Posts tagged as:

new build inspections

Housebuilders face home truths over complaints

Complaints about alleged defects in new homes are increasing, despite a slump in the number of properties sold in the recession. Complaints to the National House Building Council (NHBC), which offers warranties on 80% of new homes, topped 64,000 in 2008/09. This is up only slightly from 63,000 in 2007/08 but comes in a year [...]

Number 10 addresses consumer protection issues

Catriona Bright the managing director of New Build Inspection, said: “We welcome the fact that the Government recognises there is a problem, especially as the housebuilding industry is spending a fortune on professional lobbyists and public relation campaigns claiming their house is in order.”
In its response the Government stated that contracts for the sale of [...]

House builders breaking flyposting laws, says New Build Inspections

Some house builders are breaking the law by illegally flyposting on lampposts, says New Build Inspections.
The firm, which carries out independent quality inspections of new homes, says house builders across the country are ignoring regulations and using illegal flyposting on lampposts as a standard marketing technique.
But it warns perpetrators can be prosecuted under the Clean [...]

Blueprint blues

Many people prefer brand new homes, but beware the many “snags” of buying off-plan, warns Peter Davy.
For an increasing number of people, second-hand homes are no longer the way to go. Buyers are instead opting for a house in a brand new development.
More than 185,000 houses were built last year – the highest number since [...]

The pros and cons of buying new build homes

With over 160,000 new homes being built across the UK every year there is an enormous amount of choice when it comes to buying new.
Many people will only buy new, claims New Build Inspections, and return to buy another new home despite the problems of getting building snags fixed.
A short guide from the firm outlines [...]

Snagging headache

Is it worth calling in professional fault-finders to check your newly built house for defects?
When they moved from Stevenage to Gainsborough in Lincolnshire last year, Greg and Juli Dear decided to buy in a new development. Their previous three homes had been new-build, and the four-bed show house they saw looked ideal. But, having paid [...]

THOUSANDS of home-buyers dream of moving into a brand-new house but…

THOUSANDS of home-buyers dream of moving into a brand-new house, where everything’s as perfect as the picture in the developers’ glossy brochures. For most the dream becomes a happy reality, but some buyers settle in only to find a host of niggles that should have been sorted before they took over; be it slapdash painting [...]

New guide warns of show home tricks

A new guide to make buyers aware of the tricks used to sell off-plan properties, including show homes, has been produced by New Build Inspections (NBI).
NBI say it is common practice for house builders to use show homes to sell off-plan properties, but warn it is essential that home owners are aware that these can [...]

When home buyers are wise to hit a snag

Finding the flaws in newly built houses is a must, says Christopher Browne. I recall those first flickers of adrenaline when I got the tip-off about a handsome grade II listed property in Nottingham. It was opposite Nottingham Trent University, and about to be converted into upmarket student flats. Buy now and you’ll make a [...]

Advice from new build buyers at Fairford Leys

This article has been compiled from the mass of e-mails we receive from Fairford Leys residents concerning the problems of buying a new home in this development and we hope it will be helpful to anyone considering buying a property here.
The Pros and Cons
Buying a house is generally regarded as the biggest investment that most [...]

Property nightmare: a new home full of flaws

Ask Allyson Snape anything about plumbing, central heating, power showers, damp problems or roof repairs and she’ll probably have the answer. Her know-how comes not from evening classes, but a three-year saga that she and her husband John have faced since they bought a “luxury”, four-bedroom David Wilson home in the Peak District, writes Christopher [...]

David Wilson Homes: If only they had snagged

A family bought a house found hundreds of defects. They could have avoided the heartache, explains Christopher Browne
The McGuire family could hardly contain their excitement when they moved into the five-bedroom house they had just bought on a new estate in Cambridgeshire. “We’d been anticipating the big day for months,” says Hazel McGuire.
However, elation [...]

New homes are great. Theres just one snag …

If only. Most have so many faults a specialist is needed. writes Christopher Browne.
Snagging – the very name is enough to put you off. No one likes having to deal with problems or hitches. But for anyone who buys a newly built or converted property, the S-word can be crucial. Do it right [...]

Spotting problems with your home before you buy

As is standard practice, she did a tour of the house with the developer before she was handed the keys and was asked to point out any snagging defects she could spot. As a layperson she found only two. But she chose to seek a professional opinion.