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Even more reasons not to buy a new home:-


Poor sound insulation

This is of special concern with all timber frame new homes, especially flats. Whilst if done properly, sound insulation and isolation measures should result in sound transmittance from neighbours being at an acceptable level. However it seldom is and in most cases rectification work is expensive, difficult and time consuming for both house builders and warranty providers. This means that their first response is usually to deny there is a problem at all! Robust Details are supposed to be followed by house builders to avoid sound testing to comply with the Building Regulations.


Long delays getting landline connection and broadband

House builders get paid by BT to lay their ducting and access boxes in the footpaths. However, it is not uncommon for the ducting to be laid too late or not to standard. BTt blames the builder and the builder blames BT leaving the poor home buyer stuck without a telephone line or broadband for months.


Condensing boilers

From April 2005, all new homes built in Britain with gas-fired heating systems, were required to have a condensing boiler. Whilst considered to offer better energy efficiency, this type of boiler can be more prone to breakdown and replacement parts and repairs can be very expensive. This type of boiler also has a working life of only 3 to 6 years.



Low grade land

Land for residential development is very expensive. Many of the larger developers have strategic land banks - land that does not have planning permission but may do so at a future date. This land is obviously far cheaper than land with outline planning permission. The cost of the land for your new home can be as high as 35% of the total price you pay. It therefore makes economic sense to purchase land as cheaply as possible. This is done in several ways one of which is the brownfield site. This is a site that was previously used for something else. The government is keen on the redevelopment of brownfield sites and as a result, planning is sometimes a formality. However, this land may have been anything from a waste landfill site to a chemical works, scrap yard or bus depot. Developers are required to decontaminate the land prior to building works starting, their specialist contractors removing all the contaminants such as arsenic, cyanide and metals in the ground. However given an informed choice, would it not be better to avoid these locations. Other land may be adjacent to a railway line or major road or motorway. Although planners are now waking up to land at risk of flooding some developments can still go ahead because they comply with the additional requirements of the environment agency.


Water meters

All new homes have been fitted with water meters for some time. Depending on your usage, this can be either a benefit or a burden. If you have a large family or use a lot of water this might be something you may wish to consider.


Lack of Character

Most new homes are constructed using modern, and in some cases, recycled materials. The few places you are likely to find actual wood in a newly-built home is in the roof (trusses) and on the staircase (newels, handrails, spindles and strings). Nowadays new homes are built using MDF (staircase treads, skirting boards, architraves, door linings, window boards, kitchen units); chipboard (flooring, kitchen units, doors) and upvc (windows, fascias etc) Whilst not in itself a distinct disadvantage, many would consider this contributes to a lack of character in a new house. The modern design of new homes can lack the character that older properties have.


Postal Problems

Nearly three quarters of residents of new homes experience difficulties arranging deliveries after moving to a new home due to out of date records and incorrect postcodes according to a report by the Royal Mail. Of the problems encountered, 74% had difficulty ordering goods, 51% had problems with utilities, 34% has problems arranging buildings and contents insurance and 17% of people were still experiencing some problems six months after moving into their new home.


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Disadvantages of buying a new home