What happens when you buy a new build?
Buying a new build in England starts with a reservation: you pay a fee to hold the plot and sign a reservation agreement. Your solicitor and lender then work to the developer's exchange deadline. After exchange you wait for the build to finish, receive notice to complete, inspect the home for defects and then complete, often at short notice.
A new build follows the same legal steps as any purchase in England, but the timetable is set by the developer rather than by a chain. Things move fast at the start and can then stall while the home is finished. Knowing where the pressure points are helps you avoid agreeing to deadlines you can't meet, or promises you can't enforce.
Reserving your plot
You pay a reservation fee and sign a reservation agreement. It holds the plot at an agreed price for a set period, but it isn't a contract to buy, and nothing is legally binding until exchange.
If the developer is registered with the New Homes Quality Board, reservations made from 2 March 2026 must include a cooling-off period of at least 14 days, and the reservation fee is refunded in full if you cancel within it. Outside that period, check what the agreement says about refunds.
Before you pay, get these in writing:
- The price, and exactly what's included. The show home is not the specification.
- The tenure, plus any ground rent, service charge or estate management charge.
- Which warranty covers the home.
- The timescale from reservation to exchange.
- Every incentive you have been promised, such as legal fees paid, flooring or a deposit contribution.
Choosing a solicitor
Developers often recommend a solicitor and may link incentives to using them. You are free to choose your own. If you use a recommended firm, ask how they are paid and whether they have any relationship with the developer.
Whoever you choose, pick a firm with new-build experience that can start the day you reserve. Send your ID, proof of funds and the reservation paperwork straight away.
Meeting the exchange deadline
Developers usually want contracts exchanged within a set time of reservation. In that time your solicitor needs the developer's contract pack and your searches, and you need your mortgage offer.
If your solicitor or broker tells you the deadline is unrealistic, raise it with the developer early and in writing, before the deadline arrives.
Long-stop dates and mortgage offers
If the home isn't finished when you exchange, the contract gives an estimated completion window and a long-stop date: the latest date by which the developer must finish. If they miss it, you can usually withdraw. Ask your solicitor to confirm exactly what your contract allows.
Mortgage offers only last for a limited time, often around six months. If the build runs late, your offer can expire before completion. Ask your broker how long your offer lasts and whether the lender will extend it.
Snagging and completion
When the home is finished, the developer gives you notice to complete, often only a couple of weeks. Before completion, arrange a pre-completion inspection: under the New Homes Quality Code you can have a professional snagging inspector check the home on your behalf.
Defects recorded before completion are generally easier to get fixed than ones you raise after you have moved in.
After you move in
Most new homes come with a warranty, usually for ten years, from a provider such as NHBC, LABC Warranty or Premier Guarantee. In the first two years the developer is normally responsible for putting right most defects; the later years mainly cover structural problems.
If a developer registered with the New Homes Quality Board doesn't resolve your complaint, you can take it to the New Homes Ombudsman.
Step by step
- 1
Reserve the plot
Pay the reservation fee and sign the reservation agreement, with every promise in writing.
- 2
Use the cooling-off period
Instruct your solicitor and confirm with your broker that the timetable works.
- 3
Apply for your mortgage
Submit your full application and check how long the offer will last.
- 4
Exchange contracts
Exchange by the developer's deadline and pay your deposit.
- 5
Wait for the build to finish
Keep track of the estimated completion window and the long-stop date.
- 6
Receive notice to complete
The developer confirms the home is ready and sets the completion date.
- 7
Pre-completion inspection
A snagging inspector checks the home and records defects before completion.
- 8
Complete and collect the keys
Funds transfer, the home is yours, and the warranty period begins.
Key takeaway
On a new build, the developer sets the pace. Get every promise in writing before you reserve, choose a solicitor who can meet the exchange deadline, know your long-stop date and when your mortgage offer expires, and book a snagging inspection before completion.
Frequently asked questions
Is a new-build reservation fee refundable?
If the developer is registered with the New Homes Quality Board and you reserved on or after 2 March 2026, you get the fee back in full if you cancel within the cooling-off period of at least 14 days. After that, it depends on the terms of your reservation agreement, so check them before you pay.
Can I negotiate the price of a new build?
Developers are often more willing to offer extras than to cut the headline price. Get every incentive confirmed in writing before you pay the reservation fee, and make sure your solicitor and lender know about them, because lenders take incentives into account.
Do I need a survey on a new build?
The lender's valuation is not a survey. Many buyers of new builds book a professional snagging inspection before completion to check the finish and spot defects while the developer is still responsible for fixing them.
What happens if the developer misses the long-stop date?
Your contract usually lets you withdraw from the purchase if the home isn't finished by the long-stop date. The exact rights depend on the wording, so ask your solicitor to explain them before you exchange.
New-build route
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