Dos and don’ts to help you visualise off-plan properties
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Buying a brand-new home is really exciting – everything will be fresh and new, ready for you to make your home your own. But it can also be a daunting process. With any home purchase, there is a lot of information to take in, and new homes often bring the additional challenge of buying off plan. When you can’t physically see and walk around the home you’re buying, it’s especially important to make sure you ask plenty of questions and have all the information you need to visualise your future home and feel confident in your purchase.
Based on recent cases that have come through our Independent Dispute Resolution Scheme, we’ve put together some dos and don’ts to help you make the most of the information available when you reserve a new home.
Do look carefully at brochures. Ask the sales team to explain which features apply to your home. Will they be exactly as described in the brochure? If not, ask them to provide some guidance on what could change.
Don’t make assumptions. Just because something is shown in a brochure, doesn’t necessarily mean it will feature in your home. Some aspects of a build may not be decided until later in the construction process so it’s important to let your builder know if there are any features that are particularly important in your decision to buy the home.
Do find out whether you can influence any choices, for example floor and tile finishes or choices of built-in appliances.
Don’t forget to check whether adding personal choices affects what you can reasonably expect to be refunded should you change your mind before contracts are exchanged.
Do visit the show home. Have a good look around, noting fixtures and finishes, rooms sizes, layouts and outside landscaping. This can give you a good idea about the likely quality of finish. If the show home is the same size or style as the one you’re buying, it can be particularly useful in getting a feel for your new home.
Don’t expect your home to be a replica of the show home. Even if the sales team describe it as the same style as your property, it won’t be an exact copy. Show homes are often kitted out by interior designers, giving a different feel to the overall look and finish. Your home’s position will be different which may affect where windows are placed, or what they look out on. Ask the sales team to walk around with you, and mark-up the floor plan of your property where there are differences such as layout changes. Check whether the same building materials are being used. You can also ask them to confirm whether the room sizes and layouts are exactly the same, and if not, how they differ.
Do look carefully at plans for your outside space. Are you happy with the location of the driveway? Is the garage big enough for your car? What will you look out on? Are there any slopes or steps you need to be aware of? Is the garden overlooked? We often receive disputes relating to outside space, including unexpected garden gradients or problems with the size or structure of garages. Read our related blog on what to consider beyond bricks and mortar.
Don’t rely on brochures alone to give you an accurate picture of your outside space. Ask your sales agent about your home’s boundary and any vegetation you may be responsible for maintaining. Don’t forget to clarify garden gradients and garage measurements to ensure they meet your needs.
Do ask your builder if they can help you visualise furniture in your new home. Builders have access to digital software that can help you visualise what your rooms could look like with furniture in, to help you determine whether rooms will work with your furniture and provide the space you need.
Don’t rely too heavily on digital layouts. Builders may use generative AI to help indicate how a home could look, but it’s important to check accuracy. Cross check any imagery with the floor plan to check windows, doors and other fixed structures are in the right places. And don’t forget that beds come in different sizes – a room layout that pictures a standard double may not help you if you need to find room for a king size.
Do confirm in writing any information given to you in conversation with builders or their sales staff, particularly if you are relying on that information to inform your buying decision.
Don’t forget to check out the Consumer Code Scheme with Builder Guidance. This document outlines the information builders are required to provide as part of the sales process. It can also act as a useful prompt to help you consider what to ask your builder.
Thousands of consumers buy homes off plan across the UK and the 2026 National New Homes Customer Satisfaction Survey indicates 92% of respondents would buy a new build again. Although it can feel more daunting buying a property before you can see it in situ, these dos and don’ts, together with the additional protections offered by the Code, can help reduce the risk of misunderstandings or problems later in the process.
For further guidance, take a look at some of our recent related case studies and learning points:
Misleading information – different from show home
