Do you have any input into the fittings of new builds?

HairySalmon

I’m aware that there can be a limited choice of flooring, but is it common to have a choice of kitchens?

I’ve seen some lovely new builds with awful kitchens!

marieholmfan

It depends when you buy.


If you buy off plans you should have an enormous input and if you buy later in the process you have less.

Ronaldinho

marieholmfan wrote: »

It depends when you buy.


If you buy off plans you should have an enormous input

Not necessarily true. Depends on builder. You may not be able to change anything

Pete123456

We have no input, we get the finishing as per show house and no changes allowed until you get the keys.

It’s a bit of a pain because we will end up “undoing” some of the finishing having to chase a few walls and power to the island etc.

However I can understand to an extend the builder doesn’t want some trades getting caught for two or three days extra on one particular house - would be longer if everybody was making changes.

We have just had to accept we will need to refinish some things to get the spec we want... as others have said on other threads, it’s very much a “take it or fcuk off” approach from the agents/developer.

Other estates seem to be very accommodating though!!

PhoenixParker

Generally no.

It's a big risk for a developer as well as time consuming and a hassle to manage. Keeping track of who wants what changes and making sure number 3's changes aren't made to house number 4 is a recipe for disaster.

Most builders in big developments have drawn a line and said no.
With smaller developments or where they're struggling to sell the houses, changes are more possible.

You won't know unless you ask, but expect the answer to be no.

TheBoyConor

No.

Most serious developers just want to get trades in and out as fast as possible and do the jobs on the houses to a common finish. Doing changes or different this or that between houses is just hassle, costs more, and takes more time and is a recipie for mistakes and confusion.
Whats more, developers aren't really going to recoup the additional costs. Even if you are paying an extra few grand for the changes, they are not interested in the hassle involved for what is to them a pittance amount. You might be willing to pay an extra €10k for a fancy kitchen, but any serious developer or their agent isn't going to so much as answer the phone for €10k.

Any serious developer will be telling buyers that you either take it as is offered or you leave it and get out of the queue and the next person will buy it.

Imagine the headache of building an estate of 50 or 60 houses and everyone wanting something different in their kitchens and all whinging when it isn't exactly how they'd imagined. Better off just finish whatever bog standard way, and let the owner do whatever they want afterwards.

jrosen

In my own development I know some owners managed to wrangle some changes with the kitchen design. They removed the double fridge, added a larder type press and then had space for a single fridge. Some others changed color.

You could ask for an allowance towards a kitchen of your choice. They would not put a kitchen in your home and you would be responsible for having it fitted yourself once you closed on the house. The amount would probably be small though.

Lia_lia

We almost bought a new build recently and had a PC sum towards a kitchen that we could have used anywhere. So lots of choice. In fact I’ve a few friends that have bought other new builds and it was the same story for them. Never actually heard of a new build not giving choice of kitchen.