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New homes - Bloor? Barratt?

9 replies

AliCanTea · 30/08/2019 20:12

We’re considering new builds... There are two developments coming up near us within budget: one Barratt homes, one Bloor. Do any of you have any experience with these developers? It makes me nervous buying something that doesn’t exist yet!

OP posts:
MissClementine · 30/08/2019 22:38

A member of my family bought a Bloor home on south coast about 8 years ago and was very happy with the service and still very happy in their home.

Ginjanotaninja · 31/08/2019 06:56

I recently went to purchase a new build with a national developer. The property was lovely, but I withdrew after reading the contract, and the completely controlling restrictive covenants. Agreeing to The developer having access rights forever? Having to pay for permission for a shed? No thanks.

One of the biggest things were the covenants around the estate charge. I wrote a post on this forum about it. They wanted me to commit to entering a contract with a company that I had no control over with no limit to the amount that I potentially would have to pay.

It was such, IMO, an unfair contract.

If you do decide to go down the new build route make sure you appoint your own solicitor, do not use their recommendation and make sure they explain the contract, in full and it’s implications. Know what you are agreeing too. Recent surveys have shown that approximately 92% of new build purchasers are unaware of the contract terms and their implications.

Ginjanotaninja · 31/08/2019 07:05

Sorry. I should have said the property was a supposed freehold house.

AliCanTea · 31/08/2019 11:35

Thank you both. Will definitely scour the contract now I’ve read that.

OP posts:
missbattenburg · 02/09/2019 12:18

One of the biggest things were the covenants around the estate charge.

Another element of this is that an estate charge normally means the estate has not been adopted by the council. My understanding is that his can limit how much you can rely on your council to help with issues.

e.g. if people are parking on the road dangerously (as happens with new builds that have small drives) there is no way to get double yellows etc added.

Noise problems and children playing dangerously in the street also fall under the estate management, not the council.

Road maintenance (pot holes) - the council won't touch.

and so on...

Otherpeoplesteens · 02/09/2019 15:59

I bought a Barratt new-build and lived in it for 16 years before we bought a Bloor new-build two years ago. We looked at Barratt homes - and immediately dismissed the idea - when we moved as well, and the Bloor development is on a split site with Redrow.

Given the choice, based on my experience Bloor would win hands down every time. We've had no trouble at all, just a few minor snags which got fixed very quickly.

The house itself is well-designed and proportioned, which is not something I could say about the contemporary Barratt properties we looked at, it is built very well with decent materials, and the customisation/upgrade options were both wide-ranging (not a Barratt thing) and well-priced (not a Redrow thing). It is designed and built up to a standard, not down to a price like my last Barratt house was, and it just feels like a house that was designed for how people actually live in the 21st century. To give an example, each bedroom has four double sockets. In the last Barratt house there was one, and in the designated office there was one single socket, on the far side of the room from the phone socket!

The Bloor sales team were brilliant, constantly keeping us up to date but not pressuring us, even when our sale collapsed. Customer care has been brilliant. The site manager gave us his mobile number when we took delivery, and looked after us very well. They even told us what make/model of bricks they used on the handover form, so that we can match them in future.

I think a lot depends on how good your site manager is, and how long they stay around. Bloor have a very good reputation for theirs, others do not (BIL is one for another national builder, and openly admits his are useless chancers).

The development itself is not massive at 179 plots but there are still nearly 20 different designs on the estate, so it isn't row after row of identical homes, like you get with some builders. Both Bloor and Redrow have now left the site, but Bloor actually finished everything. Redrow did not.

HappyDinosaur · 02/09/2019 16:02

We were really happy with Barratts, but I've no experience with Bloor homes so I can't compare the two.

NoBaggyPants · 02/09/2019 16:06

Barratt Homes will promise you the earth and deliver very little. Also likely that you'll be obliged to pay into an estate service charge (even with a freehold property), that you'll see increase every year and you're never quite sure what you're paying for, or even who you're paying.

Jessuk86 · 04/09/2019 15:53

Weve just sold our new home, it was Lindens but I believe they are all similar! Our snags still hadn't all been dealt with and we lived their 3 years they were liveable with but not good when it's a new home.

The bit to watch out for is it probably will have a management company, we are still owed £600 by ours as they over charged us but we had to pay as we needed our sale to go through. I'm so glad to be out of all that now as someone else said all these management companies have clauses that they can increase what you pay each year and enforce new rules, ours had a massive green the kids liked to play on bit theuve now banned anyone from walking on the grass!! And sent out a letter saying residents should direct children to the local park (this really upset a lot of families who bought houses around the green for ease of watching their children play outside and a compromise for the small gardens)
So never again for me!! Weve now done the opposite bought an older house in need of some work but has a huge garden and we can do what we want with and dont have to consult anyone/ pay a ridiculous amount each year for someone to mow the bit of grass outside!

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