FAQs: New Builds

You’ll usually pay a reservation fee to secure your chosen plot. This fee (often between £500 and £2,000) is deducted from the final purchase price when you complete. You’ll typically have 28 days to exchange contracts.

It’s important to instruct your conveyancer straight away so we can carry out checks in time to protect any developer incentives you may have (e.g. 5% deposit paid, free carpets or upgrades). Delaying this step could result in your reservation being withdrawn.

Developers often offer incentives that are conditional on exchanging contracts within a strict timeframe, often 4–6 weeks. These deadlines are firm and help the developer manage their build schedule and targets.

Missing the deadline could mean losing the plot reservation or the incentives offered. We work closely with the developer throughout the process, doing everything we can to adhere to these crucial timescales and keep your purchase on track.

Buying a New-Build while selling an existing property can add a layer of complexity due to the developer’s strict exchange deadlines, as mentioned, often 28 days or 4-6 weeks from reservation.

It is crucial that your sale proceeds quickly to align with this timeframe, as the deposit for the New-Build must typically be paid on exchange of contracts to secure your plot and any developer incentives offered.

If your existing property sale is delayed, it could impact your ability to meet the new-build exchange deadline, potentially risking your reservation or these valuable incentives.

We will work closely with you and the solicitor acting for you on your sale (if not us) – or the solicitor of the of the purchaser of your existing property (if we are also instructed to act in your sale) – to push your sale forward efficiently.

Your new-build property might not be ready to move into for several months after exchange. Once it is built and signed off, the developer will serve “notice to complete”, usually giving you 10 working days to finalise your purchase.

A long-stop date is written into your contract as the latest date by which the developer must complete the build. If they don’t, you can withdraw and get your deposit refunded. This protects you from excessive delays and ensures your mortgage offer doesn’t expire.

Yes. Many new-build developers carry out searches on the entire development. This means we can often rely on the plot-specific results provided, allowing a quicker exchange compared to older properties. We will still review these carefully and let you know if anything unusual is flagged.

It’s optional, but highly recommended to have a snagging inspection before you move in. This identifies any defects or unfinished items (known as “snags”). If the developer is signed up to the New Homes Quality Code, you’re entitled to have this done before completion.

You can also arrange a snagging survey after you move in and report the issues under your new-build warranty.

A snagging survey is an inspection of the property that lists any defects or poor workmanship. These can include minor things like paint issues, or more serious structural problems. It’s best to have this done by an independent inspector, not the developer.

This is a known risk with off-plan properties. If the market changes and your mortgage lender won’t honour the original offer, you may need to reapply for a new mortgage. If you can’t complete, you risk losing your deposit and potentially being sued for breach of contract.

We will help you understand what protections are in place, and check whether the price is locked in your contract. Please do speak with us if you have concerns about this at any stage.

We will carefully check the documents, which should include:

• Planning permissions and building regulations approval
• Details of roads and drainage
• Leasehold or freehold status
• Service charge and estate management fees (even for freehold homes)
• Any restrictive covenants or limitations

We’ll always explain anything that might affect you now or in the future.

Instead of a fixed date, your completion will be triggered by the developer serving notice once the property is ready. You’ll usually have 10 working days to complete once notice is served. Make sure your funds are ready to avoid delays.

You will:

• Pay your balance (we’ll confirm how much is due)
• Receive your keys from the site or sales team
• Be given your manuals, logbooks and any guarantees (e.g. white goods, boiler, windows)

We will:

• Pay any Stamp Duty Land Tax or Land Transaction Tax due
• Register you as the owner with HM Land Registry

We will also be on hand in case you have any final questions.

Most new builds come with a 10-year structural warranty (such as NHBC, Premier Guarantee or similar). The developer covers most defects in the first 2 years, then the warranty provider covers structural issues for the remaining 8.

It’s always worth keeping all warranty documents and guarantee certificates safe.

Yes — especially for general legal and financial steps. This guide focuses only on new-build specific issues. Refer to the main FAQ for things like completion statements, source of wealth and funds checks, ID verification, and mortgage funds.

We’re always happy to guide you through what applies in your case.