Moving into a new build home

Your new build house is finally complete and ready to become a home. Here’s a checklist of everything you need to do in the run up to moving in to ensure moving day goes smoothly.

Angela Kerr Director, Editor

Moving into a new build home is exciting but it does have its own set of challenges. Here’s what needs to be on your checklist to ensure the process of moving into a new build is as smooth as possible.

Before moving into a new build house checklist

Here are the steps to take before moving into a new build home.

• Book your pre-completion snagging inspection: If you’re moving into a new build from a developer signed up to the New Homes Quality Code, you’ll have the right to have a professional pre-completion snagging inspection of your home on your behalf. We urge you to do this. The cost of pre-completion inspections starts at around £300 and can be a worthwhile investment to ensure not only that your home is finished to the highest standard but that it is structurally sound and compliant with building regulations. Get quotes and book your snagging survey today carried out by highly qualified, independent expert snagging inspectors at our partners NBI.

• Measure up: Measure up your new home for soft furnishings. Don’t make any major investments until you have exchanged contracts and the home is legally yours, but you can at least start planning where to put furniture and what fits where.
• Set up your Broadband: It can take weeks to get an engineer to your home to set up your broadband when moving house. So, it pays to crack on and make these appointments as soon as you exchange contracts so you aren’t living without modern essentials for several weeks.
• Sort your new build address registration: Your new home comes with a new address that many businesses may not have registered on their databases. It is up to your builder to contact the local council to get a new address and post code created. The post code will go live when Royal Mail are informed that mail can be delivered to it. So, get on and tell them. Otherwise you could have problems getting insurance. Some firms may be slow to update their databases. Be prepared to hand out a postcode from a different street and direct your delivery drivers from there Compare home insurance quotes from 50+ of the biggest home insurance brands to find the best buildings and contents insurance for your new home.
• Order bins: Contact your local council to arrange to have wheelie bins delivered to your new home. Also, find out when your bin days will be. We have heard of some people struggling to get their bins collected, especially if they are early residents on a new development. If councils can collect bins from isolated rural locations, they can collect from you!
• Order a door number: If your builder isn’t providing your house with a number, order one after you have exchanged contracts ready to put up as soon as you move in so that the postman and delivery firms can find you.
• Compare removal firms – Take the time now to shop around to find a good removal company. You can find quality firms and obtain instant quotes using our removals tool.

At your handover when moving into a new build

When you’re moving into a new build, ideally arrange the handover – or “new home demonstration” – before moving day itself. This appointment is so your builder can show you how to use your new home. This should cover appliances, the central heating, the fire alarm, where your stopcock is etc. Make sure you get the manuals for every appliance. Turn on each of the appliances so any obvious problems can be identified.

Also, use this meeting as an opportunity to walk round with your plans and go over everything. Is your new home as promised in the plans?

Find a professional, independent snagging surveyor in your area

If you didn’t get a pre-completion inspection, you may want to take this time to check things are as expected. Get stuck in: flush toilets; run taps; fill the bath and check for leaks; check sockets and switches work; check doors and windows open and lock. Make sure fitted cupboards and drawers work perfectly. Windows and bathrooms often have issues. Look for gaps around windows and that tiling in bathrooms is smooth and sealed. Go in the loft and ensure that insulation is fitted.

In the garden, lift any turf and check for soil (not rubble which can often be hidden there) and look out for water pooling.

Anything you spot, note down and photograph. Then ask the builder to correct them, ideally before moving day. Don’t rely on the person showing you round that day: put them in writing to the builder after your visit.

If anyone is unhappy with your inspection remind them you are buying your home at great expense and need to be sure it is in working order. Try to keep everyone on side by letting them know ahead of the meeting that you plan to check everything. Make sure the appointment is long enough – 30 minutes isn’t going to cut it.

And don’t worry, there will still be an opportunity to get an independent expert snagging survey to spot the things you may have missed after you move in as well as help from them in getting any problems fixed. See below for more on this.

When you complete

When moving into a new build, make sure you check your paperwork – Your conveyancing solicitor for your new build purchase should request all the paperwork from your builder/developer and receive it all before completion. Make sure they have received:

1. A copy of your Buildmark (NHBC) or other new home warranty documents.
2. A copy of your lease if you are a leaseholder and details of who to pay leasehold charges like service charge to.
3. Instruction manuals and guarantees for every appliance including your boiler

Your moving day checklist

On the day you’re moving into a new build home, check everything with fresh eyes and make sure everything works. Run your hand over surfaces, checking for scratches, dents, holes, snags, gaps because when you move in, it will be hard to argue that you didn’t cause them. Indeed, lodge them as issues with your builder before you sign any forms from the builder that day.

Also, make sure your utility provider has the right serial numbers for your meters. We’ve heard of people paying for their neighbours’ water or energy usage because serial numbers got mixed up. Also, take meter readings.

Locate your stopcock if you haven’t already so you can turn off the water coming into your house easily in an emergency.

For more general moving day advice, take a look at our moving day checklist.

After moving into a new build house

There’s still some jobs to do after moving into a new build home.

Get a snagging survey

The most important job to do after moving into a new build is making a snagging list, even if you’ve had a pre-completion inspection. While you have two years to do this after moving into a new build we would strongly advise you get your snagging list to your builder as soon as possible. Ideally, try to get things sorted while the builders are still on site building other properties. It’s much harder to get them back once they are offsite working elsewhere.

Snags are very common: according to the Home Builders Federation National New Homes Customer Satisfaction Survey published in March 2024, 95% of new build buyers reported problems to their builder since moving in and a third reported more than 15 snags. But be aware you are unlikely to spot the range of things a professional snagging inspector will identify. An independent snagging survey will also add weight to your complaints if you have found your developer to be unresponsive to your calls for action.

We have teamed up with the best known snagging inspectors in the UK, New Build Inspections and they can give you a quote today.

Other things to do when you move into a new house that should be on your checklist include:

• Setting up your gas & electricity: To set up the utilities in your new home, you should contact your new energy supplier as soon as possible after moving into your new home. They’ll create a new account for you. Next, use our free tool to compare energy suppliers to see if you can save cash by switching to a cheaper deal. Read our guide How to take over utilities when you move house.
• Go easy with the heating: Your house is still drying out. This can lead to small cracks due to shrinkage. This can be made worse by excessive heat so try to resist turning the thermostat right up.
• More paperwork: You should receive confirmation of registration of the title at the Land Registry within a couple of months of moving into a new house. If you don’t receive it chase it up with your solicitor.
• Let things settle: Don’t assume everything is a problem. Two things that are completely normal are condensation and efflorescence. Condensation is caused by your house drying out so try to keep some windows or window vents open to let the moisture out and use your extractor fans when you are creating steam in the kitchen or bathroom. Efflorescence is the salty substance that can appear on your brickwork. It too is part of the drying out process and can be brushed or wiped away. However, if it keeps appearing on internal walls contact your builder as it could be a sign of a problem.

Frequently Asked Questions