Expert guides, market updates, and everything you need to know about buying a new-build home in the UK
Mortgages & FinanceNew builds have a unique multi-layered deposit structure. Understand reservation fees, exchange deposits, mortgage LTV tiers, and how each stage works — with worked examples at every price point.
HomeownershipThe complete UK maintenance guide for new build homes. Year-by-year schedule from your first month through year ten, seasonal checklists, how to care for your home during the drying-out period, MVHR and system maintenance, and what you must do to keep your warranty valid.
HomeownershipThe complete UK guide to new build after-sales support. Understand your warranty coverage (NHBC, Premier, LABC), learn how to report defects effectively, know the escalation paths when developers are slow, and discover your legal rights including Consumer Code complaints and ombudsman referral.
Snagging & QualityThe complete UK guide to new build handover inspections. Room-by-room snagging checklist covering every area of your property, what documentation the developer must provide, how to conduct your walkthrough, and what to do about defects found before and after you move in.
Snagging & QualityThe definitive encyclopaedia of new build home defects in the UK. Every common issue categorised by trade and area — with causes, severity ratings, whether the developer must fix it, warranty coverage, and what happens if defects are left unresolved.
Snagging & QualitySnagging is the process of identifying defects and unfinished work in your new build home before or shortly after you move in. This comprehensive guide covers when to snag, how to do it properly, whether to hire a professional, how to report defects, and how to ensure the developer fixes everything within the defects liability period.
Legal & ConveyancingA comprehensive guide to the most common legal pitfalls when buying a new build property in the UK — covering deposit risks, unadopted roads and sewers, estate management charges, ground rent traps, developer insolvency, restrictive covenants, planning surprises, leasehold problems, and how to avoid each one.
Legal & ConveyancingA detailed guide explaining why specialist legal advice is essential when buying a new build home in the UK — what solicitors actually do beyond standard conveyancing, the specific risks they check for, why the developer recommended solicitor may not serve your interests, and real scenarios where independent legal advice saved buyers thousands of pounds.
Snagging & QualityThe complete guide to new build home warranties in the UK. NHBC Buildmark, Premier Guarantee, LABC Warranty, and all providers compared side by side — with cover periods, what is and isn't included, how to make a claim, common claim scenarios, and what to do if your claim is rejected.
Legal & ConveyancingA clause-by-clause guide to new build contracts in the UK covering reservation agreements, exchange contracts, deposit structures, longstop dates, sunset clauses, specification variations, developer obligations, penalty clauses, leasehold terms, and the red flags your solicitor should catch before you sign.
Legal & ConveyancingA comprehensive guide to new build conveyancing in the UK covering every stage from instructing a solicitor to Land Registry registration, including property searches, title checks, exchange and completion mechanics, leasehold considerations, typical timelines, and a full cost breakdown.
Mortgages & FinanceEvery mortgage problem that can go wrong when buying a new build home — down-valuations with worked examples, mortgage offer expiry during build delays, lender withdrawal after exchange, incentive cap complications, and step-by-step solutions for each.