Please Share Your Love for Your new-build House.

[ShesGotIt]

Serious jitters going on here about our impending exchange of contracts on a new-build property. Any positive stories of new-builds and life on a new development would be reassuring..

Context - we're in our 60s and have moved a few times over the years but always old properties. Our last place was 270 years old. Selling that was a nightmare. The sale fell through twice meaning we lost the house we really wanted. Third time lucky the sale went through so we moved into a rental property as we didn't want to lose the sale.

We can't find anything we like for our budget. We're restricted where we can move to due to elderly parents and looking after grandkids. The older properties we've viewed are so dated; many empty probate properties, but no-one's budging on price. Not even a bit - and we're cash buyers!

Early January we chanced on a new development. A bit further out than we'd like, but doable. We were drawn by the option to chose our fittings, the solar panels, electric car charger and the developer pays the stamp duty. One plot we liked - not overlooked at all with open space at the front. It will be finished by June.

As we're now on the brink of exchange we are both wondering if it's right for us. I went down a rabbit hole of negative new-build fb groups recently that shook me a bit. People saying it's mad to buy a new build - poorly built, no aftercare, terrible issues with antisocial behaviour etc etc.

So please tell me about your lovely new-build, I just need some reassurance that they're not all bad news.

We’ve bought four new builds. I think that you need to choose the developer with care and look at the reviews for them. There are certain developers we would never buy from, no matter what the incentives are.

I know that (some) people are very dismissive of new builds and talk about lack of character, small rooms, tiny gardens etc. They buy a character property and then realise that it requires immediate and on going costly maintenance and a lot of time and effort, as well as money.

Our house now, is in a cul de sac of six, with three different house styles. The garden is large enough for an extended patio, several trees, borders, a summerhouse, raised beds and a pond. We downsized and have a kitchen diner, utility room, living room, cloakroom, three bedrooms, en suite and bathroom. It’s insulated so well that the only thing that can go in the loft are suitcases. The garage is big and fits a medium estate car, plus shelving, extra freezer, tumble dryer and benching. I like that it’s low maintenance, easy to clean and energy efficient.

There may be areas with anti social behaviour wherever you live, unless you are totally isolated, or have extensive grounds. There’s a kind of inverse snobbery about new houses and I’d rather have my new one, than a draughty terrace with no driveway or garage, no efficient heating, little insulation and costly maintenance.

I've bought 4 new builds over the years and now in the process of buying our 5th. Choose the developer carefully..speak to people already living on the development. There most likely will be snagging, as is usual but how much will vary even with the same developer as different sites can be very different. We are buying a Bloor home which has excellent reviews on the site, but there are many developers I wouldn't touch with a bargepole.

Thank you both, that's good to hear. It's not one of the big developers. You're right that there's a lot of snobbery around new-builds. I've had a few comments along the "I never imagined YOU'D buy a new build!" lines.

I did raise my eyebrows when the sales manager said the loft isn't load bearing, but googling it, it seems that's quite usual.

I'm really happy with the fixtures and fittings we've chosen, and it will be refreshing to go "modern" in our old age and not have to deal with upgrading an old place. We've "been there, done that". One place was very isolated, 16thC. bore hole water, septic tank, oil fired heating. Really looking forward to low utility bills too! And not having to sit wrapped in a blanket for 4 months of the year.

Good suggestion. I might go up tomorrow and knock on a couple of doors to ask how happy they are with the house/the builders. It feels nice up there. It's very open, with lots of greenery, a couple of ponds. Annoyingly the compound is right in front of our plot as its the largest open area, so we'll have to suck that up until the development is complete. It's only one road with a few small cul-de-sac spurs off it and they've said another 18 months.

Been in ourNB for four years now and have been very happy.

We were also died in the wool old house / renovation types but impending retirement and the lack of enthusiasm for all the work meant we were leaning towards NB properties.
Looked around the local area and discounted all the developments bar one (which happily was the smallest). Checked out the different house designs and decided to upsize as our chosen design was just so lovely.
My OH was in the trade so was very knowledgeable and luckily, our chosen development did not use timber framing, insulated panels etc. All the ground floor internal dividing walls are block and generally, a good feeling of it being solid.
From poured foundations to completion was 12-months so not thrown up
Choosing the right plot is important. We did not want a house facing the road so went with one with a longer driveway which means the house is tucked away.
Parking is good with a decent garage, driveway for 2-cars plus the long access driveway
The list of options was massive but we chose those which would have the most impact if we had them done later (kitchen & bathroom upgrades, sockets, ethernet points, lights etc).
Design, space & storage in the house is great and the ceilings & doors are higher than normal (higher than in our previous 30's, 50's & 70's houses) resulting in a very light & airy feeling.
Back garden was a compromise (12m x 15m) but one we were willing to accept as with retirement approaching, a huge garden like we used to have would have been just too much. On the plus-side, we have designed & planted it to our own tastes so it contains everything we love.
There was some snagging but all sorted (mostly very quickly) and they have even picked up some issues well outside the initial 2yr warranty period.

Don't go down the snagging video rabbit holes as you will loose all faith.
Use them to give you an idea of what CAN go wrong but do not believe that ALL NB's are like that.

I've had a couple of new builds and always been very happy. Red flags for me would be narrow roads and inadequate provision for parking. We found that regular site visits as the build was ongoing meant we could pick up issues as we went along and reduced snagging at the end.
They can be very low maintenance and well designed. Sounds like you've got a good situation with the plot too. It'll be grand.

