Hi...
We're looking at buying a new house, for which they are just at the
"mud and foundations" stage by the looks of it. (It's being built by
Persimmon.)

Now, when we asked the saleswoman if we could rearrange things like the
kitchen cupboards from their normal layout (in the showhome for
example), she said no, because it would violate the planning
permission. "We have to build what we said we would build" she
explained.

This sounds bonkers to me. I'm inclined to think they just can't be
bothered to accomodate buyers who want to tinker with the standard
setup.

Anybody know if her claim has any basis in fact?

thanks,
Spud

wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi...
We're looking at buying a new house, for which they are just at the
"mud and foundations" stage by the looks of it. (It's being built by
Persimmon.)

Now, when we asked the saleswoman if we could rearrange things like the
kitchen cupboards from their normal layout (in the showhome for
example), she said no, because it would violate the planning
permission. "We have to build what we said we would build" she
explained.

This sounds bonkers to me. I'm inclined to think they just can't be
bothered to accomodate buyers who want to tinker with the standard
setup.

Anybody know if her claim has any basis in fact?

thanks,
Spud


My mother bought 2 one-bedroomed flats (to make one large 2-bedroomed flat)
whilst they were being built by Barratts. They totally changed the plans
and made several changes to the layout so that she only had one kitchen and
one front door and a larger lounge. She even got a reduction in price.

Penn

wrote:
Hi...
We're looking at buying a new house, for which they are just at the
"mud and foundations" stage by the looks of it. (It's being built by
Persimmon.)

Now, when we asked the saleswoman if we could rearrange things like the
kitchen cupboards from their normal layout (in the showhome for
example), she said no, because it would violate the planning
permission. "We have to build what we said we would build" she
explained.

This sounds bonkers to me. I'm inclined to think they just can't be
bothered to accomodate buyers who want to tinker with the standard
setup.

Anybody know if her claim has any basis in fact?

thanks,
Spud

Some changes would require pp but obviosuly where the kitchen cabinets
go has nothing to do with that. Rather than asking if they can , you
could try saying you'll pay the price as long as they do x,y,z. I'd be
quite surprised if they wont do anything.


NT

wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi...
We're looking at buying a new house, for which they are just at the
"mud and foundations" stage by the looks of it. (It's being built by
Persimmon.)

Now, when we asked the saleswoman if we could rearrange things like the
kitchen cupboards from their normal layout (in the showhome for
example), she said no, because it would violate the planning
permission. "We have to build what we said we would build" she
explained.

This sounds bonkers to me. I'm inclined to think they just can't be
bothered to accomodate buyers who want to tinker with the standard
setup.

Anybody know if her claim has any basis in fact?

thanks,
Spud

She is a SALES woman, so doesn't seem to have a clue. I am amazed you have
to ask here rather than asking a site manager who will give you the correct
answer. If you are not a time waster and will buy the house you can have
what you like done to it at this stage.
I've never heard of planning permission being required for altering a fitted
kitchen layout!
Surely common sense would have kicked in at this point.

wrote:
Hi...
We're looking at buying a new house, for which they are just at the
"mud and foundations" stage by the looks of it. (It's being built by
Persimmon.)

Now, when we asked the saleswoman if we could rearrange things like the
kitchen cupboards from their normal layout (in the showhome for
example), she said no, because it would violate the planning
permission. "We have to build what we said we would build" she
explained.

This sounds bonkers to me. I'm inclined to think they just can't be
bothered to accomodate buyers who want to tinker with the standard
setup.

Anybody know if her claim has any basis in fact?

thanks,
Spud

You were speaking to the oily rag. Try the engineer. It's YOUR MONEY for
God's sake!

Phil Anthropist wrote:
wrote:
Hi...
We're looking at buying a new house, for which they are just at the
"mud and foundations" stage by the looks of it. (It's being built by
Persimmon.)

Now, when we asked the saleswoman if we could rearrange things like
the kitchen cupboards from their normal layout (in the showhome for
example), she said no, because it would violate the planning
permission. "We have to build what we said we would build" she
explained.

This sounds bonkers to me. I'm inclined to think they just can't be
bothered to accomodate buyers who want to tinker with the standard
setup.

Anybody know if her claim has any basis in fact?

thanks,
Spud

You were speaking to the oily rag. Try the engineer. It's YOUR MONEY
for God's sake!

or walk away, this is persimmon after all. bad omen

"." [email protected] wrote:
or walk away, this is persimmon after all. bad omen

True.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=complaints+persimmon&btnG=Google+Se arch&meta=cr%3DcountryUK%7CcountryGB

wrote:
Hi...
We're looking at buying a new house, for which they are just at the
"mud and foundations" stage by the looks of it. (It's being built by
Persimmon.)

