New build homes: Do you need a building survey?
Are you investing in a new build property and want to ensure it’s up to standard? At Collier Stevens, we conduct thorough building surveys to ensure that your home is in the best condition possible.
There’s a misconception that new build homes are free of problems, but we are here to reiterate that a building survey on any home, old or new, is crucial. Unsure about the type of survey you require? Take a look at our finding the right surveyor and survey blog.
Buying a new build home
In the last few years, there has been a notable increase in the number of new housing estates going up in the area surrounding Collier Stevens’ Hythe and Chislehurst offices. This isn’t just a localised phenomenon, it’s happening across the UK. Our building surveyors in Kent are often asked why a building survey of a new build home is worthwhile.
More often than not, when people are buying a new build home, the idea of having a survey seems silly. After all, it’s brand new. However, there’s an alarming number of people who don’t realise they ought to have a qualified chartered surveyor take a look and conduct a homebuyer report at the very least.
When people choose to buy a new-build house, they’re buying into something they feel won’t need any work doing to it. The roof won’t leak, the gutters will be perfectly sealed, the bathroom and kitchen are of the latest designs, windows and doors are perfectly fitted, the electrics and plumbing are as up to date as they could possibly be. And, the home has an NHBC guarantee should anything go wrong. It all sounds ideal, but there are many things to consider when investing in a new build property.
What can building surveyors find on new-build house surveys?
On the occasions when wise homebuyers decide to undertake a survey, our property surveyors in Kent find all sorts of problems on new-build homes.
It’s an obvious one, but we almost always find snagging issues where a job just hasn’t been finished to the standard it should. I expect many of the homebuyers spot a lot of this too – after all, you want a perfect finish. Some of the faults include:
- Elements not fitted level or plumb.
- Carpenter’s pencil marks on joinery.
- Loose socket plates.
- Plastic frames scratched or cut by tools.
- Loose sanitaryware – toilet pans that wobble and taps that are not fitted securely.
- Some terrible and some not so terrible, but still bad, decorations.
- Badly fitted ironmongery.
- Poorly fixed fences.
Our surveys have also found more serious issues that could lead to problems with damp, ventilation and insulation, as well as have safety implications in your new home, including:
- Damp proof courses that have been bridged.
- Doors and windows badly fitted.
- Waste pipes and vents not connected.
- Drainage not connected to the road.
- Staircases that were stored in the open and have since split and warped as soon as they started to dry out after installation.
- Coping stones badly fitted causing water penetration.
- Render badly applied, that isn’t thick enough and is failing.
- Sliding door screens that are so heavy they could not work.
- Flashings that have fallen away because they were never fitted properly.
And these are just a few of the real examples that we have seen.
Whatever happens when you by a new-build, try to get a set of the construction plans for your home, as well as the ‘owners handbook’. They offer more guidance to anyone looking to resolve any issues you might come across after you have bought your home.
Sometimes Collier Stevens are retained to monitor the house through the build process. However, that can’t always be arranged as developers are reluctant to allow third parties onto their sites for valid health, safety, and insurance reasons.
Building survey vs NHBC warranty
Perhaps your reason for not having a survey is that you have a NHBC warranty on your new home, and feel that that is good enough for you. After all, if something does go wrong with it, you are protected right? Well, no. Unfortunately, you cannot rely on this.
The NHBC warranty is a form of insurance. It is supposed to compensate home buyers or fix any faults in the new property if there are problems within the first 10 years.
However, many disputes have arisen between home buyers and the NHBC. It’s notoriously difficult to make a claim stick, and there’s very limited cover after two years. Too often homeowners get a surveyor involved at this stage, as opposed to utilising them before purchasing a home. In our opinion, you should not rely on the NHBC warranty as being an indicator that the house has been properly built and finished.
Buying the right property
Before you consider hiring a surveyor, we recommend buying a house that has been completed mid-way through the development (if of course, it’s on an estate and not a single new build project).
A development site is essentially a factory. The first houses are prototypes, no matter how well planned. With any prototype, there are details and pieces that may not work as well as they should. So, avoid buying one of the first houses in a development.
The houses built at the end of the building development may have all the problems ironed out, but the developer is often running out of money by this time and is keen to sell, and the tradesmen on site have fitted 150 kitchens and can’t wait to move on to the next job. The last houses to complete are often rushed. Corners may have been cut, so avoid buying the last houses in a development.
That said, regardless of which you buy, it’s always worth having a building survey of a new build.
Get a building survey with Collier Stevens
Our surveyors at Collier Stevens are here to help ensure you invest in the right property. Whether your property is a new build or Victorian property, our services will ensure your home is in the right condition before buying or selling. We offer schedules of condition services, full building surveys, expert witness reports and more. If you’re unsure whether to get a building survey or a new build snagging survey, check out our guide to help you decide or contact our team.
Get in touch with Collier Stevens for a building survey today.
Steven Way
Steven Way BSc MIHEEM MFPWS MRICS is the Practice Principal and is a Chartered Building Surveyor. With over 35 years as a practicing surveyor, Steve has a wealth of experience and expertise in both residential and commercial building surveying, party wall advice and disabled access auditing. He has also built his reputation as an expert witness.