I’m in the process of buying a house that was build 6 years ago, and so has 4 years left on the NHBC. I’ve never had a new house before, so have no idea what this actually covers? Does it offer any protection at all, or is it just a somewhat useless piece of paper?

Also, as it does have the NHBC, do I need to get a survey done? I was thinking of getting a Homebuyers Survey for “peace of mind”, but would the NHBC cover anything a survey might turn up, so a survey isn’t necessary?

Once more, over to the STW hive mind for advice and conflicting opinions 🙂

is it just a somewhat useless piece of paper?

Yes. Is all I’m saying 😡

If you’re paying cash it’s down to you, if you have a mortgage then the company will insist on at least a basic once over from a surveyor.

It’s probably more important to satisy yourself that the boiler and all the appliances that they’re leaving behind work than anythign structural.

Having said that, I’d either go for full structural or valuation – the ones in between just seem to be a series of caveats joined together with sentences explainign why they couldn’t inspect x, y and z due to access issues.

You can always have a chat with the surveyor aftwerwards, even if you go for the cheap option – they’re normally quite forthcoming.

My mate asked me to come along to check out his brand new house so he could sign it off from the builders.
He must have had “shiny house syndrome” that day, as far as he could see it was expertly done, I however, found almost 35 problems that needed rectified before he should sign it off.
I am in no way a surveyor, just somebody with a decent eye for detail.
The site foreman didn’t like me.
It took another two weeks for all my snagging to be done even though all the trades men were still on site.
An independant person is always worth looking at something thats going to cost thousands.

I’d be much more wary of a new build than I would an older one I reckon. Made of cheese.

Almost 35 problems, would that be 34 ? (sorry I’m on a Plain English crusade today)

Just go with whatever the mortgage company requires, and yes the NHBC isn’t particularly useful (for simple issues) – but you’ll probably find stuff that wasn’t snagged yourself.

another for what ever mortgage co requires BUT do get someone impartial in to look- a friend , a colleague or a parent.

my dad was brutal on one i looked at and liked – and looking back he was right – it was still under NHBC warrenty too.

+ 1 for new houses being made of cheese !

Get one done. All the ‘new’ houses I’ve experienced are deffo in the made of cheese category. Older houses were properly built, new ones are done to tight budgets and highest possible profit – corners are cut.

if you have a mortgage then the company will insist on at least a basic once over from a surveyor.

The mortgage company may send round their own guy but that doesn’t mean you end up with a piece of paper.

I’ve bought a house before without a survey, but I wouldn’t on a six year old house.

Older houses were properly built, new ones are done to tight budgets and highest possible profit

While I’d agree they were ‘properly built’, the majority were still built for profit. But beware, as older houses can hide bigger problems and you are often totally reliant on a multitude of owners having fixed things properly…

Yes, get a survey.

I work in the Insurance industry and you would be surprised by the amount of new builds we insure with signs of subsidence. Stilton and gruyere seems to be the building materials of choice.

The best thing about the Nhbc warranty is that it will have been properly inspected during construction. The cover does reduce with the term however to allow for basic wear and tear! If there were structural issues they’d be more than visible by now and as I said the Nhbc are rigorous on foundation design etc. Of course you dO get the odd one slipping through the net. Personally it’d be a basic survey for me to satisfy mortgage ctiteria as I know what to look for. Simple things externally such as ridge tiles, and general pointing to roof areas etc can easily be spotted by yourself. Things such as boilers being inspected etc seems pointless to me as it can be working fine one day and not the next!

All I can add is that even an expensive building survey (aka structural survey) will not tell you any thing more than a good builder could.
Save the money and take a good builder to look at the house.

“The best thing about the Nhbc warranty is that it will have been properly inspected during construction”

having spoken to my dad during some house viewings i went to who like your self is a builder i dont believe current widely accepted (but not always used) building practices are great and imo that makes HMBC warrenty a pretty useless assumption unless you know what your looking at.

basically just checking its been built to the approved plans using the correct methods.

As a Chartered Building Surveyor I would say this but yes, get a full (Building) survey. It’s not just down to visible defects: a good surveyor should be able to raise issues that might develop into a problem in the future. NHBC will not cover everything, and even if a fault is covered by your insurance there is likely to be a significant excess to pay which will probably be higher than the cost of a survey. If the survey does pick up significant defects this gives you the option of withdrawing or negotiating a price reduction. There is also the option of suing the surveyor if he/she misses something, and, if he/she is Chartered, you can be certain there will be insurance in place to cover it 😐

I’ve dealt with the NHBC and it was a less than pleasant and helpful experience.

Dear wrightyson, “The best thing about the Nhbc warranty is that it will have been properly inspected during construction. “. Well the bloke who inspected mine was a bit shortsighted as he didn’t spot the missing lead flashing on the roof joins. Hence the conversation with the NHBC, however I can reliably inform you that a house that leaks when it rains is legally structurally sound.

Sue, have you got any building/trade/practical mates, as I’d ask them, the mortage survey will simply establish arse sorry cost covering ability (*and not spot damp, etc etc) and a full building survey will cost LOTS. (*edit – can you ask the neighbours if they’ve had any problems, I would, also can you get an ins quote and try to work out if it’s loaded – ins companies have a subsidence database – postcode risk system)