New build developers aren’t all equal, so it’s important to ask questions. These are questions to ask when buying a new build so you buy with confidence.
There are various elements with new build homes that we were unaware of when we bought our new build.
Besides the general tips to buying a house, buying a new build has more things to consider.
There are questions to ask when buying a new build because what you see in the show rooms is not what you’ll get, most of the time.
Plus, there were things we wish we knew about living in a new build before moving in.
I can’t stress enough the importance of asking questions when buying a new build.
The most important thing upfront is to ask yourself if you want to be a homeowner, and if you want a new build.
You should buy a house only when you’re ready to buy a house.
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Questions To Ask When Buying A New Build Home
You can ask questions at any point during your house buying journey.
The earlier the better with most questions as some are more appropriate once you’ve reserved a plot, or once you’ve moved in.
By no means is this list exhaustive as there are always more things to find out but hopefully these will serve as a good baseline.
Questions To Ask When You’re Viewing New Builds
These are questions to ask when you go around viewing show homes and speaking to the sales agents from the developers.
1- What do I get with a new build as standard?
A new house, obviously!
Sure you’ll get a new house, but the question is in what condition.
When you’re viewing show homes you are looking at the highest quality house they can probably build.
It will have all the appliances, chrome sockets, beautiful garden, fully specced out bathroom plus all the furnishings for the finishing touches.
With most developers, if not all, the standard price you see is for the four walls.
There may be extra fees to pay if you want appliances, chrome sockets, flooring, and even a turfed garden.
Find out what comes as standard as extras mean more money out of pocket.
2- How many properties have been sold so far?
You want to assess the realistic opportunity for you to buy a house.
If you’re still saving money for a deposit but the development has few properties remaining, calculate whether you have enough time to save up the needed amount.
If you’re one of the first few people you may be able to negotiate a lower price as you’ll move in whilst they are still building.
Plus it lets you have a feel of what your neighbours may be like as the sales agent will know all of them.
3- What are the due dates of the current and future phases?
Developers build houses around the estate in phases, so it’s good to know where they are on their overall plans.
The job of the sales agent is to sell all the available homes there and then so they will mostly talk of the current phase.
Ask about future phases too and when they are due for completion.
This will allow you to make informed decisions about which plot to buy based on your desired timeline.
4- Has there been any delays and what caused them?
It’s quite common for new homes to face delays during the build stages due to various reasons.
It’s important to know this so you can get a sense of the likelihood of facing delays on your plot too.
5- Is the house built with Bricks & Mortar (traditional) or Timber Frame?
You won’t be giving tips to the builders about which route to take or how things should be done here.
Instead, this is for you to know the structure of your potential home.
The construction type will have an impact on your mortgage application and your insurance cover.
Houses in the UK are usually masonry built to be fair – masonry is the ‘proper’ term for bricks and mortar.
6- Is the property a leasehold or a freehold?
Freehold is when you own the property and the land it’s built on. The mortgage you get covers the cost of both.
Leasehold is when you own the property but the land is leased to you. The mortgage would be for the house, and you’d pay leasehold fees for the land known as ground rent.
7- Are there any other costs to pay for the property?
Other fees for new build homes can include service charges that pay for the maintenance of the communal play area or a pond within your estate.
Service charges are generally non negotiable and are paid for by all the homeowners in the estate.
8- Are we allocated designated parking spaces?
This applies more to new build flats as houses will have driveways and garages.
There are some whereby the parking spots are in a shared space with designated parking spaces.
However it’s also a possibility that car parking spaces are a free-for-all. If you buy in the city centre you may not have any parking.
9- What schemes do they offer?
The most common scheme for new builds is the Help to Buy scheme which has two options, equity loan and shared ownership.
First time buyers can apply for both whereas homemovers can only apply for the equity loan scheme.
If you’re already a homeowner ask if they have the help to sell scheme, formally known as the assisted move scheme.
