How are New Houses in the UK Built? Internals, Utilities & Internet

Back in 2017 I started a video series about how new build houses are made in the UK. Time to re-visit that series and show you around a new-build that we actually bought. I'll give you a full tour of some of the features of a new build in the UK and also a look at the finished houses we saw under construction in Part 1.
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Other vids in this series:
Part 1 - Externals: • How are New Houses in ...
Part 2 - Show Homes: • How are New Houses in ...
Part 3 - Budget Hotel Inspiration: • How do budget hotels c...
Part 4 - Surface Water Run-off: • How do new houses hand...
Part 5 - Budget Hotels in 2019: • Why use solid oak in a...
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Dot and Dab Walls: • How to attach ANYTHING...
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PlumberParts heating systems: www.plumberparts.co.uk/advice...
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#NewBuild #Property #Realestate

[@PammyBunny]

The neatness of that garage converted workshop was the greatest thing in this video. In all seriousness, I am moving from an “older” style house to a new build and still deciding on developer. This video enabled me to make a big check-list 😎 thank you

[@Roflkapwn]

I'm in a new build and had no issues. The house is air tight, warms quickly and holds the heat. The main problems I've noticed tend to be in the land per home. I'm in a 3 bed semi with a double front drive for 2 cars, but there are multiple 4/5 bedroom homes that only have a single drive and no off road parking; and because of certain rules in new builds often you can't convert part of the extra lawn in front to an additional drive. This results in terrible off road parking that could make it impossible for some emergency vehicles to get through. Other than that the gardens tend to be on the smaller side as well.

[@realtalk3968]

Exactly I don’t know why some people winge about new builds when they have never brought one. And go on about how old houses are better, to be honest buying a old house the snags would be more due to wear and tear, boiler, damp and roofing issues are common amongst old houses.

[@whatyousaidbud]

​@@realtalk3968 bigger gardens generally and better looking buildings rather than the airtight boxes they seem to be knocking up these days, cheap cheap cheap.

[@lindseycurry8321]

I’m in Durham, work for a regional house builder and love these videos. New builds have to adhere to very strict NHBC standards at basically every stage. So much so we had to dig up a freshly laid drive because the drain was 2mm out of tolerance. I’ve worked for the local water supplier and a water meter being fitted to new builds was law since 1997, helps work out supply/demand/resource issue and the regulator get accurate averages to stabilise and control pricing.

[@whatyousaidbud]

The NHBC are just one of many companies that can inspect builds, too many people think the NHBC are the only authority. In my area they are seldom used.

[@anthonydyer3939]

My house is in Scotland, 27 years old and timber framed, just like most other houses built in Scotland in recent decades. I’ve been in the loft, under the floor joist and even torn down the plasterboard to reveal the wood framing (insulation upgrade). There’s no rot. This house will outlast me without any bother. I like it. One cautionary note though - pay attention to the shower enclosure. I’m not a fan of tiles going on to green plasterboard. You only need one single point of failure (grout or sealant), and your timber studs are going to get wet. In Norway, they treat shower upgrades / tile work as being notifiable activities to building control. This precisely because shower enclosure leaks can cause such expensive damage to the building fabric.

[@eattherich9215]

@Anthony Dyer: I've noticed from looking at American renovation shows, that bitumen is spread in the shower area before the tray goes down.

[@streaky81]

That's why they have to use waterproof boards these days. Fairly sure this has happened in the apartment I'm currently renting and recently gave the landlord the bad news - keeping a strong eye on it in the property I'm in the process of buying because I've seen this.

[@richiewong1]

Council pop, haven’t heard that for ages! Just waiting for the pop man to come round now so I can return the bottles for 10p.

[@lindaknight3771]

From the US…and they style and type of homes, as well as how they are built…is like another world to me! Not better or worse…just built different, windows are different…. also seems like there is a lot of continuity in regulations and designs. So I have learned an entire new world….as well as what things are called…where things are places…fascinating. I love your videos and explanations…and wojld love to have a yard like your gardens.

[@charlesrodriguez7984]

13:14 extraction fans were also standard in us buildings and homes starting around the year 2004 that really cuts down on moisture in bathrooms. It either vents out through the roof vents or a wall vent. Both have flappers that the air can push open.

[@Audiotechnical]

Really enjoyed watching all of that Andy! Made me feel a bit proud of myself with realising how much I knew! My current (and previous) property have been new builds, so I've learnt a bit over past 8 years. I'm interested to find out if my current house is constructed with the steel stud setup in places. Any obvious way to work this out? (I know it's dot and dab on most of the ground floor rooms, but floor 1 and 2 I'm thinking about)

[@iamjimgroth]

In Sweden fiber is almost always delivered in yellow or orange ducting. Fiber is available in a lot of places, even in rural areas. I've got gigabit 30km from a fairly small city.

[@ilypage6903]

Love this , and your accent is just fabulous 😀

[@bryceonyoutube]

What I would like to add from a Scottish perspective, is that water supply to houses are usually unmetered and is billed via your council tax you regularly pay either yearly or monthly. The reason why Scottish water supplies are majority supplied unmetered is because its a nationalised unlike England and Wales where its privatised. However you can opt for a water meter if you so wish one to be installed, however the majority of Scotland opt for unlimited water via a set price according to the band of CTax your paying. However there is an exception when it comes to highlands and islands and rural parts of Scotland were you can get your tank filled up with water on demand and pay for it directly to your supplier which regularly is Scottish Water or you can receive water from a stream/spring and you would go through a dedicated pump house with added filters which can be your responsibility. Also on the matter of highlands and islands and rural parts of Scotland your waste water is collected in septic tanks and is disposed off by a tanker which comes on a regular basis.

[@samoday2992]

Who pays for the septic to be pumped?

[@RumahAydin]

We were very lucky that the house was almost done when we reserved. We couldn't add or move switches so the developer agreed to put floorings throughout. They did the downstairs vinyl twice as they feel it didn't level first time round. I think it is important for us to have the floor done before we move!

