· Check how well the site is being managed. Are the operatives wearing PPE? Is the site tidy? Try speaking to people already living on site, ask them about quality and customer care.
· Ask who the warranty provider is.
· Check if there is affordable housing on site, although this is unlikely to cause you a problem, if it does, it helps to know which housing association is managing the properties, don’t take social housing as a negative, often this gives you more rights as you have someone to complain to if there is a problem with a neighbour.
· Check to make sure any furniture you want to take with you will fit in the new house before you reserve and pay a deposit, if your old grandmothers’ sideboard is a deal breaker, check that it fits first.
· Check the house and site plans carefully, quite often this is what you are buying from. The show homes give you an idea of what you are buying but often these are the highest spec so what is in them often isn’t what you get without paid upgrades.
· Consult with the sales staff about upgrades and incentives, often the house price is quite ridged, but sales consultants have scope to upgrade you to make a sale.
· A lot of developers will offer bigger incentives for completion at the end of their financial year, this is to make sure they hit their sales targets, this will help your negotiations but also be aware often these plots are built in a rush so there is more chance of unfinished or unsatisfactory work.
· Often new build dates change due to weather, construction problems and delays, if it is imperative you move in by a particular date make sure your solicitor and developer is aware and get this date included in the contract as a long stop (a fixed date the completion can’t go beyond).
· Don’t forget, once completed, to snag your house either yourself or via an independent snagging company, also remember any defect that occurs for the next 2 years should also be reported to the developer for rectification, your warranty provider can help if there is any dispute but also be aware some items like mastic isn’t always covered for the full 2 year as that’s classed as wear and tear.
· If you think you have been mis-sold you are protected by the property Miss-Description Act, just mentioning this to the developer may be enough to get them interested in discussing your problem.
Advantages of a New Build
· Energy Efficiency – New homes are well insulated and include double and sometimes triple glazing as standard making them cheaper to run than older homes.
· Blank Canvas – Depending on what stage of build you reserve your home you can often choose wall colours, carpets, wall tiles and kitchen units to suit your taste.
· Deals – The deals you can achieve often falls in line with the developers end of year, often the later in this the better the deal is. But it is always worth discussing incentives like stamp duty paid, free flooring, extra landscaping etc. Don’t be worried to speak about these, the sales consultants are used to this and if you don’t ask they aren’t likely to offer it.
· Safe and secure – New homes are generally safer and more secure that older homes, fire safety is helped using smoke alarms, fire regulations massively impact on the way a house is constructed. The build is inspected by a qualified building inspector at key stages throughout the build. New homes also include security locks and lighting, ask your developer if the site comes under “Secure By Design” as that give an added benefit and could reduce your home insurance too.
· Warranty – Your new home should come with a 10-year structural warranty. In addition to this all the appliances, boilers etc will be covered too by the manufacturers, the warranties on these appliances will vary by make, be aware often you need to have the appliances like boilers serviced every year to maintain the warranty, you should check the paperwork supplied with the appliances to see the requirements.