Bought a new House - New Build - Progress Thread

[GinG]

Afternoon all,

Thought I would create my own little thread about a new house me and the girlfriend has purchased, due for completion in September (they best get a move on!). This will be updated everytime anything exciting happens.

The House

This is the type of house we have purchased (3 bed, 3 storey):

It is an end plot on the estate, comes with gardens front & rear, private driveway & single garage.

Layout

Ground floor:

1st Floor:

2nd Floor:

1st Update:

Builders have dug the foundations and work starts on the brickwork!

Sorry nothing too exciting at the moment, however I will keep updating the progress as often as possible, I hope the weather stays dry as it is so they can crack on!

We have already purchased a corner sofa (ready for delivery in september) it is a nice size @ 3m x 2m.

I plan on having a nice HTPC setup in the front room, hoping by xmas we will have a 50" plasma or projector so this will be a continued thread including the furnishing of the house.

Hopefully will be of interest to some people!

Cheers

Graham

 

[GinG]

so the first pic of the house is the one you have purchased?

Or the pic of the buildiers is were the house is going to be?

The 1st pic is the style of house (computer drawn image), the last pic is the actual plot of land and will eventually be ours!

 

[GinG]

So they have 2.5 months to finish it! Hmmm...

Hope it all goes well and that you enjoy your new property!

Yeah so do I!

They are still saying that it will be finished on 10th Sept. They managed to get it from nothing to the bottom photo within 1 week!

 

[GinG]

How much will it be costing?

I think it total with all costs involved will be around £200k.

Checking on persimmon website the house style price has gone up by £15k since we purchased (hope this is a good sign!)

 

[GinG]

Just beware - your builders have absolutely no obligation to finish your house in any specific timescale, but your mortgage agreement will have a limited time span.

Yup, which is a bit of a bummer. However the mortgage is live until 31st October, so fingers crossed gives them plenty of time!

 

[GinG]

Have fun snagging!!!!!

Oh yesss! Can see that being a regular daily task for a good few weeks!

 

[GinG]

What will be to your north (as you'll be on the edge)?

It is allotments owned by the local church

 

[GinG]

Very interesting thread, keep us updated

Would love to see the outcome

I'm still quite young to consider investing a house... but this thread kinda makes me want to plan out my future

So how much is the estimated cost you in total? i.e. furnitures, carpets, wallpapers, house, lot etc.?

I can recomend to start saving now! It is pretty expensive!

We must have spent about £3k on bits and pieces however we have not scrimped the pennies on things...Brabantia Bread Bins, Waste Bin, Storage Jars, Magimix Kettle & Toaster Etc Etc.

The Sofa + Single Chair + Footstool = approx £1,700

Curtain Rails & Curtains = Did not realise how much these actually are! Budgeting around £1k

Carpets = We are getting quotes around £2.5 - £3k, this excludes the entrance hall which I am getting solid oak flooring laid & I am wanting some granite floor tiles for the Kitchen (been looking and these are about £120m2!)

Wallpaper - Wont be too much, just 1 feature wall in front room & main bedroom, probs be looking about £500 max

Turf - as they are only laying turf to front we have a budget of around £300 for the rear.

Quite scary to think that on top of buying the house with solicitors and everything else we won't be short of spending £10k!

Really proud to say I never saw myself being able to afford all this as it was only in January I paid off £10k worth of debt & we are doing this without any help from family & nothing bought on finance...so to all those who feel they can get no where with debt, just work at it really hard and things do get better!!

 

[GinG]

I did

obviously chose the kitchen, bathrooms etc

also hade the drive widened

I did have cabling added for TVs alarm, lighting etc

the building company didn't do this but did allow access to folks I had employed to run the cabling before the plastering was done

Just out of interest Rotty, were these guys cash in hand jobbies or did you do it all above board?

Got a mate who is an electrician, however to keep costs down it would be cash in hand...just wondering about insurance etc etc?

 

[GinG]

Just a bit of an update:

Went from this

To what it is today in 1 week!

Front:

They seem to be cracking on, and acording to the office still on from completion next month! Getting quite excited now

 

[GinG]

Hi Graham, is this house in NA? I can't work out where abouts it is

It is in Bedale mate so you won't recognise it! Only problem is not sure what the exchange is like for broadband, my only concern about moving to Bedale!!

 

[GinG]

There is no way in hell that is getting finished in 1 month. 1st fix, maybe.

Don't forget the following trades :-

Plumbing
Electrician
Plastering
Glazing
Kitchen fitters
Roofers
Painting & Decorating

You'll be lucky to be in by Christmas, and that's if you have dry days and opt for tape and joint (instead of pink plaster)

We are talking persimmon here...most of the walls will be cardboard with everything painted white. The way the other houses went up I have no worries about the completion date!

 

[GinG]

2 to 2.5Mb is what it's like. Not bad but not great. No 20mb services yet

Whereabouts in Bedale is that out of interest?

Down masham road mate pretty much on the left hand side before the special school, you from Bedale?

What people seem to not realise, this is not a 1 off build, and as such a mass market house...the build time from start to finish is 10 - 12 weeks, hence the 'snagging' list will be out for some weeks after!

 

[GinG]

Is it too late for them to throw a couple extra half-baths in there? One on the middle floor seems like a bugger.

Fine with me...we mostly take showers so the en-suite in the bedroom is absolutly fine. The bathroom will hardly get used.

 

[GinG]

Have to agree with Ripper, new build here too and completing in September and all they have to do left on my house is the garage roof (Going on this week), the garden, and the kitchen appliances. They're taking the mick if they say they'll get yours done for September :|

All depends on the site plan and when they finish their phase numbers. Was in with the site manager yesterday and he said September not a problem. End of the day build plan is about 12 weeks from when they 1st put shovel to mud.

Have faith all

 

[GinG]

Another quick update:

This is how it stands as off last weekend:

They are still assuring me the house will be complete on 14th September. The way the other houses are going up I really do believe them!

Grandparents have given me and the gf £400 to go towards AV, so going to put it towards an amplifier & speakers. This helps me as it is £400 less I need to find for the projector!

 

[GinG]

4 weeks, no chance. first floor not done.

1 floor per week , so by next weekend (28th) in theory should be ready for the roof.

Saturday (4th) roof & windows in.

Saturday (11th) Electrics, Plumbing, Plastering.

Tuesday (14th) Finishing off the little things required.

Wed (15th) we complete and get the keys...

The house comes with nothing else, no flooring, turf, minimal tiles in the bathroom etc etc, so not a great deal of work to be done by the builders inside.


We shall see!

 

[GinG]

i would give yourself a day to create a snagging list. do this as soon as you get the keys, don't move anything in or start any work until you have done your snagging list and give it to the contractor

Yeah the woman in the sales office on site has mentioned this already, I really am expecting quite a lot due to how quick these go up!

 

[GinG]

£195k is what we are paying for it.

A car is a bit different to a house...in a way a car does not have a drying out period, a house is not built by robotics etc etc -

Of course everything is weather permitting, however so far weather has been very good for the build. In fact the build finish date has been brought forward from the original planned date.

 

[GinG]

Well with things being a bit busy in life this thread has not been as exciting as I would have hoped!

Building is getting signed off tomorrow, and should be in next Friday.

Pic was taking about 9.30 - 10 this morning I believe.

Once we have the keys I shall try and take more photos of work inside the house to try keep it a little bit more exciting!