Q. How do I reserve a new home?
A. To reserve a new home you will need to pay a reservation fee. Once you have paid a reservation fee your new home will be withdrawn from sale and it will not be subject to any price increases. The developer will then stipulate a time period by which you will need to exchange contracts and pay your deposit. The reservation fee and deposit are then deducted from the price of your home.
Q. How much is the reservation fee?
A. Reservation fees vary by developer and the purchase price of the property.
Q. What warranty is included with a new home?
A. Your new home will be covered by the NHBC or similar industry regulated 10 year insurance scheme covering the structural integrity of your new home. Full details of the cover will be provided to you by the developer prior to legal completion.
Q. Can I change the specification on a house to suit myself?
A. This will depend on the build stage the property is at when you reserve it. Generally developers are open to reasonable requests from buyers as long as the build process is not too advanced.
Q. How do I look after my new home?
A. Just like a new car, your new home needs to 'run in'. During this period, the main thing to bear in mind is that your house is still drying out, since thousands of litres of water were used in the construction. As your new home dries out, it will release moisture into the air which can create condensation on cold surfaces such as windows and exterior walls. You can reduce this by keeping background central heating as low as possible, and you may choose to open windows for a while each day, to circulate fresh air round the house. During this period, a few small cracks may appear in the walls and timberwork, this is quite normal and can be cured when you re-decorate.
Q. What is a SAP rating?
A. An SAP rating is an energy rating and stands for Standard Assessment Procedure and is carried out on all new dwellings. It is similar to the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) created for second hand property.
Frequently asked questions about buying a new home
