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Author Topic: Please help - New home and development worries!  (Read 13948 times)

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jimandbiz

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Please help - New home and development worries!
« on: July 07, 2011, 03:17:36 pm »
My other half and I are getting close to exchanging on a new property in Lincolnshire. It has been built by a local builder and is a development of 12 properties.

Having been to the site on a number of occasions, I have a few concerns and don't know if they are justified.

1.   The site is untidy. Grass verges leading up to properties are overgrown and the builders infringe on all properties with equipment and plant - including already inhabited homes.

2.   The garden is 6 feet overgrown with wild weeds. I expected this to be grassed along with all the areas around completed properties making them look habitable.

3.   There is no underlay beneath the carpets.

4.   There is damage to skirting boards and stains to carpets already.

Is this usual and other than contact my solicitor, what can I do.

Please help!!!


The Brickkicker

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Re: Please help - New home and development worries!
« Reply #1 on: July 07, 2011, 05:26:55 pm »
Hi Jim

First of all the main thing is you have not exchanged ...so legally if you want to back out because you are getting some bad vibes from your builder then you can ....but in the first instance you should go to your builder and expresss your concerns.

I will  reply in number order

1. A classic sign of a professional organised builder /developer is the way the site is presented , even the tightest site in terms of space should be organised and orderly ...this gives us an insight into the site managers standards....but not neccessarily the quality of the build.

2. This weather its not unusual to see a nearly finished plot overgrown with weeds still ...it will require killing off and rotivating prior to preparation for turfing ..( de stoning and roughly levelling ) the garden area should be free of vegitable matter according to the NHBC

3. Some carpets at the cheaper end of the spectrum have a foam type backing that does not require underlay ....i suggest that this is the most likley reason for a lack of underlay.

4. Damage to skirting at this stage is probabaly as a result of the carpet fitters ...i cant tell without seeing ...but experience suggests this ( easy to decorate over prior to occupation
...stains well ..again i would need to see but they should be removed prior to occupation

Ask them when you should and can present them with a snagging list for the issues you have seen ...and ask your solicitor to ask thiers to make snagging part of the contract ( if its not already ...a good builder will make it part already )

I hope this has answered your questions
Brickkickers New Home Inspections
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Philofacts

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Re: Please help - New home and development worries!
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2011, 08:57:20 am »
Crikey,  this is a big warning signal - I can hear alarm bells ringing from here!

1) Not a good sign.  A builder that cares would not want to subject his customers/purchasers to any more nuisance from the building works other than that which is unavoidable.

2) It is an NHBC requirement that garden areas are topsoiled and free from weeds.  If the builder has left it so weeds are 6ft tall, clearly the home has been on the market for quite some time and he doesnt care at all about presenting his homes in the best possible way. Turfing or grass is not normally included to rear private gardens.

3) Not all carpets have underlay.  The cheaper carpets (and this is probably what you have got going by what you have already said) is foam backed and only lasts about 18 months!

4) The skirtings can be filled if necessary and the decoration touched up as part of the snagging process.  The carpets should be cleaned or replaced before occupation.

Finally, this is NOT USUAL.  My advice is buy a house somewhere else.  This one is going to be nothing but trouble for you.
If you still want to proceed, Do not Exchange Contracts unless you are happy to do so AFTER a professional snagging Inspaction has been carried out.
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The Prophet

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Re: Please help - New home and development worries!
« Reply #3 on: July 09, 2011, 12:02:17 pm »
It is surprising that they can sell homes presented as badly as this.

Do you think that cheap carpet was laid to cover up and conceal poorly finished floors?

Fred

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Re: Please help - New home and development worries!
« Reply #4 on: July 16, 2011, 01:40:30 pm »
I agree with the experts, you would be better off buying elsewhere.