[@Jabs578]

Very informative

[@GosforthHandyman]

👍👊

[@dutchman7623]

There are a lot of differences though the UK and NL are neighbours. Next to the front door in NL you find a small closet where all utilities enter your house. Electricity with main switch, and group switches, with meter, gas with meter (no gas in new houses), water with meter, telephone, coax cable tv/radio, glass fiber, transformer for the doorbell, etc. Outside walls, out to in, 10 cm brick, 5 cm ventilation, 5 cm or more insulation, damp barrier, 10 cm inside block, plaster. Under ground floor 50 cm of space, insulation against the floor, 10 cm of clean sand covered with woven plastic, hatch to get in. Separate pipes for sewer and rain water.

[@bryceonyoutube]

Also on the matter of highlands and islands and rural parts of Scotland you can also receive your heating via oil tanks which is filled up by a tanker which comes regularly.

[@billionbear]

Great video, really enjoyed it!

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers Arran! 👍👊

[@robonzo4817]

So funny, I found your videos after moving to a new build and needing to find fixings for dot and dab walls. Just like you i'd renovated an 1870s Victorian flat, a 1930s semi then had a family and decided I needed something bigger which was less of a money pit whilst they grow up. I used to be dubious of new builds but actually they're really warm, efficient, spacious where it matters, cheaper to run. I miss the character of our 1930s house but I don't miss the £130pcm utility bill or only having Virgin as an internet provider of note, or the lack of parking or constant maintenance and condensation every morning. Great video and youre spot on about the flooring, ours was done by the builder and we had them fixing every small issue with it. It's a shame they overlook really simple kitchen 'extras' though, like corner carousels, silent drawers, soft close etc. Symphony are good at supplying them, but I consider them standard.

[@MuhammadKhan-yl7mt]

Nice review

[@SILVIATHEGIRLS]

Love all your videos ! Very well done, thanks a lot for all your insight, it is very useful to me x

[@GosforthHandyman]

Thanks for the kind words! 👍👊

[@EgoShredder]

Our 1967 home uses gas heated hot water stored in a tank for the radiators and hot taps, and we have an electric cold fed 9.5kW shower. We used to have the shower use the hot water, but got fed up with it running cold and giving us a literal shock to the system!

[@GosforthHandyman]

Yeah you need a big tank for showers - they eat the hot water. 👍

[@caskwith]

I prefer an electric shower myself, boilers can fail and in winter getting it repaired can take days. I can have a new electric shower fitted about one hour after screwfix opens. I don't think they work out much more expensive in the long run either.

[@gwenscoble6229]

Infirmative video. Born in a 4 story + atic Victorian house in posh area, smoke from neighbouring fire into ours due to floor board length, no 90° corners. Bought a 14 year old house in north Yorkshire. The bricks below DPC were exfoliating due to freeze thaw! Whole estate built with crxxx bricks. There were clean sewer inspection holes as the sewer was laid not to plan! Now live in stone/rock house with 18th century cavity wall😉. The mortar has crumbled and rats and mice move in in winter. Also part of house below ground level, 6-24 inches, now all tanked. Tiny windows compared to Victorian and upstairs ones 12 inches above floor. Window reveals nicely curved as the 18th century plasterer used his arm to radius the curve🤣. 1st floor joists cut from tree edge, dimensions fine on top, but tree curve produce points at the base! Found these were not supported by the stone wall, but the attached??? render. Add a cast iron bath 100 years later, and why is the floor not level? Australian houses have hollow walls, doors slide into them and heating is ducted through them. Many only single story so no residual warmth and heating goes on on cold days in summer. However the main aim is to cool them so drafty doors and overhanging roofs are fine. Put any home in a climate it wasn't designed for, will soon show it's weaknesses. Great video and fascinating comments. Keep safe

[@tennesseehandyman2427]

I’ve been watching your videos since I bought my first remodel here in the U.S. it’s always interesting to watch and see how things are done there. Nice yard!

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers bud and all the best over to Tennessee! 👍

[@dannymurphy1779]

I think you were very brave buying a Persimmon house off plan!!! This builder has had many problems with the quality of their builds. It is dangerous buying off plan because sometimes there are problems with the service roads plus conditions on the planning. Like Kier built an estate in Derbyshire and they did not have the correct permissions for the access road and no one could move in once the houses were finished because there was no legal access so they couldn't get mortgages. Ofcourse there is also the chance the builder might not be able to complete the build, a huge risk for any off plan buyer right now IMO.

[@GosforthHandyman]

We didn't buy a Persimmon house. 👍

[@hfs83]

Just a heads up, you should always check with the providers to see if you can get fibre the sam knows website just that it is avaliable "in some areas" meaning you could get zero fibre like myself

[@davidosullivan3432]

you will no cracking with metal stud walls because of the more than likely wet timbers that go in during build .timber moves and anything attached to it will move too . just my two cents

[@ItzD3fW1sH]

Yeah it's really difficult to get a good paint finish in a corner where it's a timber stud to a block/brick wall because the timber moves throughout the year! I've given up sanding/repainting now. Is what it is.

[@NYGiants4Life]

Hello, I just moved to Ireland from NYC; with my wife who happens to be Irish. We’re looking to buying a house in an estate. We’re looking at SemiD with 4 rooms. I prefer a Detached but they are more expensive. I’m really weary of Semi D’s but we lived in an apartment in NYC. How would I be able to tell whether the house has good soundproofing or bad. I would hate to buy a house where you can hear any sound your neighbors make.

[@regcotterill7332]

A few questions here: I was under the impression that all new houses were built on a concrete raft. Are brick walls built on strip foundations unless the ground is unstable when they will use a concrete raft? With regard to brick cavity brick or brick cavity block construction. Is this really the best we can do? Just stick insulation in the cavity and that'll do mate. I realise homes built now are better insulated than previously but how do our homes compare with homes built in countries that have bad winters year after year? Scandinavia and Northen Europe. Why don't you like timber frame homes? It was a good video very clear and informative. I would always opt for a new build but I take pains to select the builder.