This is where the developers will arrange for your property to be sold on your behalf at a fast pace so you can buy the new build with no delays.
Developers want people to buy and move in asap so they don’t want you pulling out because your house didn’t sell.
Some may even offer a part exchange deal if you’re upgrading to a more expensive house than your current place.
10- What is the reservation fee and what are the rules around it?
When buying a new build you reserve a plot through paying the reservation fee.
This is NOT the deposit. This is to reserve the plot in your name for you to buy the property.
The reservation fee ranges from hundreds to thousands depending on the developer.
Usually it is for a limited amount of time until you proceed with the house buying process via your solicitors.
Often it is non refundable if you change your mind and decide not to buy that plot.
Questions To Ask After Reserving A New Build Plot
These are questions to ask once you’ve decided to proceed with a specific developer and are ready to own your home.
11- When is the ideal due date for your choice of interior?
New builds give you options to choose from when it comes to the interior.
You usually get to choose the kitchen cupboards and countertop, wet room tiling, plus any upgrades they offer.
Completion to the house will not commence until you have decided your choices.
Once your mortgage is approved,
Once your mortgage application is approved, developers then place an order for your interior.
12- When can you view your property before moving in?
Viewing works differently with new builds.
Developers usually want you to move in as soon as your house is complete.
The gap between viewing your property to moving in can be quite narrow.
Usually you’ll be given a date to view your house once development is complete.
You should also use that time to assess the house and whether they built everything right according to what you wanted.
13- Will our own tradesmen be allowed in the property before completion?
Some new builds will charge you extra for carpets or for some appliances, so you may wish to find cheaper alternatives.
By choosing to find an alternative method means they need access to the property to fit your carpets or new appliances.
Some developers won’t allow any independent tradesmen in the development prior to you moving in.
Your only option may be to wait until you get the keys, book in dates with the tradesmen to come in after you’ve moved in.
The tricky thing here is that new builds are prone to delays and uncertainties.
14- Who are the utility suppliers to the estate?
There will be limited utility suppliers on new builds in the beginning so you may find there’s only one option.
It’s very likely that you’ll have one supplier for gas & electricity, and one for broadband in the early days.
15- When will the roads be fully surfaced?
Developers will complete the roads in your estate once they have completed the houses.
It’s not unheard of for developers to leave roads and pavements incomplete with little to no street lighting, long after development was finished.
16- Will the local council look after the road around the estate?
If the local council will not take ownership of the road it will be marked as a private road.
The ownership to maintain and upkeep the road falls to the homeowners. The costs involved to do this can be quite expensive.
Ultimately, your solicitors checks will reveal this to you and no doubt they’ll flag this if the council does not take ownership.
17- Who will be looking after me when I move in?
This will be the person(s) who will look after you during the 2 year period of when you move in and find snags around the house.
They will also be your liaison between yourself and the local tradesman such as plumbers and joiners.
They will also be the communication point if any other issues happen around the area which impact the estate.
18- What guarantees do you provide with your new builds?
Most developers will give you as a buyer a warranty to fix snags found in the property such as doors not closing or radiators not working.
Most new builds come with a National House Building Council (NHBC) Building Warranty which usually lasts for 10 years.
The Warranty covers you for a range of issues should the developers fail to build according to certain standards.
Also find out what warranties come with your appliances provided by the developers.
Questions To Ask When Buying A New Build Home
As mentioned earlier, these questions are not exhaustive but should be a good starting point.
Unfortunately some won’t give you this information up front as their focus is on making the sale.
Having the answers to these questions will help you make a decision whether you want to be a homeowner of a new build.
Take Action
Save this list and refer to it when dealing with developers
Share this with your friend, family, or partner so they have the right questions to ask when buying a new build home.
Check out our Ultimate Money Plan to get in control of your money and smash your financial goals
Let us know how you’re getting along by getting in touch with us, we’d love to hear from you
Knowledge is powerless without action
So take action, and take care
Thando