Springfield Homes New Builds

[MarchHare22]

Does anyone have any experience? I'm particularly interested in being able to make minor'ish alterations.

We've never had a new build before and I was speaking to a couple of colleugues today about our plans (we have Springfiled new build reserved) and about how we would make a few changes. However, they were saying there is often a clause which says you cannot make any changes for over a year and some changes at all, one said they were even told they couldn't hang pictures or mirrors in the first yr?!? What on earth!

We've been abroad for over seven years and moved back last year to permenant UK positions and have been waiting a) to be eligable for a mortgage and b) for the right property. We have been in rented so long (overseas then back here), the thought of having to have someone else tastes and choices imposed on me for another 18 months and during a year's worth of ownership is making me a bit sad and want to pull out.

The person in the office was a bit useless and I am waiting for more info on Monday but thought I'd ask here.

Changes/additions we were thinking;

Decorated/painted to our taste, I’d like to do something fun in the DC’s rooms as they have always been so bland wall wise

Fire and fireplace in sitting room

Different kitchen - the choice's aren't great and a family member is a cabinet maker who does bespoke furniture, inc kitchens and can make us something really lovely and to our taste, also would like a different oven to what's on offer

Different floor covering downstairs

A nicer patio door out to the garden

Back garden properly landscaped

Those aren’t minor alterations.

In my experience, developers will only paint the colour they’ve decided on. I’d be surprised if they would personalise children’s bedrooms.

They won’t put in a kitchen that’s been made by your cabinet maker. We had a struggle to get them to include a warming drawer in our kitchen. They said it would mean redesigning. Which was rubbish, of course. They’ll probably allow an oven upgrade if you pay extra and the dimensions work.

They will upgrade carpets if you pay extra, usually, but they won’t do something completely different. A neighbour wanted wood flooring, but they refused, so she had to wait until completion, remove the unused carpet and have the floor of her choice laid.

Do you want to install a fire and fireplace, or upgrade existing? We didn’t have a fire and fireplace, but there was a chimney and the wall was void, so we could install one.

A patio door would have to fit the spec.

A properly landscaped garden is quite a specialist thing and can cost between £5-15 K. I wouldn’t want the people the developers use if you want a specific design and everything completed for you.

@Bluevelvetsofa suppose not, I wasn't really expecting them to do any of it as part of the build, I had thought we would choose the basic options on everything (rather than upgrades/additional because even those are not to my taste) then do the work post.

Colleagues seemed to be suggesting we wouldn't be allowed, possibly ever or at least for a year.

So I know nothing about this company but I have read about 'no changes' on here before. They write it into the contract so that people don't make changes that mucks up the uniform looking nature of a new built estate. They only care about this whilst they are still building and trying to sell houses. So it all looks how they planned it.

After that, they don't care.

Have you looked them up on Trustpilot?

I don’t think they would be bothered about you paying to landscape a back garden, because it will only have turf laid, if that and expect people to make their own gardens.

Depends how long the build has to go. When they’re gone, they won’t worry.

Usually you can’t make changes that would effect the uniform look of the estate, but also say you can’t make other changes for “X” amount of time so that you don’t void your warranty. i.e painting the walls a different colour may mask any issues, changing the kitchen/bathrooms may cause a leak or other damage. All these changes would void any warranty you have on the property and would allow the builders to lay the blame on your contractors etc. (although half the time the warranties don’t seem to be worth the paper they’re printed on)

I am buying a new build, and there are clauses in the contract specifically about things you can't do whilst the development is still live, i.e., put up certain outbuildings over a certain height in the gardens. Your conveyancing team will send you the contracts, and all the clauses will be in there so you know what you can or can't do before you sign.