SWMBO has been dragging me around showhomes again. I've tried all the
usual objections to avoid having to stump up for a new house ('too
expensive', 'tiny plot of land', etc) and tried the 'look how badly
made they are' tactic.

I was a little surprised to see how badly finished some of the
showhomes were (considering they are supposted to be 'show' homes -
the name gives it a away, really) and it got me to wondering, just how
well made are new houses?

Are they designed to last 12 years then crumble into dust? Or are they
better made than a 20 year old house due to improved
materials/techniques?

spog

SWMBO has been dragging me around showhomes again. I've tried all the
usual objections to avoid having to stump up for a new house ('too
expensive', 'tiny plot of land', etc) and tried the 'look how badly
made they are' tactic.


Smaller rooms, studding walls and smaller plot. The only advantage a new
house is likely to have is better insulation.

Very much depends on the home builder. Have seen some real bad work,
plasterboard nails coming out of ceiling, poorly installed plumbing
resulting in dodgy flow, cement used to level wooden floorboards (on
unlevel joists), and artex still being used to cut corners.

They do the best finish on the show house/flat, so that is the one to
go for if you do decide to buy one.

The main thing I hate about new build is the light doors and walls
that just feel like you're living in a temporary house.

On 15 Jul 2003 09:39:58 -0700, (StealthUK) wrote:

The main thing I hate about new build is the light doors and walls
that just feel like you're living in a temporary house.

That and the 6'6" ceilings, or whatever the hell they are. If I can't
practise my golf swing indoors without removing chunks of plaster, it's not
a proper house in my book.

--
John

"spog" wrote in message ...
| SWMBO has been dragging me around showhomes again. I've tried all the
| usual objections to avoid having to stump up for a new house ('too
| expensive', 'tiny plot of land', etc) and tried the 'look how badly
| made they are' tactic.

Unfortunately some of the advantages of buying a new house (it's brand new,
can choose the kitchen and bathroom, etc) are lost as soon as they're
bought, so in effect they depreciate just like almost-new cars. There will
always be a *newer* house being built. Of course, this initial depreciation
is usually more than offset by a rising housing market - but especially in
London and the South-East of England, where many believe property is
considerably over-valued, that rising market is not assured.

Because there is a fixed (or shrinking) supply of period properties with
character, they are more likely to hold their value.

Disadvantages to a brand new house (apart from space, plot size etc):

1. There is nothing you can do to it that will increase its value quickly,
so you cannot make a profit or gain equity in a falling market. If you buy
an older house there is much greater potential for increasing its worth,
whether it's just a repainting job or full restoration.

2. The garden will not be established.

3. Estate planning covenants that prevent you having anything taller than a
blade of grass in the front garden and the like.

| I was a little surprised to see how badly finished some of the
| showhomes were (considering they are supposted to be 'show' homes -
| the name gives it a away, really) and it got me to wondering, just how
| well made are new houses?

A friend's new house (a housing association shared ownership development in
Milton Keynes) was, I thought, very well finished throughout especially
considering it would be very much built to a budget. (That was after the
sewer flooding the patio was sorted out.) But just because it was
immaculately plastered didn't stop it being immaculately-plastered
ticky-tacky.

Owain