Now, when we asked the saleswoman if we could rearrange things like the
kitchen cupboards from their normal layout (in the showhome for
example), she said no, because it would violate the planning
permission. "We have to build what we said we would build" she
explained.

This sounds bonkers to me. I'm inclined to think they just can't be
bothered to accomodate buyers who want to tinker with the standard
setup.

Anybody know if her claim has any basis in fact?

Complete and utter b*****ks, planning would only be concerned with
appearance and window locations. And, from bitter experience, even if
they agree to the mods, once you have paid them all the money they will
do absolutely nothing and you will get the original kitchen (due to
"admin" problems), since kitchen mods cost them real money, say 1
man-week or £1000-£2000 with overheads.

So subtract the cost of a kitchen from the purchase price and only pay
when the kitchen is to your satisfaction or buy it seperately from a
kitchen company.

john2

Penny Farthing wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...

Hi...
We're looking at buying a new house, for which they are just at the
"mud and foundations" stage by the looks of it. (It's being built by
Persimmon.)

Now, when we asked the saleswoman if we could rearrange things like the
kitchen cupboards from their normal layout (in the showhome for
example), she said no, because it would violate the planning
permission. "We have to build what we said we would build" she
explained.

This sounds bonkers to me. I'm inclined to think they just can't be
bothered to accomodate buyers who want to tinker with the standard
setup.

Anybody know if her claim has any basis in fact?

Yes, the planning department of your local Council.

Where, incidentally, you will be able to access *all* of the records wrt
the housing development you're going to buy on - including the other
phases that will no doubt be in the pipeline. There will also be copious
information detailing the misgivings either the planners, the planning
committee or the public had before permission was given.

It absolutely amazes me that people don't use this resource more often,
especially when buying a new-build house.

Chips.

--
-----------
Chips'll make it better.
-----------

wrote:
Hi...
We're looking at buying a new house, for which they are just at the
"mud and foundations" stage by the looks of it. (It's being built by
Persimmon.)

Now, when we asked the saleswoman if we could rearrange things like the
kitchen cupboards from their normal layout (in the showhome for
example), she said no, because it would violate the planning
permission. "We have to build what we said we would build" she
explained.

This sounds bonkers to me. I'm inclined to think they just can't be
bothered to accomodate buyers who want to tinker with the standard
setup.

Anybody know if her claim has any basis in fact?

Well you have to get planning pemimission for some things..like a
chimney for example, so rearranging fires is not easy. Apart frtom that
planniong law relates mainly to te exterior size and shape.

Building regulations are another matter - there is much in the fittings
of a house that falls under these regulations..things that are a bugger
to move are toilets, as the pipework for these is heavily regulated and
needs to be done at groundwork stage, and any heating devices like
boilers, whose flues must be sited appropiately.

But the real reason is of course that the builder can just about manage
to control his team of escaped gibbons and achieve a house that meets
standards if its all done according to a fixed set of detailed plans.
Any deviation requites re-drawing of plans etc. In other words teh real
reason is they can't build it differently without involving time and
extra expense on their part.

You MAY be able to but the house without a kitchen and bathrooms fitted,
at a discount...but frankly what most people do is accept the house with
the crap installed, and start saving up to replace it immediately.

If you want a house built to your spec, buy a plot and build one yourself.








thanks,
Spud

On Mon, 29 May 2006 09:50:35 +0100, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:


But the real reason is of course that the builder can just about manage
to control his team of escaped gibbons and achieve a house that meets
standards if its all done according to a fixed set of detailed plans.
Any deviation requites re-drawing of plans etc. In other words teh real
reason is they can't build it differently without involving time and
extra expense on their part.


They may have already ordered a job lot of standard kitchens at a
discounted price.

The building regs used to require a kitchen to have a "Ventilated food
cupboard" which was usually located on an outside wall ventilated with
airbricks. I don't know if they still do.

You MAY be able to but the house without a kitchen and bathrooms fitted,
at a discount...but frankly what most people do is accept the house with
the crap installed, and start saving up to replace it immediately.

If you want a house built to your spec, buy a plot and build one yourself.


DG

In article . com,
writes
Hi...
We're looking at buying a new house, for which they are just at the "mud
and foundations" stage by the looks of it. (It's being built by
Persimmon.)

