Would you buy (or have you bought) a new build?

[GoofyIsACow]

I have always said i would never buy a new build but i have just seen a great opportunity (location, spec and price, on paper!) and i’m considering it!
I know new builds get bad press so would you mind sharing your experiences good and bad please?

We have a 14 year old Taylor Wimpy and love it, no major issues and we are the only ones to live here

We are the second owners of a new build (13yo now) on a development built by a smallish developer. I think the quality can vary massively. Ours is fab, a really well built house, with high ceilings, good heat and sound insulation, and proportionately large rooms and garden. But some are shit.

We were thinking of buying a new house but we were massively put off after a buyer started a campaign about his falling apart, badly built house on the development! Sounds like the developer was not sorting out any of the issues which to me defeats the object of having a new build.

Agree with pp there are good developers and developments and bad ones! Hard to know before you buy!

I m the second owner on a new build and I love it. Very well built, can’t even hear next door. Well insulated- very low heating bills and a great estate that is quiet and well maintained.

I have had 2. A Ben bailey and a Miller. Both fantastic. Never moment of regret with either.

I wouldn't buy the standard new build on most sites.
Too small rooms, low ceilings and too close together with small gardens.

However if a new build has solid walls, good space planning on the estate or street. Good room size, good garden size, by a builder that is not taking the piss then I would buy a new build.

I'd be very concerned by the constant horror stories you hear - houses that are unfinished, very poorly built etc.

I'm sure there are loads that are absolutely great but I'm not sure how to identify them in advance.

Many of them near me seem to be on very small plots too.

I think it's a good idea to read some reviews on who the developers are. Some seem to have a reputation for poor build quality and not fixing issues after completion, whereas others seem to have a much better reputation.

Thank you all, the one I am looking at is a 4 bed detached, the closeness to the house next door would be a big concern as a friend had a ‘detached’ new build that you could barely fit the wheely bin down the gap!
I suspect this might be a pipe dream but I might go and have a look at the show home and speak to the developer. I’ll also google the developer!

I've bought two :) both fab houses. In between them I have a house built in the 70's and hated it. Current house was built in 2014, still 'feels' new. Has all mod cons, low heating bill, great usable space. We are a semi-detached and have NEVER heart next door.

In my 50 years I have never lived in anything but a new build, however I will never buy another one.

The houses are fine but not enough parking anywhere, houses too close together and social housing in the middle of every estate around here has made them all no go areas although older areas that are all social housing are absolutely fine.

I've never lived in a new build (so not much help really). I've just noticed on the new estates round here that the roads are narrow, parking is tight, and gardens are small.

@RuthW that’s interesting about social housing, forgive my ignorance but is that basically a council house?

I've never lived in a new build (so not much help really). I've just noticed on the new estates round here that the roads are narrow, parking is tight, and gardens are small.

Also some are in-fill to less desirable locations. So around here there are new build estates going up on the edge of duel carriageways or roundabouts.

On an estate I would never buy, a one off I would. I can’t stand the lack of parking, everyone knowing everyone’s business and kids playing all over the street and abandoning bikes and scooters in the road. Having a new front door or railings or shutters and everyone else copying you.

I could go on, cheap kitchens, skinny skirting boards, cheap shower cubicles, nasty tiling and taps and worktops, no cornices, horrid doors, no character.

Sorry, didn’t mean to ramble.

Give me an Edwardian period property and I could orgasm.

My friend and I both live in 3 bed detached houses. Mine is a 70s house and hers is a new build. You could fit her entire house in my kitchen! It’s a shoebox with crap quality kitchen and bathroom, white plastic windows and doors, etc. I’d never buy one because they’re tiny and not well built.

Not on a development unless it was less than 5 houses. There is a very small one near me, built 2016. They still have sewage problems now, if you walk down there it absolutely hums. A handful of the houses have resold but it has taken them quite a while to go.

I could be swayed if it was a local builder with a good reputation potentially. I am also biased in that I like period properties thought

We bought out home in 2014 new. Love it. It's a small footprint but three storeys so space used well. Our kitchen diner I'd big enough for a sofa area and dining table and we have a separate living room. We have 3 double bedrooms and a "4th bedroom" which is small and on the ground floor and used as an office. Never hear neighbours and have off road parking. Would happily buy new again.

However the garden is smaller and turf is rubbish

Yes social housing is council houses.

It's one of the reasons leasehold houses took off (for developers) I think. Leasehold developments don't have to have social housing on them, free hols do.

Our last 2 houses have been new build. In the last one the families in the social housing caused problems. They were like something featured in the mail as a 'broken Britain' family. They were awful and the council refused to do anything about them. They were one of the reasons we bought leasehold (and I say that as someone who grew up on one of the worst council estates in the north east)

Our current new build is lovely. It's 13 years old now. Haven't had any problems, nice sized rooms, good layout. The garden is tiny bit we hate gardening and live semi rurally so it's not an issue.

Yep .. I have one , it's perfect still 5 years on.. it has massive bedrooms .. done believe people when they say they have tiny bedrooms .. we are detached and although there isn't a big gap it's enough to be noisy and not worry .

Ours is tiny but beautiful. Really well insulated, I hardly had the heating on this year. Totally sound proof. Lovely community.

We bought a 4 bed detached Taylor Wimpey newbuild two years ago. Lots of parking, lovely neighbours, good layout, lots of storage... can’t complain! It’s not been particularly easy decorating a north facing dark long living room but honestly everything else has been great and really high quality (in my opinion)!

A number of things concern me about new builds. I passed a new site the other day being developed by one of the major brands. Haging on the fence outside was a roughly scrawled sign saying "bricklaying gangs wanted". Is this how they recruit the skilled craftsmen who they want to build quality products for their end customers to buy at vastly inflated prices?

I did in 1990 and it looks very tired now. I sold it after a few years as it was small but drove past recently. Time hasn't been kind or isn't looked after!