thinking OMG!! Might go view it tomorrow.

There must be something wrong with it!

OP posts:
Scatterbrain · 26/07/2005 13:03

Ooh looks nice Toothache !!

That's another big PLUS about new builds that I forgot - they often come in CUL-DE-SACS so the kids can play outh the front a lot more safely !! I will NEVER live out of a cul de sac again !!

Lizzylou · 26/07/2005 13:09

We moved into our new build in March after always being very anti-new houses (we had a victorian end of terrace before)....have to say, it's fab...our gardens are a good size front and rear and there is plenty of space out front for children to play very safely, as it is detached and away from a main road it is so quiet and we already know all our neighbours, which we didn't in our old house (despite having been there for 6years), it just seems easier to make friends.
We chose all our tiles/kitchen/flooring and it all is exactly how we want it......we will get our period rural retreat when we have an older family and more time!!
Also, it's a good time to buy as you can barter due to housing market and get extras in...ie, part ex, upgrades on interior/exterior, get fees paid....... Also, we got a dishwasher!!!! But all those loos are a b*gger to keep clean!

Lizzylou · 26/07/2005 13:10

OMG, that house looks amazing and very reasonable!
I'd definitely go for a look........

mum3kids · 26/07/2005 15:32

we're also moving to a new house, we chose of plan, and have an unusually large garden. The house is not very set back but as its in a cul de sac, we not that concern for kids. Also get to choose flooring, work surface in kitchen and utility room,tiles.
The one minus we have experienced is to go see builders solicitor to ensure the plot size u were told at showroom/estate agent is really what you get, in terms any frownt area,garden size etc.Also there may promise to throw in certain things such as granite work surface or ceramic tiles to bathroom only to find half way down buying route it's not that.
I look forward to moving to my new home, hope you do too.

Lizzylou · 26/07/2005 15:38

Yeah, Mum3kids, and you have to keep on at them re: snagging and making good once you move in, but it is all ok now!
Our builder forgot to include the bill for landscaping our backgarden so we got it for free in the end, very satisfactory!
Good luck with your move!

sparklymieow · 26/07/2005 15:42

I am moving into a new HA house soon, we didn't get a choice in where it is on the estate but we have the largest garden and the house looks very well thought out.

alicatsg · 26/07/2005 15:49

we moved into a new build about 18 months ago and I love it - much easier to clean that previous victorian terrace (bags of dust to go with that character), much more sensibly set out for modern living and has a drive so can park in same postcode as my house which never could before

Hulababy · 26/07/2005 21:42

I personally prefer new build, and have only bought new build to date.. I have just put my money down for a new build town house - ready end of September.

I like the fact that it is MY house; not a second hand one.

It is clean, and done as I want it (to the most extent). I have chosen kitchen units. tiling and flooring. I've made some addition and some changes to the standard spec.

We will only have a smallish (compared to say a 1930s semi, which was our alternative in priice range) garnden, but that is fine by us. It will be easy to maintain, and the site where we have bought has a privately maintained playground for children and bike routes around the estate too.

We will have a utility room and a dishwasher in the kitchen - something we were struglling to get in an older house. And we have an ensuite to the master bedroom, again not common in older house unless recently refurbished.

But we are paying a bit of a premium to have new build I guess.

In the end, though it is mainly down to personal preference. I have always preferred newer houses, as has DH. I'm afraid a 1930s semi or similar does nothing for me, and I am not into period features, real or otherwise. I prefer clean, white, modern living.

Also, neither of us is into DIY and maintaining an older house is just not for us. And neither is maintaining a larger garden.

Chandra · 26/07/2005 22:04

I would say that in most cases new builds are cheaper but in many cases that is due to a disadvantaged location. (Far from services, therefore no community life, and I'm particularly concerned of ending up in a place full of young professionals who only come at home to sleep -not that we wouldn't do that but the empty streets during the day give me a bit of the creeps, and definitively makes the area a more attractive target for thieves).

Having said that, if you love the house and you like the location. Go for it!, after all, in a few years time the loation may be considered centric or something of the sort

QueenOfQuotes · 26/07/2005 22:07

Sorry must ask a question to all you "new" home owners.

Are all of your bedrooms (whether it's 3,4,5 or more bedrooms) at least 10ft x10ft?

We did look at some new builds (nice areas actually and in this town all the new builds are 'posh' areas) but at least one of the 3 bedrooms was always tiny.

Hulababy · 26/07/2005 22:11

QoQ - ours are:

Master - 11'10 x 9'0 (not inc wardrobes on one wall), and ensuite is extra obviously.

Bed 2 - 10'11 x 9'0 (not inc wardrobe on one side)

Bed 3 - 11'10 x 6'8

So, no not huge but we haven't bought a massive house overall. It is big enough for our needs though, and we have a further garden room (or could be an odd bed 4).

We have chosen a specific, good area with good schools and lovely country views. The alternative older houses in the price range just did nothing for me. And bedroom 3 was also a box - some as small as 6' x 6' !!!

Chandra · 26/07/2005 22:14

You may have a tiny bedroom in old builds (that was called boxroom long time ago but now has been baptised as the "third" bedroom). Having said that, the higher ceilings of older houses make the properties look more spacious (and less claustrophobic) than new builds with lower ceilings, even when they may be of similar proportions.

One word of warning regarding new builds, if you see glass dinning tables, tiny night tables and no wardrobes in the showhome, the house is so tiny that even your average size sofa may end up looking as if you have an elephant sleeping at the lounge.

Milliways · 26/07/2005 22:14

Our last house was a new 4 bed detached Persimmon. I loved choosing the kitchen & bathroom units, tiles, etc. We had an ensuite, built in garage, downstairs loo etc but had lots of "snags", a tiny garden & 4th bedroom was only good for a nursery or study (6'6 by 7'6!).

It was in a cul de sac which we miss, but we now have an old house with enormous rooms & garden.

I am sooo glad we did the "new" house, but if had to move again would go for "old with character & space".

roosmum · 26/07/2005 22:15

yep qoq, 3rd b/r is a measly 7something foot square - but it's ds's bedroom, so with cotbed, small wardrobe etc i think it's ok (he's not even in there yet tho!).
2nd b/r is ok double size, master lovely w. e/suite.
3 bogs in a house with a 3rd b/r of this size really beats me

Chandra · 26/07/2005 22:15

Having said that, you rarely get to use the free space that is above the 2 metre height in old builds...

Furball · 26/07/2005 22:18

ares are

bed 1 - 17'7 x 11'1
bed 2 - 11'4 x 9'6
bed 3 - 10'7 x 9'7
bed 4 - 10'7 x 7'8

lalaa · 26/07/2005 22:21

hulababy - lol at not liking the idea of a second hand house! it is possible to have clean, white modern living in a period property.....we do! it's 300 years old on the outside and 3 months old on the inside - complete refurb exactly as we wanted it.
i do envy the utility rooms and second loos however......