Wary of Buying a New Build?

Wary of Buying a New Build? It Could Save You £700 A Year

Buying a new home is a big decision. For some, having all the mod cons is really important, and only new will do. For others, though, the thought of a new build with no history fills them with dread.

A new report has shown, however, that people living in new-build properties save up to £700 a year in gas and electricity bills due to the improved energy efficiency of new buildings.

The study, carried out by the Home Builders Federation, has found that 84.4% of new builds are rated A or B for energy performance, compared with only 2.2% of older properties.

In addition, the Government has found that new homes use nearly two thirds less energy than existing builds (103 kWh/m2, compared with 294 kWh/m2), going to show that newer really is better when it comes to saving the planet. Given that 30% of the UK’s energy is used in homes, living in a new property really could make for a greener, cleaner world.

For those interested in the numbers, people living in new properties are spending an average of £443.30 a year on energy (£276 on heating, £108 on hot water and £60 on lighting), this being less than half of the £1,072 bill faced by those living in older homes.

The reasons behind these savings include the use of innovative design strategies and modern materials in new homes, including smart energy systems, energy-saving boilers, and better insulation and double glazing.

The report adds that, although such innovations are available for older homes, the costs of modifying existing systems outweigh the energy savings, in some cases – in the short term, at least.

But that isn’t to say that converting to more modern and efficient systems is not worth it, particularly if you are planning to stay in a property for a long time because you will start to make savings in the long run.

In addition, making such improvements is about more than saving money: it’s also about being kinder to the environment.

Discussing the energy-efficiency improvements in modern houses, Stewart Baseley, the Executive Chairman on the Home Builders Federation, said: ‘Today’s new homes are significantly more energy efficient than their predecessors, delivering huge benefits both for their owners and the environment. Owners are saving hundreds of pounds a year in energy bills due to the modern design of their homes and the materials used to construct them’.

And as energy bills continue to rise, if you’re looking to move house, a new build just might be the more cost-effective option for you. In any case, it’s certainly an option worth investigating, even if you are a sucker for period properties at heart.

At Julie Twist Properties, we offer a wide range of new-build and resale properties for sale and for rent. Why not browse our property pages to see what’s on the market?