Have you ever asked yourself ‘Should I buy a new build house?’. If the answer is yes, then you’re in luck, this post is for you. I’ve lived in my Persimmon new build home for 4 years now. Before that, we lived in a different house that wasn’t a new build. Each house had its advantages and benefits so I wanted to go through the pros and cons of buying a new build home.
Pros of a new build house:
If you want to see how I got on with my new build, read my Persimmon home review after living here for 18 months.
Let’s look at some reasons you should buy a new build home.
Modern accessories and features
New build houses often come with modern designs, energy-efficient features, and the latest technologies, offering a comfortable and convenient living experience. You don’t need to worry about the heating and they come with newly fitted kitchens. The kitchen and bathroom designs are modern meaning you won’t need to upgrade at a later date.
Customisation options
Some new build houses offer the ability to personalise certain aspects of the home, such as finishes, layouts, and upgrades, allowing you to create a space that suits your preferences.
Carpets, kitchen floors and kitchen cabinets and worktops are a popular upgrade, as well as better showers, electric towel rails and grass in the garden.
Lower initial maintenance
With everything being brand new, new build houses generally require less immediate maintenance (a new boiler – wooo!) and repairs, potentially saving you time and money in the short term.
A blank canvas
A newbuild house is a blank canvas. There’s no need to tear wallpaper off the walls or paint over the awful colours the previous owner left there. No pulling up ugly carpets! It’s ready to move in and live in. You can take your time with decorating and do it at your own pace.
Warranty protection
New builds often come with warranties that cover structural issues and major components, providing peace of mind and financial protection against potential defects.
Make sure you know about your warranty, the timescales and what it covers – especially for the snags list.
Energy efficiency
New build houses are typically constructed with energy-efficient materials and appliances, leading to potential cost savings on utility bills and a reduced environmental impact.
Cons of a new build house:
Over the years, there have been growing complaints about new build homes. Let’s look at some cons to buying a new build.
Higher cost
New build houses tend to have a higher price tag compared to older homes, reflecting the cost of construction, land, and modern features. This can limit affordability for some buyers.
Limited negotiation room:
Builders often have set prices and may be less open to negotiation compared to individual sellers of pre-existing homes. You may be able to negotiate on stamp duty or free upgrades, but the price it’s set at is what you have to pay.
Construction delays:
Delays in construction are not uncommon with new builds, which can lead to extended wait times and potential inconvenience if you have a specific timeline or need to move in quickly.
Developing neighbourhoods:
New build houses are often located in developing areas or new subdivisions, which may lack established amenities, mature landscaping, or the sense of community found in more established neighbourhoods.
When we first moved into our home, because it was a new postcode, I had a lot of issues with deliveries as our address wasn’t recognised. It also took a few months to be able to order a bin and have the bin men come around to our street.
Potential for unknown issues:
As new build houses have not been lived in or tested over time, there may be unexpected issues or defects that arise after moving in. It’s important to research the builder’s reputation and warranty coverage.
Also, invest in getting a snagging company to come and check for snags so you can get them fixed within the time period. We had 2 weeks to report our snags. A snagging company will check for faults that aren’t obvious to the everyday buyer. Here are some common issues found in new build homes:
- Poorly installed windows and doors.
- Bad brickwork
- Substandard loft insulation installation.
- Blocked gutters causing drainage problems.
- Crack in walls
Poor Garden:
The gardens in new build homes are generally poor. It’s just dirt until you lay your own grass. You can pay for this done before you move in, but the grass is laid over rubble and building material and the ground is generally uneven and lacks drainage.
The gardens are also often overlooked by other houses on the street and behind.
Lack of Space Around the House:
New builds have little space at the front or next to the house. This means people can look through your window from the street and doesn’t leave any room for extensions on the side of the house. They try to cramp so much into the space. Even in a detached house, you are only a walkway’s width from the neighbours.
We have a detached house and on one side, there is a narrow ally that leads to the back garden of the two neighbouring houses. We have a window here that we’ve had to cover up as it feels really exposed when people walk past. Not to mention the front of the house – we have a small bit of grass in front but people often walk straight across it to cut from the ally to the street. People also uses the path to our front door to access the ally as there were no clear boundaries until we put some bushes up and plant pots in the way.
Is buying a new build a good investment?
Buying a new build is a good investment as they are energy efficient and kitted out with new appliances and equipment. This means you won’t need to pay to do repairs and work on them for a good few years. New build houses also sell for an average of 10% more than a regular house.
New builds have the ability to grow in value the same as any other home.
Do I enjoy living in a new build house?
There are some parts of living in a new build I love, such as we could move in right away and didn’t need to paint or decorate. It just looked nice and night from the day we moved in and we didn’t need to do anything to it. Persimmons also bought our old house through the part-exchanged scheme so we didn’t have to go through the stress of selling ours and trying to get the dates lined up for completion. This was all handled by them.
I also love how the garden was just grass so we could design it how we want – though we have had some issues when digging parts up as the turf was just thrown on top of the rubble. This also means the ground is uneven. Luckily, we didn’t pay for our grass as it was included in a free upgrade.
What I don’t like about living here is the lack of privacy and the lack of space around the house. The rooms are also quite small. It’s three double bedrooms but they are a lot smaller than older houses.
Where will we move next?
We do hope to move house next year, depending on the housing market and the mortgage rates. We would like to move into an older house in a more secluded location. As we live close to York centre, it’s quite expensive so we’re hoping to move further away from the city to offset the cost of a bigger property. Overall, I love living here but there isn’t enough space for our growing family.
Things I would like in the next house:
- A downstairs office that will also fit my piano
- An open-plan living area with a sofa and TV in the kitchen and dining area
- A lounge
- A bigger utility room – I’d like to be able to put an airer up and dry clothes there rather than in the bedroom
I’d also still love to have a garage so I can have my home gym still.
When considering a new build house, carefully weigh these pros and cons against what you are looking for. When we moved into our first house together, that also came with issues. There were things we hated and those problems were solved when we moved into this house. It can be hard to tell what you want out of your home until you’ve lived in it and as you progress through life, you will naturally want more. I just hope our next home will be our forever home as moving house is such a pain!
So do you fancy living in a new build?
Firstly your kitchen is stunning and I love the flooring. Energy ratings and warranty are some great positives. I remember years ago when my dad moved into a new build it was a flat rather than a house, but it had hardly any storage, it had one small cupboard, which I suppose could be different in a house. I think I would either buy a new build or a newly updated house, because of the blank canvas option. Thank you for sharing this and your experience. I cannot wait to buy my own house.
Lauren x
It’s good to build a new one but it would be better to save money on buying one as it is. It has good pros as well. Thank you for sharing!
New houses do allow for you to make it your own but most don not have a large back yard.
I love the idea of having a blank canvas to work with for my home. I’ve only ever rented places so the main decor has never been up to me and I haven’t been able to change much. I love this breakdown though, really useful for those looking to decide if they want to buy a new build.