Sounds like you're doing the right thing. We're in the process of buying a probate property in the condition you mentioned and the costs of doing it up are going to be absolutely eye watering. I think we are going to be living in a dump for ten years. I wouldn't be doing this if I was any older than I am (mid forties). And yeah, it's so hard to get people to budge on unrealistic sales prices at the mo.

We did the renovation thing many years ago and it put me off ever doing it again. Two toddlers and no toilet is not fun.

We're in our 60s, always had older houses. In a new build now, I hate it. It's soulless. Nice house, position, garden etc but it'll never feel like home. When the housing market settles a bit, I think we'll move again which was not the plan.

Thank you, I'm feeling much more reassured now, reading your experiences.

The cost of renovations to an old property was a big factor in our decision to buy new. The place we're buying was 30k under budget, so we've allocated 27k for upgrades to fixtures and fittings. The thought now of moving into a tired, dated place and living in it while spending eye watering amounts on doing it up (that's if you can get the tradespeople), just fills me with dread. We don't have the time or the inclination anymore.

If we could find a lovely detached, character property that needs nothing much doing to it, that would be the ideal, but that's not happening, so on balance I think we're doing the right thing. I'll try to speak to a couple of property owners on the development just to check they're happy, and avoid the snagging videos as advised!

Like PPs we’d been down the renovation route and had older houses, so a few snagging issues on a new build didn’t bother us at all. We were in a similar position and never thought we’d end up in a new build, but OP, it’s wonderful- heats up super quick, everything works, you can get the loft converted for storage without discovering structural concerns, there’s nothing to do except choose furnishings or play about with colours as you don’t have to get the whole wall replastered due to bumps and/or damp. The windows and doors don’t let the outside in, the garden space is great, all we need at this stage and you can design and plant it to your taste when you’re starting from scratch. Sounds like you’re getting a good plot and great incentives to buy. If it’s in a location you like, that’s ideal. Good luck.

We LOVE our new build

its warm
its cheap to run
its a great design
its well built
it’s cheap but has gone up in value over the last 5 years
the neighbours are just fine - we chat to them and can ask each other for favours
I will add - it was a small local builder and I think the builder can make a difference - so check the vibe on your local builder

Watching with interest!

Do you find NBs get very hot in summer?

We bought a new build, it’s the first and will be the last. We love our home, never had any major issues with it. We are selling mainly because it’s an estate that is primarily families which as a childfree couple doesn’t mesh with our need for peace. Other big reason is the management company, fees are ridiculous I think they pluck a figure out of the sky and make it up as they go along. Also we see very little work for the yearly fee.

I'm on my third now. We downsized as retired and wanted less housework. Our house costs so little to heat. The bathrooms are stylish. It's great to have new appliances. The EV charger is great and we've changed to a hybrid car. All my neighbours are lovely. The quality of the build is fantastic. My DH has turned the garden into a riot of colour in the summer. You'll love your new build.

We have what was a new build, is now 21 years old and I still love it. No management fees either which has helped.

I was in a new build flat and loved it. Great sense of community because everyone moved in at the same time.

@ShesGotIt I miss our new build so much!!!! It was problem free, nothing went wrong, nice blank canvas and the energy bills were so low thanks to amazing insulation 😍
We are only in a 50yr old place now but the difference in maintenance costs and upkeep has been erm clear 🙈🙈

If we ever moved again I would happily look at new builds!

These posts are all very positive OP but I would say that if you are not sure about buying any house, don't do it. Stay in the rental until you find something you feel comfortable with.
Some people have good experiences of new builds but very many don't.

We bought a new build bungalow 18 months ago and love it. The quality of the build is good and the system for reporting and resolving faults within the 2 year warranty period works very well. There is a great community spirit, the estate is small and quiet and it's walkable into the nearby town.

Do you mind me asking how much you pay? The fee at the place we're buying is c.£250 pa, but I did wonder whether that could creep up. Our last property was an apartment in a converted manor house and one of the reasons we wanted out was due to the increasing costs. We were paying £4,300pa by the time we left, and that was going to increase! We were our own management company there, so set our own fees, but running costs just kept climbing, particularly insurance, so £250 seems a dream in comparison.

I hear you, but honestly I can't stay in this rental. It's making me quite depressed. It's also expensive, £1250 per month just for a 2 bed, also we're paying nearly £200 a month for storage. Even if the new-build doesn't work out, it's got to be better than this.

That's what I'm hoping, that we will be part of a new community. There are 2 decent pubs within walking distance (plus shop, pharmacy, post office and village hall), so that will be a nice change. We've never really been walking distance to anything before.

I've never lived in a new build, but I think it's worth remembering that if you search up anything on the internet, you tend to find the more extreme experiences. Our current house is grade II and required extensive renovation as it was completely derelict. If we'd gone by the things I read when I went down the rabbit hole, we never would have even considered it, but it went absolutely fine.

It's good to be educated, but if you've done your diligence on builders (and I agree talking to neighbours is a good idea), there's no reason to think you haven't made the right choice. You've found a house that works for the location, budget and your stage of life. Sounds pretty good to me.

Had 2 new builds and loved them both. Super cosy in winter, and no they are well insulated so not over hot in summer either. Cupboards everywhere as the designers thought about how people actually need a coat cupboard, an airing cupboard etc. moving in from new is great too as everyone is new and a community builds around you. Neighbours talk more than in established places I have found.

Fair enough. I hope it works out well!