New build houses, yeah or nah?

[v8-powered]

My colleague bought a house with service history! Seriously, when he moved in there was a folder left for him, telling him everything that had been done, there was even receipts for things like new garage door springs and what date the sockets were replaced, loft insulation type and rating, list of paint colours for each room etc. Even the floorboards where all held down with counter sunk brass screws!

Same - has all the drawings for various extensions, even has plans on how and what is planted in the garden as was professionally landscaped. OCD at its finest.

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[rusty]

Persimmon new builds in the Reading area?
That'd be a no from me!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c74j9vkknvpo

My last place was a new build by Charles Church who are no Persimmon. It was about five years old when I moved there. When you looked closely at it the build quality and workmanship was dire. The management company who you had to pay a monthly charge to were fucking awful and just took money without actually doing any work that was needed. Two of my neighbours there were still having issues with the houses that they'd had since moving in five years earlier!
Our current place was built in the 1850's and costs a fortune in repairs etc but I prefer this any day of the week.

[Sunny]

I did a handover file for our last place too

My dad reckons houses built in the 50s/60s are the best quality around - they're the last ones built solidly (no stud walls etc).

My 1800-ish house is solid, but bastard freezing.

[McNab]

One of my mates is a site manager and has worked for most of the big house builders. It's quite shocking some of the stories he tells. He generally falls out with the higher-ups over things they tell him to do and moves on elsewhere.

[ZRX61]

My last place was a new build by Charles Church who are no Persimmon.

The quality went to shit after he pranged his Spitfire.

[Tomcat]

We bought a new build back in 1999, it was on a small, select development and well specced. Completion was late and we eventually moved in on Christmas Eve as the carpet fitters were moving out. On Christmas Day the main loo blocked and we had to call an emergency plumber, who found the overflow pipe had been drilled straight through the main soil pipe. At least the developer refunded us the cost and re-did the hole in the wall and missing tiles. When we sold in 2011 the buyer knocked a shedload off the price for underpinning to rectify big cracks in one wall. Naturally it was out of NHBC warranty by then.

We've also had two old houses, which have been money pits. The first needed a new roof and is the only house I've ever lost money on. The current one dates from 1875 and has suffered from leaky pipes, drainage issues and has a chimney that's probably going to need rebuilding soon. The plus side is it's roomier than new houses, which are always crammed in to maximise profit.

On balance I wouldn't have either if we move again. Something built in the 60s or 70s, before land got stupidly priced, so you get a bit of room, but after the time when houses were built with all the mod cons. And a double garage.

[ZRX61]

We've also had two old houses, which have been money pits. The first needed a new roof and is the only house I've ever lost money on. The current one dates from 1875 and has suffered from leaky pipes, drainage issues and has a chimney that's probably going to need rebuilding soon. The plus side is it's roomier than new houses, which are always crammed in to maximise profit.

My parents bought his 10 bedroom place for about 20K in the early 80's. It had been converted into 4 flats. They renovated the entire place, there was a tree growing out of a basement window. They lived on the middle 2 floors & rented out the basement & top floor.
Sold it for something over 800K several years ago. It was built in the 1800's. Front door was replaced with one from a bank, solid mahogany. Damn thing must have weighed close to 400lb (3in thick, 8 or 9ft tall, 3 1/2 ft wide iirc).

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The new owners knocked down the original garage & built that smaller house. Mismatched bricks on the other house are thanks to the Luftwaffe.

My stepdad replaced some of the chimney pots when he was in his 60's from a ladder...

[ace llani]

Never had a new build, but had a couple of fairly new houses. They keep warmer, and cost less to heat, but as said - they'd build a house on top of another if they could.

My current house is nearly 200 years old, there's not a crack to be found.

That said, it's a labour of love in many ways, but it has the retail shop at the front, and a two storey detached workshop at the rear.

Having worked on it, it makes a Sherman tank look like a beer can. Front has huge windows which catch the sun, so that makes the front warn, vice versa at the back.