[@awantamta]

An interesting video

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers! 👍

[@pcno2832]

5:40 The worst thing about putting ceramic tile over a new slab is that the concrete shrinks slightly over the first 30 years of its life and the tile doesn't, so unless the grout lines are wide enough and flexible enough (there are some very flexible grout mixtures) to absorb the shrinkage, the tiles will eventually bubble up in the center of the floor. PS: You can cut many flooring types around skirting boards and door frames; I grew up in a house with nailed wood flooring that was cut very professionally around everything.

[@allencasey6981]

Another question. In the US, post tensioning is a common feature in slabs-on-grade where soil conditions could result in slab cracks. Steel cables are embedded in the concrete along with the reinforcing bars. After the concrete cures, the cables are tensioned to about 33,00 pounds each to put the slab in compression making the slab much stronger and less likely to crack. Is this a practice in the UK too?

[@GosforthHandyman]

I haven't seen it personally but I would imagine it does happen depending on soil conditions. Up here it's all clay soil which is pretty stable and doesn't need particularly huge foundations. 👍

[@katdes7305]

The front door might have multi-point locking but it has a cheap euro cylinder might as well leave the door unlocked, unless the euro cylinder is 3 star kitemarked it can be broken into in seconds, it's very easy to change them definitely worth the one off investment

[@bryceonyoutube]

And lastly highlands and islands and rural parts of Scotland sometimes receive their telecommunications by Satellite and 4G or 5G routers.

[@rcnhsuailsnyfiue2]

I know almost nothing about DIY or construction and truthfully I have little interest in it day-to-day... but your videos are GREAT and I always watch them! I’ve learnt so much from your channel and when I next have a project I know I’ll come straight here for advice. Thank you!

[@GosforthHandyman]

Thanks for the kind words! 👍👊

[@LeoInAMillion]

Really interesting to watch, thank you 😊 I totally agree with your comment about avoiding timber framed properties. I used to work in the mortgage industry, the amount of problems our customers had with them.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Yup - totally agree! Heard too many horror stories that just don't come about with brick / block. 👍

[@talking_mudcrab]

Thanks for the video. Do you know how David Wilson Homes/Barrat are built? I went to their construction site here in Edinburgh and I saw that they are using breeze blocks to build walls, but I also heard that their houses are timber frame so I'm confused by this.

[@rob-123]

It really depends on what your local Council dictates to the developer. Alot of the time they will get your Councillors to over rule the polices that have been set if they are too high, so they can build as cheap as possible which is why you should always vote in a non political members. The 2 developers you said are not too bad but stay away from Persimmons and Taylor. If you want good homes the smaller developers are useally good with bespoke builds but these useally cost alot more than the off the peg houses.

[@iwantagoodnameplease]

How come you didn't board your main loft for storage? I'm in a 2016 new build and was considering doing that, but I'm unsure if these houses can take the weight as older houses expected to have 100L water tanks up there, whereas new builds only expect the roof.

[@pattieboon7322]

I am trying to find out how many or which compampanies install a utility room.

[@JackD87]

Been looking forward to this! Thanks for the video. Would love to see a step by step on what you did with that garden. Think I’ll always stick to old houses, based on profit margin (and a preference for character). But buying off plan does sound fun!

[@GosforthHandyman]

Might do a garden vid! Bit off-piste for me as I'm no gardener... but I do enjoy a spot of amateur gardening. 👍😀

[@JackD87]

Gosforth Handyman perfect then! Will appeal to all of us non-gardeners that want to give it a go. You did a great job 👍🏼👍🏼

[@mda5003]

Buying off plan does indeed sound fun but you just don't know what it's going to look like until the house and surrounding area is completely finished.

[@JackD87]

MDA500 yeah I’m far too much of a control freak! Give me a fully refurbed old home any day: as many original features restored as possible, mixed in with modern tech and high level finish 👌🏼👌🏼

[@HIYAharry]

New build estate outside Bristol here & we have FTTP but BT were the only company that would supply internet - no virgin. No complaints so far though with them, pay for 50 mbps and every test I’ve done has been bang on 50

[@GosforthHandyman]

Fantastic stuff - you should get a lot faster with FTTP? I've heard of folk getting ~500Mbps. It's not uncommon for the cabinets to be overloaded in the early stages of a development. Hopefully the speeds will get even better. 👍

[@ratgreen]

FTTP and only 50mpbs? They've pulled your trousers down there.

[@HIYAharry]

@@ratgreen I only pay for 50, can get 1000 but just not necessary

[@theoscott5266]

You can tell how new a house is in the UK by how small the windows are :). Thanks for the video.

[@GosforthHandyman]

No worries bud! 👍

[@isyt1]

Are they smaller nowadays?

[@TheWaveBloke]

@@isyt1 They started off tiny, got larger over time, and now they've started getting smaller again.

[@RumahAydin]

You are correct!

[@richardking6066]

You are so right - yet in the Netherlands they have much better insulated homes and BIG windows that let in so much more light. You don't need to put the lights on at 3.30 in the afternoon!

[@RoderickSpoke]

Good review, we lived in 2 and were broadly happy. Yes pros and cons.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Indeed! Swings and roundabouts. 👍

[@PeterPetersNL]

I am building my own house with my own architect and contractor but in a plan with more houses, all with different architects and contractors. At least the utilities are all the same. Electricity (3 phase, 400V), fiber for phone and internet (up to 1 Gbps up and down), water, coax for TV and district heating supplied from local power plants and residual heat from industrial complexes.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Fantastic! Where in the world is that? 👍

[@PeterPetersNL]

@@GosforthHandyman Enschede, The Netherlands. www.melkhal-enschede.nl/

[@superseven220]

People say about the north/south divide but from watching your videos the north east seems to be booming. Undoubtedly there are deprived housing areas just as there are in the south

[@MrBez007]

You should be able to tell if a new build has block and beam as there will be a course of air bricks around the property.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Indeed. Would concur. 👍

[@garyharrisonuk]

However, I have also read recently that you don't need ventilation under a beam and block floor as there are no timers to rot and the air temperature/floor stays warmer in winter?