Now, when we asked the saleswoman if we could rearrange things like the
kitchen cupboards from their normal layout (in the showhome for
example), she said no, because it would violate the planning permission.
"We have to build what we said we would build" she explained.

This sounds bonkers to me. I'm inclined to think they just can't be
bothered to accomodate buyers who want to tinker with the standard
setup.

Anybody know if her claim has any basis in fact?

thanks,

Sounds like bull**** to me, if true I await a visit from the local
council about my kitchen which I had totally altered a few years ago.

Mike

--
Michael Swift We do not regard Englishmen as foreigners.
Kirkheaton We look on them only as rather mad Norwegians.
Yorkshire Halvard Lange

The message
from Derek ^ contains these words:

The building regs used to require a kitchen to have a "Ventilated food
cupboard" which was usually located on an outside wall ventilated with
airbricks. I don't know if they still do.

If they did then every house on this estate fails to comply!

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

"Owain" wrote in message
...
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
You MAY be able to but the house without a kitchen and bathrooms fitted,
at a discount...

However, BCO would expect to see a working bath, WC, and sufficient
kitchen for food preparation (ie sink, cupboard - possibly ventilated -
and some worktop) before giving the house its completion certificate
marking it as fit for habitation.

Without a completion certificate, mortgagors will be very wary of
lending on standard terms.

Owain

When did you last see a BCO on a large scale development?

PhilC

PhilC wrote:
"Owain" wrote in message
...
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
You MAY be able to but the house without a kitchen and bathrooms fitted,
at a discount...
However, BCO would expect to see a working bath, WC, and sufficient
kitchen for food preparation (ie sink, cupboard - possibly ventilated -
and some worktop) before giving the house its completion certificate
marking it as fit for habitation.

Without a completion certificate, mortgagors will be very wary of
lending on standard terms.

Owain

When did you last see a BCO on a large scale development?


Just about every day.

PhilC

On Mon, 29 May 2006 12:43:01 +0100, Guy King
wrote:

The message
from Derek ^ contains these words:

The building regs used to require a kitchen to have a "Ventilated food
cupboard" which was usually located on an outside wall ventilated with
airbricks. I don't know if they still do.

If they did then every house on this estate fails to comply!

Seemingly having a "Ventilated food cupboard" was part of the criteria
used to decide whether a house was fit for habitation during the slum
clearances.

My house built 1976 had one.

DG

The message
from Derek ^ contains these words:

Seemingly having a "Ventilated food cupboard" was part of the criteria
used to decide whether a house was fit for habitation during the slum
clearances.

My house built 1976 had one.

This estate of around a thousand houses was built in the late 60s early
70s and none have one.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

Guy King wrote:
The message
from Derek ^ contains these words:

Seemingly having a "Ventilated food cupboard" was part of the criteria
used to decide whether a house was fit for habitation during the slum
clearances.

My house built 1976 had one.

This estate of around a thousand houses was built in the late 60s early
70s and none have one.

Post the advent of the REFRIGERATOR these were deemed less necessary.

The message
from The Natural Philosopher contains these words:

"Ventilated food cupboard"

Post the advent of the REFRIGERATOR these were deemed less necessary.

Well ventilated fridge radiators would help cut fuel bills somewhat.
I've seen loads jammed into tight fitting fitted kitchens with no effort
at all made to allow the heat to escape.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi...
We're looking at buying a new house, for which they are just at the
"mud and foundations" stage by the looks of it. (It's being built by
Persimmon.)

Now, when we asked the saleswoman if we could rearrange things like the
kitchen cupboards from their normal layout (in the showhome for
example), she said no, because it would violate the planning
permission. "We have to build what we said we would build" she
explained.

This sounds bonkers to me. I'm inclined to think they just can't be
bothered to accomodate buyers who want to tinker with the standard
setup.

Yes its true. We tried to get our kitchen modified, whilst house was at
foundation level and it would have had to involve the local council + cost
to us. In the end we decided against.

Our neighbours, though, had the "standard" build house modified (different
bath and kitchen) and had to get the place inspected (and pay for
themselves) by the local council before a completion certificate was issued.
I think the building firms can issue a building certificate themselves if
they are like the "show house" that the council has already approved.
Builders we really helpful in accomodating their requirements as long as
they paid. Don't tell them (previous owners) as the new owners who recently
bougth the house have redone the kitchen as the layout was "crap".