|
Continued :-
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.
|