[@MrBez007]

@@garyharrisonuk you do need to at the moment, max 2m centres. Just had to put them in.

[@garyharrisonuk]

@@MrBez007 thanks for that. It is frustrating when researching best methods to get a definitive answer. I suppose, in the end, your building inspector always wins

[@MrBez007]

@@garyharrisonuk yeah it's hard as things always changing. The other brickie that works for me was sure you didn't have to put them in anymore but a couple of calls to building control and labc confirmed they wanted them.

[@whatyousaidbud]

Couple of things, if your concrete floor slab moved AT ALL you should contact the house builders insurance company as zero "settlement" should occur, Secondly, that gas boiler shouldn't be in a cupboard because if there is a gas leak it can build up without being noticed.

[@suelawson7273]

Cup of tea time! Thanks

[@GosforthHandyman]

👍👊😀

[@RueFondary]

Looking at this, I'm amazed by the differences in standards and new build approaches across the world. For instance compared with France, I'm amazed by how little insulation is being put in UK new builds and by how basic the UK electrics are. Standards in the US are also quite different, as everything has to be bigger, but not necessarily built to last (and with significant regional variations of course)...

[@GosforthHandyman]

Covering a bit about insulation on the next episode. Interesting about electrics - how are they different? 🤔👍

[@juliebrooke6099]

France must have changed it’s regulations for electrics since last time I was there ( about ten years ago) if you think U.K. electrics are basic in comparison. In U.K. all plugs are earthed and fused, all sockets switched and pins on plugs are part covered to prevent children with small fingers touching them while still connected. The flimsy plugs in France seem to often hang half in and half out of the socket and frequently spark when removed. We came across this in several hotels. And as for the standard of plumbing- “oh la la!”

[@RueFondary]

@@juliebrooke6099 In my experience (not talking about old houses where anything can be found), all French plugs are also earthed and on radial circuits protected by 2 pole circuit breakers located in the equivalent of a consumer unit (which is larger because of all the additional safety equipment there). You may find the following video made by a British sparky of interest: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hWfYc6qPipdootE&ab_channel=ArtisanElectrics and the comments there, keeping in mind that this is a simple installation for a flat, not a full house.

[@isyt1]

U.K. electrics are by far the most advanced in the world. Are you kidding

[@RueFondary]

@@isyt1 That goes without saying, by definition. The same is true for plumbing where hot and cold water shall never mix, damp proofing, consumer electronics, politics and almost everything else!

[@iainarms]

Building/materials quality aside, much of the aversion to these new build development is due to the abysmal urban planning they are sat within

[@dannymurphy1779]

LOL - with Persimmon being one of the worst offenders as regards building the cheapest house they can get away with.

[@jamesmasters4255]

Big fan of solid built concrete houses. Will never build or buy timber frame homes, higher insurance costs and I want a house that last centuries not decades. By the way Byson slabs for first floor are phenomenal for sound and heat insulation.

[@MultiEski]

Quick build , Quick sell , huge profit.

[@stephen7938]

its weird that there aren't many utility rooms set aside for all the utilities in one room in the UK.

[@AJ-ds5gf]

holy sh!t, forget about new builds... I'm amazed at that landscaping job you did. From dirt to a tropical paradise. Please tell me you did a video about it from start to finish, I'm going to have a look through your channel as soon as I hit enter on this comment. EDIT: Unfortunately the closest video I found was 'how to remove turf/grass'. Such a shame you didn't video the landscaping job.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Thank you! I only have pics but I might be able to rustle up a video out of it 😆. Thank you! 👍👊

[@marcelodavanzo]

@@GosforthHandyman please do! Particularly around drainage and different types of soil common in the UK

[@nicoleahmed]

Yes please the transformation in the garden is unreal

[@danieIlo]

Are you from Newcastle?

[@johnclose2323]

Hi Love the videos Andy. One idea for another video is properly securing the access holes in flooring the plumbers had cut when working on the central heating. I have heavy duty 80s Brown Chipboard flooring that has been butchered. No noggins and not on any joist in places with screws put in at an 45 degree angle to try and reach a joist. I bet loads of people have the same problem. Cheers John

[@GosforthHandyman]

Interesting - might cover that once we get moved! 👍

[@epistte]

I wish homes were built this well in the USA. We build ours on the cheap with wood that either rots or gets blown away with the first tornado.

[@GosforthHandyman]

People still complain about them over here but on the whole they're really solid. 👍👊

[@epistte]

@@GosforthHandyman Many homes in the US struggle to survive 100 years. It is certainly possible to build homes to the UK standard but most people do not because they would rather spend their money on marble, fancy fixtures, and tile rather than build the sold structure..

[@pcno2832]

@@epistte I don't think longevity is a such a big problem for US houses, at least the ones with passable build quality. Some of the oldest buildings in the world are wood framed. It's much easier to repair than most other types of construction, so you can keep a wood building going indefinitely. But some of the exterior siding we use, especially in colder areas, like vinyl (PVC) siding, MDF and cheaper grades of wood clapboard, is tacky and short-lived. Structural brick would not have a long life in our earthquake zones, but as an exterior cladding, it looks good for longer than anything else I can name.

[@acoughlanbrickworks6565]

They should have through bars on the handles

[@2010gtoner]

mdf is blown when the gaff has a flood it is sawdust and glue shite end off.

[@caskwith]

Completely agree on bathrooms, people seem to have an obsession with all being able to go at the same time! One full bathroom and a downstairs toilet is all that is needed for the vast majority of people.