Horses for courses, but I love the character and history of the place.

[Horse]

I love the character and history of the place.

My house was built in 1933, using bricks from the Woodley Brick Co. Every brick has 'Woodley' in the frog.

Every one of the original houses in the road was named after places in Berkshire, such as 'Ridgeway'. Ours? 'Woodley'!

[The Martian]

Further to my earlier comment about home buyers surveys, I've been looking through one for a friend of mine and it's actually very good. Proper survey of the property done with pictures and a "traffic light" system for areas of no / minimal / considerable concern (The only thing it missed out is topography, which I would want to also check with a new build).
Unfortunately they are an independent company in the north so I couldn't recommend them for the OP but it's worth checking what you will get for your money before appointing surveyors.

[weeksy]

Further to my earlier comment about home buyers surveys, I've been looking through one for a friend of mine and it's actually very good. Proper survey of the property done with pictures and a "traffic light" system for areas of no / minimal / considerable concern (The only thing it missed out is topography, which I would want to also check with a new build).
Unfortunately they are an independent company in the north so I couldn't recommend them for the OP but it's worth checking what you will get for your money before appointing surveyors.

Will bear that in mind but we’re miles away from that at the moment

[weeksy]

For info

The new build has currently slipped off the list completely for now.
We’ve got 5 viewings on properties tomorrow and one on Tues

[Yorick]

For info

The new build has currently slipped off the list completely for now.
We’ve got 5 viewings on properties tomorrow and one on Tues

Need any help deciding?

Feel free to post info

[weeksy]

That would be kinda fun in some ways but I’m not sure i want you lot knowing where i may be buying

[Dodgy69]

Near them woods init.

[weeksy]

Near them woods init.

Deffo near woods yeah

[Taipan]

The more I think about this, the more I change my opinion. I like old solid built houses with bags of character etc, but, you have to pay for their inefficiencies, and frankly, if you end up with a crappy, flimsy, new build, but its sapping a lot less out of your purse, then its win win and then some more win. Keep your disposal income for yourselves and not a draughty old money pit.

[Yorick]

I asked my 2 builder mates on today's enduro ride.
They both say the Canarian builds are generally OK

All concrete and breeze block.
And they aren't as lackadaisical as they seem.

[Docca]

For years I said I’d never get a new build. Didn’t like the idea- but the biggest no-no was, at least on the viewings I’d been on, a lack of storage space.

Our last house was ‘character’ - but more Buel than Ducati. It was a money pit. My gas and electric was £550 a month, I had one drive so was constantly car shuffling and the electrics etc …erm.

It’s really easy to get swept up in the negativity of new builds but you could swap houses with lots of stuff if you want to reminisce about how things were better back in whatever day.

I’m not so sure. Our new build is right next to a woods as in right next to it. It takes me less than 2 minutes to get into the woods and it’s fab for mountain bike riding ( it’s no Swinley but it’s next door) and walking the dogs etc.

We had a snagging company come in. Pay per bedroom- ours is 5 bed, so I paid £500. Found 120 snags which is good and if the same approach was taken on my previous house there would be may times more.

One of the snags was wall alignment. I can’t remember the details but it was 2mm out of alignment and would not cause any long term issues. Wife said rebuild the walls or build us a patio, so we’ve now got a patio with seating area etc.

Main snag for me was was boggy lawn, but that was fixed in days with french drains and some other stuffs and now never an issue.

Detached double garage with drive for 4 cars. 6 house in our close and we know all the neighbours and they’re lovely.

Location is why we moved ( school) and it’s been a brilliant decision. Wouldn’t swap.

Probably not our forever house - but we’re happy.

Good luck with your move buddy whatever you decide. Don’t be swayed too much by loud voices.

[The Martian]

Think the main thing to take from this thread is whatever you want, check it over well and make sure it's in order. Any age of house could be a potential money pit.

Funny how people have a 15 minute walk around and then commit to the biggest purchase of their lives. You'd spend more time deciding on a car.