New-build buyers are still paying to personalise homes they thought were finished

When it comes to buying your next home, there's a wide variety of styles and construction methods to choose from. A period property, a chocolate box thatched cottage, a pied-à-terre flat, a home with listed or conservation area status, or a brand new build: there's usually something that matches your basic requirements.

Whatever you choose, many property professionals recommend a building survey carried out by a qualified chartered surveyor to check the property's condition and structural stability before you sign the contracts. Often the survey won't find anything of major concern, but sometimes it will highlight issues that let you renegotiate the asking price, or walk away from the purchase altogether. Above all, it gives you the peace of mind of knowing what you're buying before you commit further.

That applies to new-build properties just as much as older ones. Many buyers assume a survey isn't necessary on a new build, on the basis that it's new and should therefore be fault-free.

That isn't always the case, and there are even issues around how much personalisation buyers can make before the keys are handed over.

A survey of 500 recent new-build buyers, carried out on behalf of UK Property Development and reported by Estate Agent Today, found that most buyers ended up dissatisfied to some degree with how much they could personalise their home before moving in.

Almost half (49%) said they had paid to make additional changes beyond the builder's plans, with almost a third (32%) spending more than £5,000 to get what they wanted before moving in.

There does seem to be some acknowledgement that builders are broadening what can be personalised as part of their offer, though many buyers still felt the range of options was limited. Over a third (38%) said some level of personalisation was on offer before moving in, but only a tenth said they were completely happy with what had been provided.

One notable finding was that where customisation was offered, it tended to focus on finishes rather than how buyers actually wanted to use their home once they moved in. The most common options offered were:

• Flooring or carpets (14%)
• Kitchen units and finishes (13%)
• Kitchen worktops (12%)
• Wall and floor tiles (11%)

By contrast, the changes buyers wished they could have influenced before completion were:

• Garden design (12%)
• Storage solutions (11%)
• Kitchen design (11%)
• Electrical point positions (10%)

Only 6% of respondents said they were completely happy with what had been offered for personalisation. Of those who paid for further work after taking possession, the most common jobs were:

• Garden landscaping (24%)
• Fitted storage, such as wardrobes (15%)
• Redecorating (15%)
• New lighting installation (13%)

The results suggest bespoke requirements are becoming more important to new-build buyers. It's worth looking around the new builds in the area you want to live in and talking to the builders about what they offer for personalisation and customisation, so you know exactly what you're getting for your money, and what your budget will need to stretch to once you're living there.

Once you've settled on a particular new build, it's worth organising a snagging survey as soon as the builder has finished their work, so any issues with the build itself, not just the finishes, are picked up before you move in.

Whatever your plans, whether you're buying an older property or a new build, make sure your budget includes the survey.

Surveyor Local will connect you to the best professional advice through our nationwide panel of chartered surveyors, all of whom are members of RICS, so the survey you get is always professionally delivered. They work hard to identify all kinds of problems, including the impact of any prior flooding on the structure of the property.

Call to get your no-obligation survey quote started, or to discuss any concerns about your planned purchase, or get a quick survey quote using our easy-to-use quote generator.