Every year, the government sets ambitious targets for new build properties, in a bid to tackle the shortage of housing in the country.
On first glance, these new builds can appear utterly flawless. They often arrive with all of the mod cons, whether it’s aluminium framed windows, or the trendy bi-fold doors.
However, beneath the surface, there are plenty of things to look out for when you buy a house of this ilk that go beyond a useful moving house checklist from Safestore. Through today, we’ll take a look at three areas to keep an eye on.
Snagging
Snagging is a term used to describe the process of identifying and rectifying any defects in your new build property.
It’s important to note that the snagging period is not a time for you to pick and choose what you like and dislike. It’s a time for you to identify any defects, and for the builder to rectify them.
The snagging period can last anything from a few weeks, to several months, depending on the size of the property, and the complexity of the build.
There are all sorts of resources that can help you to put together your initial snagging list. Unfortunately, this is rarely a quick process, and there have been some case studies of new homeowners spotting hundreds of defects. Hopefully, your build doesn’t fall into such a category, but now is the time to identify and rectify any issues while you have the legal right.
Getting to know the locals
Something that a lot of people forget when moving into a new build property is the social side.
Let’s not forget that the entire neighbourhood is in the same boat. They’re all moving at the same time, and this is a great way for friendships to develop.
A lot of these neighbourhoods have WhatsApp and Facebook groups which contain some really good nuggets of information. Sometimes, it might be a simple ‘how to’ answer for a specific part of each house, while on other occasions it might be about finding a tradesperson in the vicinity.
Try and get involved with the neighbours as soon as you move; it’s so much easier than later down the line when everyone is settled in.
Remember: Not everything comes included
Hopefully, you’ll be aware of this having studied your legal documents prior to moving.
A common mistake we see is that new build owners are disappointed that their property doesn’t look like the glorious show home they were initially shown.
They find that it’s stripped of window furnishings, paint and a few other areas that could sometimes be dubbed as essential.
This is where you either need to set your expectations, haggle for more from the developer, or just come prepared. In case of the final point, have a handy list of tradespeople ready (see our previous section on getting to know the locals), so you can get to work on day one of moving and ultimately make this barren house look like a real home.
