Has anyone had experience of Bloor new build Homes?

Many thanks everyone for your wise advice, my son also says thanks.

Make sure you do a detailed walk round and snagging list before you move in and immediately report, in writing any problems you find in the first week or month after you move in.

I am pretty cynical about standard surveys. All surveyors do is tell you the bleeding obvious (glass in kitchen window is cracked, internal door catch is defective) and apart from that just list all the things they couldn't inspect (electrics, plumbing, heating systems, wood surveys, damp, unless very bad), instead recommending specialist surveys.

We gave up on standard surveys several house moves ago. We go round the house we are thinking of buying very thoroughly and if we are worried about something we get a structural engineer in, or commission other specialist reports. It has meant that we have backed out of a purchase of a house whose problems were worse than they looked and bid on one whose problems were not as bad as we first thought.

Reduced our bank balance a bit, I think if I was buying a new home I’d be very tempted to have a survey done, even though there shouldn’t be any problems, before I handed over any money.

Thanks Besstwishes sounds like a nightmare, hope it didnt give you too many grey hairs!

It was a plumbing problem in an apartment, apparently not covered, it involved several apartments so it was a building problem, all owners had to pay for it themselves. Some electrical problems were also not covered.
The developer went bankrupt and the NHBC washed their hands of it all.
As I said NHBC is not a safety net for all problems in a new house, despite it being pushed as a so called 10 year ‘Insurance policy’.

Thanks for the warning Niobe
Besstwishes you sound as if you have had trouble with the NHBC certificate, do you mind if I ask what happened?

He also needs to be wary about the small print regarding maintenance charges for eg grass cutting of front gardens etc. Some builders, don't know if it includes this one, have these reasonable to start but in the small print is a clause that allows the company to double the charges every year. Some houses become unsellable within 5 years or so. A charge of £100 the first year becomes £200 the second then £400, £800, £1600 etc. Caveat Emptor as they say.

I dont think its leasehold but I will check with him.
Many thanks.

The leasehold issue can make the propert unsaleable in the future and/or involve the owners in huge expense.
Do investigate.

Don’t trust that the NHBC certificate will be worth the paper it’s written on if you get any problems, that applies to all new homes.

Bear in mind that new housing estates all have some Social housing properties amongst them, so your next door neighbours may not be there long term.

As Maw has said, knock on some doors and speak to new owners about any problems they have had.

Check it is not leasehold, talk to other purchasers about finish, snagging and build related issues.
There are probably websites on which Bloor owners will have posted reviews.