[@maureenmachado2746]

I love having an en suite plus family bathroom upstairs

[@caskwith]

@@maureenmachado2746 Nothing wrong with that if you suits your needs, I was just making a general point.

[@joannbirdsong583]

There’s the bathroom sink in front of that window again! Nobody would do that in America. I don’t even think building plans would dare put it there, and if they did, inspectors might not approve it. The big reason though, is no buyer would ever buy a house like that. I’m pretty sure I know why. We like looking at ourselves in the mirror. The bigger the better too. Set that eight mirror above the eight foot vanity. Seriously. Now everybody’s happy. 😂

[@GosforthHandyman]

Lol I know - it does sometimes happen in UK houses! But most sinks seem to be in front of the window. 👍😆

[@pcno2832]

It's ironic that our kitchen sinks are usually centered behind a window, but bathroom sinks almost never are.

[@JohnnyMotel99]

We had a small 8 plot development put in next to us. I watched the whole build from groundworks to sign off (and got to know the contractors in the process). HUGE foundations put in, the ground works foreman told me he'd not seen that much concrete go in one development. Block and beam, rock-wool type batts for insulation. Insulation in the party walls as well! Excellent brickwork and good internal finish. But the architectural firm they used made a few fundamental design errors, which kinda stand out! All minimum three beds, but not one has an ensuite! All the bedrooms are in the eaves, so sloping ceilings...which means very little space for furniture. No structural complaints after 3 years.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Interesting! I bet those bedrooms get warm in summer. 👍

[@Ayns.L14A]

My only problem with new builds is the size, obviously the builders have to maximise the plots per acre so it's understandable as to why, mo money, mo profit. I'll just stick with my old terrace hoose with it's bong-eyed doors and offset windows , I can put up with that because of its large rooms and 10' ceilings LOL !!

[@GosforthHandyman]

I'll cover it a bit on the next episode. I think it varies quite a bit by area mind. Where I am new houses are WAY cheaper than older houses of the same size. 👍👊

[@Ayns.L14A]

@@GosforthHandyman I'm in wallsend and I have to admit I was lucky when i bought this house, I was just about to leave the military and was looking for a place close to my ageing mum when the house two doors down came up for sale, 4 bed terrace built in 1837 (hence the bong-eyed doors and cockeyed windows LOL) It needed a bit of work a new kitchen ,new bathroom upstairs and a shower room/toilet downstairs (father in law had parkinsons and couldn't manage the stairs) but it Did have nice big rooms, high ceilings, an open fire but more importantly a price of £39,950

[@crescentworks6855]

Fascinating how different builds are in UK and N America. Do houses in UK ever use forced air heating? I don't think anyone would dream of using radiators in North America. Any idea what accounts for that difference?

[@GosforthHandyman]

Funnily enough on our house search we recently saw a 1950's house with forced air heating... but it was riddled with asbestos. Very rare to see this in the UK though. 95% will be water filled radiators. Sometimes electric storage heaters. Honestly not sure! There's no real need for air-con over here since on the 2 days per year that it's warm enough we're all out having BBQs 😂. Presumably the forced air systems in the States can do both warm and cold air? If anyone has a definitive answer to this I'd love to know. 👍👊

[@crescentworks6855]

@@GosforthHandyman forced air is pretty well the default heating system in US and Canada. Sometimes includes ac cooling too, but not always. Could well be the temperature extremes we get here that you just don't get there?

[@jannyj5150]

@@GosforthHandyman back in the early 1970's when I was a child, we lived on a new built housing estate and the house had a hot and cold blow system, we didn't use the hot air as it was too expensive so we made do with a 2 bar electric fire and no other hearing for the rest of the house, brrrr!

[@Afourteen-yf5ks]

COST! USA spec house in UK had central air heating, we closed off the vents upstairs as the 1st (USA speak 2nd ) floor was so hot we didn't need clothes whilst ground (USA speak 1st) floor was never warm enough until we did that. In the end we installed a wood burning stove and only used the central air for quick warm ups' Mates UK spec house with electric night storage central air was also expensive to heat - they change the heating in their house for oil heated water rads.

[@MilesV8]

Yes, our previous UK house built in 1977 had forced air heating. The vents were above the doors. We didn't have it for long though as it was noisy and very inefficient. It always woke us up when the heating came on in the morning. We then changed it for radiators and took the ducting out. It immediately improved the temperature and no noise.

[@Pimp4King]

I am very interested by the comment, "avoid Timber Frame like the plague!" I am in the process of buying my first ever property in the UK and I can see all the new builds are timber framed, could you please elaborate and save me problems in the long run? also is there a way of telling at a glance if a house is timber frame or brick and blocks rather than going in and start knocking on walls?

[@belltond1527]

Do you live in Scotland

[@Pimp4King]

@@belltond1527 no man, England.

[@symo9924]

We're buying a new build property made in Timber from Dandara and (hopefully) we should get our keys next month. To be honest, I feel that a lot of negativity on timber framed houses comes from the ones made over 30 years ago. Remember that the "timber frame" includes several other materials and insulation, it's not just wood. We've seen a Show Home and the overall impression was that the house was very sturdy, warm and quiet. If you want I can give you an update in a few months, but we're very happy that we're going for a new build house. For old houses you will need to pay money for the offer on top of the market price and still pay for the renovations, which leads to a lot of people not being completely satisfied with their houses for years most of the time.

[@Pimp4King]

@@symo9924 thanks for your reply, would be interesting how they pan out down the line, where did you buy out of interest? In the end I bought a classic brick and blocks, I didn't feel too confortable in settling on timber frame. Dandara should be a good developer tho.

[@symo9924]

@@Pimp4King Hi Pasquale, we're buying a house in Edinburgh, in a new development site in the outskirts. I think it's timber with a layer of bricks in the outer layer of the house if I'm not mistaken. They also come with 2 solar panels (I think most of the new buildings do). But the way, are you Italian? We're Italian as well :) Happy to keep you posted!

[@russelldavis7108]

Be interested to know more about your aversion to timber frames.

