If you are looking to buy a new home, you might be tempted by a new-build property. Though “new-build” can often seem like a generic term used to describe any fairly new home, this article refers to new-build homes in the sense of homes which no-one has yet bought or lived in.
Sadly, 87% of new-build homeowners experience snagging problems with their properties, suggests a survey cited by the Which? site. If you come across an issue with the roof, what can you do?
Remember to check the house carefully when you move in
If you’ve just agreed to buy a new-build home, rest assured that it will come with a ten-year warranty from the National House Builders Council (NHBC). That warranty will account for structural defects and be included alongside any two-year warranty the developer is likely to provide.
Nonetheless, the NHBC itself advises that you inspect the home meticulously, as doing so early helps the builder to correct any defects before you potentially struggle to figure out who caused them.
Don’t worry – your roof will be covered under warranty
Once the builder’s warranty has expired, you would still have the option of falling back on insurance cover from NHBC in the ten years after the roof was completed.
“This means that we will pay the cost or carry out remedial works for issues covered by the policy if the cost exceeds the minimum claim value,” the NHBC explain – and roofs fall under this policy’s coverage, as do chimneys, walls, foundations, ceilings, stairs and outside glazing.
What might you notice when inspecting the roof?
Alarm bells might start ringing in your head if, when looking closely at the roof, you notice that the felt under the roofing tiles looks moist on its underside. However, relax, as this simply results from warm, moist air from elsewhere in the home entering the roof space and reaching the cold felt.
According to experts cited by Newcastle’s Chronicle Live, this moisture should slowly disperse of its own accord. A free inspection from a firm like the locally-based Findley Roofing & Building, which also offers Yorkshire roofing checks, could help to further put your mind at rest.
Building your own home? Don’t forget the insulation
You might have decided to build a home rather than buy one a developer has just built – in which case, heed the Homebuilding & Renovating website’s advice about how the insulation can be implemented. You could have the insulation right above the rafters but below a roofing membrane.
Think carefully about the home’s pitch
This is another crucial thing to consider if you will be building the home yourself. For a thatched-roofed, cottage-style home, the pitch will need to be at least 45 degrees – not just to replicate the cottage look but also to let rainwater flow speedily off the roof.
Even flat roofs aren’t strictly flat, as they are actually low-pitched to enable effective drainage. A roofing professional could build you a flat roof of just the right pitch.
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