Tips for a Smooth Move into your New Home
We regularly hear that moving to a new house can be the most stressful and difficult experiences of our lives, so anything which can make it easier should be taken advantage of. Buying a new-build has the added excitement of a completely fresh space becoming all yours, but the moving process still requires a great deal of planning to ensure it goes as smoothly as possible. Keep our tips in mind when you’re planning your move and during the process itself too.
Steps Before your Move
Before you move in there are many things you can set in motion so you’re ready for when the big day comes. Some of these steps can be organised when completion is nearing, whereas others may need to take place when you have the exact moving date chosen:
Get your snagging survey booked in – the professional snagging survey is your opportunity to have any problems in your new home ironed out before you move in. Some developers allow snagging inspections to take place before completion but it isn’t always the case, so be prepared to get it booked in as soon as possible.
Measurements – make sure you take measurements when visiting the property during the development process or during your handover. You can then begin to select furniture and plan what is going to go where.
Organise utilities – it can take a couple of weeks to organise an engineer to fit broadband or to change to your preferred utilities companies so once you have a move-in date it’s time to start the process.
Redirect your Post – the Royal Mail can arrange for your post to be redirected for as long as you need, from as short as three months, and it can help ensure you don’t miss any mail before you change your addresses with all relevant bodies.
On completion you should make sure you have copies of all relevant paperwork and keep this safe. You need to make sure you have your new home policy and warranty documents, your lease if it’s a leasehold property and any service charge information if applicable.
Plan your Packing
The earlier you begin packing, the easier it is to manage. This can be one of the most overwhelming parts of the moving process so take time over it. You can acquire boxes from the local supermarkets or buy them online.
When it comes to removals companies you can choose to work with professionals or call upon the help of friends and family and hire a van. Compare quotes for removal companies to ensure you’re getting the best deal and some may even provide boxes and packaging if you want them to.
Label boxes per room, and also what is held in the box, as this will make a huge difference when you or your removals company are putting the boxes in your new home and when you come to unpack.
Make the Most of your Handover
With a brand-new home, you will have the opportunity to have an official handover or a “new home demonstration” which gives you a chance to meet up with the developer again. Your developer will show you around the home, show you how to use various elements such as the heating, the boiler and the location of the fuse box and other essentials. They should make sure you have a full understanding of how anything in your new home works and if appliances are supplied, you should be given all manuals and relevant documentation.
The handover is also your chance to check your new home and be sure everything is as advertised. If you have already received a detailed snagging inspection report you can double check any issues found have been rectified. If you’ve yet to complete a snagging survey be sure to take photographs and notes of any obvious issues you find. Tell the builder to fix any problems you’ve found before your official moving day and follow up with development company, not just the representative showing you around.
When The Big Day Arrives…
When it’s finally moving day there are still a few administrative tasks to keep in mind. First, be sure you’ve packed a bag or box of essentials you want to keep to hand. Moving day can be long and stressful so your essentials may include drinks, snacks, important paperwork and other things such as your ID and a change of clothes.
Once you’re in, you should also triple check every element of the home to be sure everything is in perfect working order. If you spot any issues you can cross reference your snagging inspection report to remove any chance of you, or your removals company, being blamed for any small snags, dents, scratches or similar. Also be sure to check your meters and take readings to ensure they’re at zero. Then it’s time to relax!
Moving into a brand-new home is such an exciting step and if you can remove some of the stress in the early days, you can start enjoying your new life and home even sooner.
For maximum peace of mind when moving into a new-build property our Premier Platinum Package can help ensure all snagging and settlement issues are addressed. Our inspectors will visit your property on completion and follow up with an additional audit to check all repairs have been addressed by your house builder. A further inspection at 18 months will ensure any settlement issues can be fixed before the end of your standard 2 year warranty period.