[@GosforthHandyman]

I personally wouldn't have one. Too many horror stories of properties becoming unmortgageable and the like. Fair enough in warmer climates but in the UK I'm brick / block all the way. 👍

[@rickfletcher8389]

Would disagree with you, Andy. In Canada virtually all houses are stick framed, with 6” or even 8” of insulation in the walls and 12” in the roof and no problems with mortgages

[@panoctopus]

@@rickfletcher8389 In the US and Canada (and NZ) where timber framed houses are common, you won't have the same problems with mortgages. Over here they're more niche, so lenders can be a bit funny about them. At best it'll limit choice. Wouldn't have a big problem with living in one, though - like you say they can be insulated just as well as block ones. And less brick dust when doing work on it...

[@paulmcfadyen689]

@@GosforthHandyman pretty much all new builds in Scotland from the 1980s onwards are timber framed

[@ricos1497]

@@paulmcfadyen689 I thought I imagined that! I was wondering if there was some sort of confusion over my understanding of what a timber frame was!

[@jacbisgood2221]

On Sweets

[@SpikeMoby]

I was chatting to a British Gas engineer who was saying that none of the new builds in our area are getting gas laid on as it’s being phased out as part of the environmental push.

[@nancyparker3732]

How are new houses being heated without the gas?

[@SpikeMoby]

Nancy Parker various different low carbon alternatives www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/mar/13/hammond-says-gas-heating-will-be-replaced-by-low-carbon-systems but basically all electric.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Really?!? Heard it was imminent but didn't think they'd already stopped rolling out gas lines. I was hoping folk could at least have a gas hob. Nancy - ground source heat pumps etc. plus just electric systems as these can then use renewables... I think. 👍🤔

[@UberAlphaSirus]

@@nancyparker3732 With the warm fuzzy feelings of fighting climate change ;P

[@SpikeMoby]

Gosforth Handyman thats what he said. I didn’t get into details with him and it may have been the last new builds he worked on rather than all of them of course.

[@Pete.Ty1]

😊👍

[@GosforthHandyman]

👍👊👍

[@paulholt2758]

Why not timber FRAMED?

[@Nickpaintbrush]

Thanks

[@GosforthHandyman]

No worries! 👊

[@tvandbeermakehomergo]

If new builds round me were of this quality I would seriously loook at one. Unfortunatley they are all persimmion timber frame houses so I am avoiding like the plague!

[@belltond1527]

Good! Unfortunately the government forces developers to build timber frame sometimes

[@charlesrodriguez7984]

@@belltond1527 is the timber frame weak? I’ve heard timber is a strong wood that works fine for homes.

[@0skar9193]

Not convinced about council pop... tastes nasty in some places, not too bad where I live, but in the next town it's nasty. Same supplier but different sources maybe.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Yeah, can defo vary from area to area... 👍😆

[@gwenscoble6229]

It depends on the reservoir an Anglesey, loads of small ones, and pretty shallow. One village has foul taste, the next, visitors say, 'can I have your tap water, it tastes lovely!'. All public tap water must be 'potable', ie bug and debris regulations. Bottle water often has higher bug count. Water filters up the single use plastics. Great video Andy

[@girlsdrinkfeck]

Eventually standard UK light circuits will be led based so no need for embedded transformers in the led bulbs thus be cheaper to make

[@GosforthHandyman]

I think houses should have a 12V circuit as standard. Seems crazy to have all these transformers everywhere for USB etc. Even TVs can run from 12V these days. Still need a 240V circuit for iron, toaster, kettle etc. but that's mostly the kitchen. Not sure about hairdryers in bedrooms. Not an issue for me. 😂👍

[@danyalm10]

@@GosforthHandyman I think the problem would be voltage drop? The lower the voltage the more loss. Even over five metres, the voltage drop at 12v is considerable.

[@Afourteen-yf5ks]

Having lived in USA spec houses both in the UK and USA I'd love the UK to follow the spec for domestic portable electric appliances at 110v (centre tapped so 55v-0v >earth

[@JH-hd6ux]

@@GosforthHandyman surely 12v wiring for everything would cost a fortune in copper as the amps would go up a lot to maintain power? Modern transformers/switch mode power supplies are pretty efficient too, and given that power loss in cabling scales with the square of current, presumably at 12V you would get more cabling losses than you get from having loads of transformers?

[@girlsdrinkfeck]

@@JH-hd6ux cost is relative ,transformers cost money and waster much energy

[@StevoE7]

You mention you upgraded to tiled flooring in the entry. As someone in Canada, tiled floors are ubiquitous due to the snow. Couldn't imagine using residential grade carpet, or, lord forbid, hardwood. What do you usually get in your entry as standard?

[@GosforthHandyman]

That's a very good question! I think the standard spec was carpet - for us with a young family and pushchair that was a non-starter, hence the tile. If it's not carpet it's probably a cheap laminate flooring unless you pay to upgrade. Varies by developer though. 👍

[@StevoE7]

Gosforth Handyman thank you! Definitely seen laminate here as a more cost effective solution but I have no idea how long that lasts with salt stained boots.

[@spencerwilton5831]

Steven E Laminate can be incredibly durable- it's widely used in shops, cafes etc with high footfall of people straight off the street. Like anything, you get what you pay for though- a cheap one will wear or chip quickly while a quality one will retain its appearance for years. The issue most people have with Laminate though is no matter how much you spend, there is no escaping the fact that it always looks like a cheap imitation of something else- even when it costs substantially more in some cases.

[@girlsdrinkfeck]

i live in a 3 story 2009 block of flats and its studwork plaster im my rooms ,then its obviously blockwork with dot and tap between me and neighbours and infact has the vent systems going between the walls !, the building as a whole is a block internal with metal structure and brick external fascia ,and the guidelines stated not to remove the skirting boards because they are structural , any idea what this means ? do the skirting hide potential metalwork joints or something ? and yh i get terrible mobile signal cuz i think of the metal framework too

[@GosforthHandyman]

Structural skirtings?! Interesting, first I've heard of that. Not sure! 🤔

[@nancyparker3732]

With how things are going on in the world right now, a faraday room with metal studs might come in handy!

