Call us today on: 0161 930 5350
Specialist new build and off-plan conveyancing across Stockport, Manchester and the North West.
Buying a new build home should be exciting, but the legal process is more complex than buying an existing property. Tight developer deadlines, off-plan contracts, warranties, estate charges and site-wide legal arrangements all need careful handling by a solicitor who deals with new build transactions regularly.
Gorvins Residential’s new build conveyancing solicitors act for buyers across Stockport, Manchester and the wider North West, from first time buyers reserving a plot off plan to investors purchasing on completed developments. As a Law Society Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) accredited firm, we are used to working within developers’ 28-day exchange deadlines while making sure your interests, not just the developer’s, are protected.
Get a new build conveyancing quote today. Call 0161 930 5350, email enquiries@gorvinsresi.com or fill in our online form.
We handle every legal aspect of your new build purchase, including:
You will have a named conveyancer from start to finish, with updates by phone, email or through the Gorvins Residential mobile app.
For the stages common to every purchase, see our guide to the conveyancing process.
Buying off-plan means committing to the purchase before the property is finished, sometimes before construction has started, having seen only plans or a show home. Two protections matter enormously here:
A long stop completion date. Build delays are common. We make sure your contract includes a long stop date, giving you the right to withdraw and recover your deposit if the developer has not finished by then. Without one, you could be tied into an open-ended wait.
Contract terms that reflect what you were promised. The show home is not the contract. We check that the specification, plot boundaries and any agreed extras or incentives are properly documented, so you get what you bargained for.
Almost all new builds are sold with a ten-year structural warranty from a provider such as NHBC (Buildmark), Premier Guarantee, LABC or Checkmate. These policies are not all the same, and mortgage lenders will generally refuse to lend without an acceptable warranty in place.
We check the warranty provider is acceptable to your lender, review what is and is not covered, and ensure the cover is properly registered before completion. Typically, the first two years are covered by the developer directly, with the structural insurance element running for the remaining eight, and we will explain exactly how yours works.
Because the developer usually owns the entire site and sells it off plot by plot as a “sale of part”, additional site-wide checks are essential:
New build flats are sold leasehold, and the lease needs careful review. The good news is that ground rents on new residential leases are now restricted to a peppercorn (effectively zero) by law, but service charges, building insurance arrangements and lease terms still vary widely between developments. We review the lease and the service charge budget in full and report anything that could affect your costs or your ability to sell in future.
If you are part-exchanging your current home with the developer or selling on the open market to fund your purchase, we handle both transactions together. Developer-led part exchange moves quickly, and having one firm managing both sides keeps the timetable under control. See our selling a property service for more on the sale side.
We provide clear, itemised quotes for new build purchases covering our legal fees and all third-party costs such as searches, Land Registry fees and SDLT. New build transactions sometimes attract additional developer document fees, and where these apply, we will identify them at the outset so there are no surprises. See our conveyancing pricing page for more details.
Call 0161 930 5350 or complete our online form for your new build conveyancing quote.
No. You are free to choose your own solicitor, and there are good reasons to. A developer’s recommended firm may handle a high volume of that developer’s plots, and towards the developer’s year-end there can be real pressure to exchange quickly. An independent solicitor acts solely for you and will not be influenced by the developer’s targets.
Usually not in full. Reservation fees, typically between £500 and £2,000, are normally deducted from the purchase price if you proceed, but if you withdraw, the developer will usually keep some or all of it, subject to the terms of the reservation agreement and the New Homes Quality Code. We review the reservation terms, so you know exactly where you stand before the clock starts.
A full structural survey is less common on new builds, but a professional snagging inspection is strongly recommended. This identifies defects and unfinished work, ideally before completion, so the developer can be required to put them right. Your warranty also covers defects reported in the first two years, but a snagging list gives you a documented record from day one.
Yes, new builds are treated the same as any other residential purchase for Stamp Duty Land Tax, based on the price you pay. First-time buyer relief may apply if you qualify. We calculate the SDLT due as part of your quote and submit the return for you on completion.
This is a genuine risk with off-plan purchases, as mortgage offers typically last around six months while build programmes can overrun. If your offer expires, you will need to reapply, and there is no guarantee of the same terms. We aim to negotiate a long stop date that falls before your offer expires, and we will flag the risk clearly before you exchange.
Often, yes, although developers prefer to offer incentives such as paying your SDLT, upgraded fixtures or contributions to legal fees rather than reducing the headline price. Be aware that lenders require all incentives to be formally disclosed, as they can affect the valuation. We complete the disclosure forms and make sure everything is properly documented.
Most developers are registered with the New Homes Quality Board or follow the Consumer Code for Home Builders, which sets standards for how buyers must be treated from reservation through to two years after completion, with access to an independent ombudsman or dispute resolution scheme. Your ten-year structural warranty sits alongside this. We will confirm which scheme applies to your development.
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Gorvins Residential LLP
Gorvins Residential is the trading name of
Gorvins Residential LLP
Dale House,
Tiviot Dale,
Stockport,
SK1 1TA
