So you’re building a new home – and a decision people are often confronted with is whether to build to a lock up stage or get a complete home. There are big differences between the two that you need to be aware of, so before you decide let’s look at what they mean and their benefits...Built to lock up
Building to lock up stage can be slightly different depending on your builder, but essentially it means building the ‘shell’ of a new home. This is the stage where the home is weatherproof and secure from the outside. As mentioned, this does vary from builder to builder so be sure to check what is on offer!
Benefits
If you have some trade experience and/or really want to get involved in building your new home, getting a lock up build can have some benefits – initial costs are usually cheaper and the build doesn’t take as long due to the internal fit out not having to be done. You can then DIY elements of the final build yourself, whether that’s using an external contractor or doing it yourself. This also means that the only time constraints are the ones you impose yourself!
Things to consider
However, sourcing materials and hiring different contractors is extremely complex - You will have to project manage the rest of the build and can mean delays if you aren’t on top of everything! You also might not get trade discounts on materials and paints etc that a building company would get, which could lead to increased costs.
Complete Home
On the other hand, a complete home will be finished ready for you to move straight in – all fixtures, fitting and finishes are included so that as soon as you get the keys you can start enjoying your new home!
Benefits
There are obviously many benefits to getting a complete home; everything is taken care of so you don’t have to worry about any project management, and you know you’ll be getting a quality, finished home with everything you need already in place.
Plus with Swanbuild you can still choose all the styles, colours, fixtures and fittings you want to make sure your home is exactly as you want it! Alongside that, our homes are finished with a 10-year structural warranty and a 12-month maintenance warranty to give you peace of mind.
Things to consider
We will work with you every step of your build, and you can be involved as much or as little as you like – and while you can visit our factory to see your home progress through the build, obviously the nature of a complete build does mean that you won’t be as hands on when it comes to the actual building of your home. Another thing to remember is that you can always change things in your home in the future – if at some point you want to make a change then that’s always an option for you!
At Swanbuild we offer both built to lock up and complete homes, so if you’re after a project we can assist you with getting the basics of your home started, or if you’re looking to get your dream home delivered ready for you to move in, then we will help you get the style and design you want.