[@GosforthHandyman]

Lol you're not wrong! 👍😂

[@rickywanless2239]

Great channel and content but must say am very surprised someone pretty much in the know and being very handy would buy a new build house

[@ronaldomac566]

Are metal gyproc studs preferred over timber for cost purposes as well as fire rating..?

[@GosforthHandyman]

Possibly - didn't think there was that much between them cost-wise mind. 🤔👍

[@EgoShredder]

I wish they would have soft close on the doors in all rooms, including the doors to enter the house. It really makes you a nervous mental depressive wreck, living next to neighbours that smash or hurl the doors at the frame all day long.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Lol tell me about it - keep trying to inform our kids of this as the door almost leaves the frame when they shut it. 👍😂

[@iseenochains-oops7863]

might be worthwhile installing soft close for them (at your cost)?

[@KybalionAlchemy]

Snowflake

[@voso4978]

"on sweets... on sweets...on sweets...on sweets...on sweets...on sweets...on sweets...on sweets...on sweets..." ? Sorry, I'm not from UK.I generally understood you. But what does it mean "on sweets"? You use this expression so often! I understand that this is not about candy. How to put it in other words? Thanks in advance for your reply. P.S. The English teacher who teaches my children could not answer me.

[@GosforthHandyman]

En-suites! (bathroom that's part of a bedroom) 👍😂

[@voso4978]

@@GosforthHandyman 😅 En-suites. Well, of course. You say it in a French manner. Oh, comme c'est doux! 😆

[@Ryan.williams]

Timber framed houses are much more efficient than traditional brick. Better for the environment to produce and build and much more airtight. Personally think timber beats brick. It’s much more precise than brick so rooms etc are likely to be square.

[@belltond1527]

No they are not. A soft wood timber framed house only lasts around 30 years. Not good for the environment

[@Ryan.williams]

@@belltond1527 there is much less waste with timber framed construction than with brick etc. They are also more airtight and therefore less heat is lost making them more energy efficient. They have been built for decades so I disagree.

[@rolandkeys8297]

the rad valves look as though they were tightened with a set of pump grips rather than an adjustable spanner and the door handles are supposed to have affixing that goes through the door and clamps the handles together. Its a pain in the ass to drill but it does stop the handle screws pulling out

[@GosforthHandyman]

Ha, if it's the close up of the TRV that's a cheeky one from our rental (not a new build) since I couldn't find a single close up pic of a TRV from the 10,000+ pics I have of the new build we had. 😂

[@sen5908]

Is your house a detached??

[@hawk_ness]

Most of the new builds around here. (Midlothian near Edinburgh) are falling apart and they are mostly only 5 or so years old! What they build around here is absolute crap. From foundation to eves cracks, back gardens flooding in even the smallest of showers, sink holes appearing due to the mine works underground. I have just bought a house (Ex 60s council) and like for like for new would have cost me nearly 3 times as much for 1/10th of the quality. It's crazy!

[@enl999]

Holy cr@p, just looked at the prices for those houses. A 5 bed is less than half the price of a 3 bed down here in London :(

[@GosforthHandyman]

I love the North East! 👍😀

[@niall5620]

Are you living on The Great Park? Looks very familiar!

[@GosforthHandyman]

Was! Moved now. 👍

[@Crana]

At 1:20 either the bottom panel on the fire is upside down, or mine always has been which wouldn't surprise me, haha...

[@GosforthHandyman]

Lol I think you might be right! That wasn't our house, it was a rental so it's probably always been like that. 😂😂👍

[@it02s28]

Was all your upgrades £65 each 😂 downlighters, sockets and TV points. Out of interest, why do you recommend upgrading the kitchen worktop to granite?

[@gavinharding8970]

Block / Beam floors will always have brick vents under the DPC .. around the house .

[@GosforthHandyman]

Yup. 👍

[@Subgunman]

Why would you move out to an older house? As for slab floors on Grade I would install in floor radiant heating system, this can be the coldest part of a house in the winter time. You would need to separate the water heating system with a mixer valve to maintain a lower temperature of 40°C max. Radiators require the max of 90°C to provide heat. I Grew up in the construction trades and earned a degree in architecture in the states. After 50 years I moved to the Mediterranian region and have built a home here. Yes a major difference in construction. Concrete post and beam with concrete decks, forming done with individual boards, a total waste of time and money. Insulating these post and beams is a pain in the a**e with double brick walls with rigid foam insulation in between. Does little in insulating value considering there is no thermal bridge between the inner and outer wall. I don't understand why the builder would have terminated all of the arial lines int the loft (or attic as we call it) I specked all lines to terminate in an electrical closet which also houses home run lines for telco and Cat6 Internet cabling. We also ran Siamese coax to each room of the house to cover both TV antenna and also to allow for satellite or video feed for a security system. What's the deal with the banning of the boilers after 2025? I found it quite educating to see how new homes are built in the UK!

[@davidgeorgiades7308]

Wow, houses in the UK are certainly different than what we have in the US

[@GosforthHandyman]

Teeny houses. 😂👍

[@mc-yt2rc]

14.11 i miss that place!!

[@koolade76]

My slab pour wasn't leveled off, Taylor Wipey being useless, need to empty downstairs and level that off, after 12 years its falling apart, windows need repairng or replacing and its now drafty as hell, in the start it was great but once the 10 year warranty, lots of thing start to fail and need replacing. If I didn't have mortgage still on it would probably strip it and do the insides, better sound proofing, all the drafts fixed, new kitchen and loft conversion.

[@jakematic]

Mate the house across the way is still available... come on over. 100 mils of insulation LOL I wish, is on the low twenties in my office in the afternoon. Fascinating insight. I despise metal studs with a passion.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Lol post me a link 😉 - go on, make me sick... how much?

