12 Questions To Ask When You View A New Build
12 Questions To Ask When You View A New Build

12 Questions To Ask When You View A New Build

Looking for a new home can be equal parts exciting and stressful as you try to find a home that ticks all the boxes for you. To take some of that stress and uncertainty away, we have listed 12 questions we think you should ask at your next new build viewing to ensure you have all the information you need.

New build home east markham

What Is The Council Tax Band

Your council tax is based on the value of your property, based on this value it is placed in a ‘band’. So, it is important to make sure you know which band your council tax falls under. You can find help on how to do this from www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands

The bands are as follows:

BandValue
AUp to £40,000
B£40,001 to £52,000
C£52,001 to £68,000
D£68,001 to £88,000
E£88,001 to £120,000
F£120,001 to £160,000
G£160,001 to £320,000
HMore than £320,000

Secure a moving-in date that works for both parties. There are occasions when you may find yourself looking at an unfinished plot, an attractive prospect if you are able to tailor this new house to your style. But this can take some coordination to ensure that if you are in a chain, there are no delays or occasions where you may be left looking for a place to stay, in the event your new home isn’t quite finished.

Developers will have a strict timeline for their homes and will be able to present a reliable date of completion. If you have requested any additions to the home, you must provide any final decisions and payments to the developer in good time, to prevent delays to the timeline.

Field View Gardens new build home
Airforce Blue shaker kitchen in a new build home

What is included? – Not just inside but outside as well.          

In the same vein as the above, find out what is included in your new home. The specifications of your home will detail everything from your windows to interiors. Does your home come with a kitchen and bathroom? Where do they source this, and do you have the option to choose what this will look like? Can you choose your floors and tiles?

If something in the specification isn’t to your preference and is not a core element of the build process, some developers will allow you to change this as an added extra.

This is a luxury some developers will offer, so you not only get a new home but one that suits you best.

The snagging period is the length of time in which the owner of a new build is able to highlight any issues with the home. Each developer has a slightly different length of time and a list of items that they will cover. It’s important to know from the outset what this snagging period entails so that you can be sure what you are and are not covered for.

As a general rule, 2 years is what is expected. This will include fixes for any settling in the home or any faults with pre-installed kitchens or bathrooms, amongst other small fixes related to the work that was completed before you moved in. They may not cover anything they deem as fair wear and tear or anything that is installed by you after you move in.

Bathroom with inbuilt back and framed shower screen in a new build house
New Build house with big back garden

What is the Energy Rating?

Each home has an energy rating. With many developers aiming to build homes that are as energy efficient as possible, they will often be aiming for as low a rating as possible for that building, so as close to an A rating as possible.

An EPC helps to explain the energy usage and expected costs for the home and includes tips for improving the efficiency of the home based on this.

An EPC lasts for around 10 years after which you would need to request a new EPC before you are able to sell or rent your property.

Ask your developer or estate agent about the local amenities such as bus and train links as well as local attractions. Some will mention their top picks in the listing or on their website suggesting local attractions, restaurants, gyms and distances to local towns and cities.

Consider what you get up to when you’re not at home. Do you commute to work and need to be near to an easy route to work? Do you have kids and need to make sure you’ve got something for them to do in the holidays?  This helps you to picture your life in the house you’re viewing, helping you to really fall in love with it.  

Daneshill lakes pier

Where Are The Local Schools?

Often included alongside the local amenities, you should find which school catchment areas your new home falls into. If you have children or plan to in the near future of your home, this is an essential question to ask. If you can get on the list for your desired school early, you will be in a good position to begin your new home life on the right foot.

Catchment areas change every year, and some schools offer priority to those within this area. So, it is important to ask this question and back up the answer with your own research into your desired school.

This is an element of home hunting that is often overlooked. It’s a small detail but one that quickly becomes an important one once you move in.

Find out if the bins are provided to the property, and if not, how you go about procuring one. This is especially important to know if you feel you may need a larger bin or a particular recycling bin that isn’t provided as standard, such as garden waste or glass.

Some councils will post through a bin schedule to new homes, but oftentimes it is much easier to ask your developer what has been organised for the site.

It is also possible to request a larger or replacement bin from your local council website, the bin schedule is also shown there. You can find out who your local council is by entering your postcode on the gov.uk website.

Are There Any More Developments In The Area?

Find out if there are any planned works or further developments scheduled around your home. This may not be by the same developer, but they will have information on what is planned for the surrounding areas.

Any work planned can be taken into consideration when buying your new home. If the lovely home with a large garden is to be overshadowed by a large house to be built at the end of it, this may change your mind.

It’s important to respect boundaries. The boundaries of your property can be found on your title plan, but when viewing, your estate agent or the developer will be able to answer this for you. This will tell you the limits of your property, including which fences are yours, which is often the point of contention with neighbours. Clear knowledge of the land that belongs to you can save you a lot of awkward conversations in the long run.

What is the deposit amount?

Every new build will ask for a deposit to secure the property for you. This is generally a minimum of £500 or 1% of the value of the property. This is deducted from the final buying price and is often non-refundable. So, ensure that if you are thinking of putting down a deposit, you are certain you have found the house for you.

Most new build homes come on a site that is cared for by the developer as the land is privately owned by that developer. This means it is ‘non-adoptable land’, so the local council won’t look after the roads, lights or other things usually covered by council tax in an older home. Your council tax will cover any roads off-site, and they will of course still take care of your bins. This is true for the foreseeable future unless the council decides to take over the land for any reason, in which case these things will be covered by the standard council tax.

This fee will cover the general maintenance of equipment in the communal areas, this isn’t just to maintain gardens but also any lighting, paths, sewage pumps and other essential elements of the communal areas on the site.

The positive of paying for maintenance is that you can guarantee it will be looked after well, whereas councils are often spread too thin to keep maintenance up as regularly.

5 bedroom home with a communal garden, garage and large garden.

This is just a handful of questions we think will help you to be better equipped for your new-build viewing. It’s a good idea to go in with a few questions of your own as well but don’t let all these details take away from the excitement of looking at a new home. Take it all in, these questions can always wait for your second viewing!

Check out our other blogs for more inspiration and help on your journey to a new home. We are also on Facebook and Instagram where we post little tips and mood boards to help you along.

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