[@k.hussain360]

Think you should do a video about the specifications you would build a house to.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Will defo cover some of that on our next renovation. 👍👊

[@k.hussain360]

@@GosforthHandyman look forward to it. Over the years, you have made comments about what you would do over your videos and in the podcast, so I think it would be interesting to hear you put it all together.

[@paulmarshall8012]

we have been in our new build 3 years we have fttp from day one from indepent networks very happ with it 370mb download 75 up. we have 2 floors all good so far but 3 tolits to clean would have been happy with 2

[@GosforthHandyman]

370Mbps is ridiculous 😂👍

[@paulmarshall8012]

Have a look company is called see the light not bad service

[@spencerwilton5831]

Steel clad doors and multipoint locking is pointless if the whole lot is secured by a cheap Eurocylinder lock. Those things can be broken in seconds with a pair of mole grips and a bit of brute force, which is why insurers still ask if doors are fitted with a minimum five lever mortise lock.

[@sikkepossu]

When you start to make woodworking/workshop videos again?

[@GosforthHandyman]

Once we move and I have a workshop again! All delayed due to Covid sadly. Whole workshop is in storage. 🙄👍

[@CTC2002]

The last two houses I’ve lived in have been new builds, one built by Persimmon in 2012 and our current one being built by Linden in 2016, both in Penryn in Cornwall. Some of our gripes common across both houses have been: - plasterboard walls taped at the seams rather than skimmed making them dent very easily (can even be dented with a fingernail!) - alright doors but fitted with shit handles that fall apart within a couple of years. - not enough sockets in the bedrooms, 3 doubles to the master and 2 doubles to the others. 3 doubles per bedroom should be the minimum. (I had to add an additional socket to my room recently and didn’t appreciate an hour in the corner of the loft fishing a cable 2 metres up a dot and dab wall!) - poor quality kitchen appliances, our Electrolux double oven burns one side of a tray of oven chips whilst not touching the other and has a habit of cutting out randomly, our integrated fridge freezer wasn’t frost free and broke after 2 years and our dishwasher likes to leave a scummy residue on everything on the top rack Luckily we’ve been lucky with communications as both houses were in the last phase of their developments so telephone lines went live very quickly. Also in our current house we’ve had non stop issues with the en suite shower intermittently leaking, father has sworn to never have a house with an upstairs shower ever again! In general though our opinion on new builds is positive, our 1970 semi we lived in pre 2012 was a nightmare for plumbing and electrical due to many many cowboys fucking things up over the years. At least you can guarantee the electrical and water installations in new builds are safe and to current standards!

[@GosforthHandyman]

Yup! Very similar to our experiences. 👍👊

[@m.v.k4681]

Persimmon is one of the last two builders I would ever have anything to do with. The other is Barrett Homes. I have witnessed shocking workmanship with both of these, but I guess you pays your money and takes your chance.

[@safaa9654]

4 bathrooms is def excessive

[@mda5003]

One disadvantage with FTTP (fibre to the premises) is that with my new build this was put in by Openreach and that means I can only have BT Broadband. That's fine if you're happy with their prices but you cannot shop around or switch to a different provider - I tried them all and they simply say that their service is not available in my area. I even complained to Ofcom but their response was that you don't have to have broadband....

[@GosforthHandyman]

That's shocking! Didn't realise you were tied to one supplier. Hope you get it sorted! 👍

[@replevideo6096]

Are you sure? All the cabling belongs to Openreach except Virgin. Check with the ISP you want to change to. The normal set up is that you pay the ISP and they rent the cable from Openreach at a much lower cost than you would pay. Also check with your local consumer dept. I think Openreach is not allowed to tie you to BT, and Openreach is now a separate company from BT.

[@mda5003]

@@replevideo6096 I do not know if it is the same elsewhere but my fibre direct to the property was put in by Openreach (part of BT) around 4 years ago in a new-build estate of around 900 houses. There's no fibre cabinet and no Virgin cable - I can choose whatever speed I want if pay BT's prices. Other providers offer similar speeds at a lower price but refuse to supply - even Plusnet which is owned by BT! It would appear that BT got the contract and so now effectively have a monopoly where I live - Uswitch couldn't give me an answer and even Ofcom couldn't help.

[@replevideo6096]

@@mda5003 I am guessing that you have a leasehold property, which would give the landlord the power to award contracts to whoever they please without consulting the lessees. I still believe that this breaches competition laws if broadband is considered as a utility. However that would have to be challenged in court, which would cost too much to make it worthwhile. Alternatively you could bring it to the attention your local MP, but I wouldn't hold much hope there. If I am right, remember not to buy leasehold in future if it is a property which does not share its plot like flats. Builders have a habit of selling freeholds to freehold companies who go on to increase land rent and maintenance charges exponentially. I have heard of people having those charges doubled every year. It may well be that 5G services will offer cheaper and faster broadband services eventually but that is for the future. At least you wouldn't need anyone's cable then. Meanwhile it looks like you will have to pay up and look big.

[@mda5003]

@@replevideo6096 Thanks for the reply but my property is not leasehold but some of the houses on the estate were sold as leasehold by Persimmon - mine is Redrow and I think better quality - but selling as leasehold will or has now been banned I believe as yes, the land rent would keep doubling - I wouldn't have fallen into that trap although there are maintenance charges for the area as councils wont take on the upkeep of new build estates, grass cutting and the like. As regards broadband, I doubt my MP would be any use (he let me down in the past on a completely different issue) and the response from Ofcom was that you don't have to have broadband so it doesn't appear to be considered a necessary "utility". Maybe 5G in the future? I don't know but that maybe even more expensive. At the moment I am paying BT but I would have liked to take on one of the other provider's cheaper deals for similar speeds but it was just so frustrating applying only to be told each time "sorry, we don't supply your area". And yet they keep advising people to switch. I can switch electricity and gas no problem!