When can you move into a new build?

[Norbert]

Here is a question for all you lucky lot who have completed you projects. At what stage can you move into a new build?

I am thinking that as soon as the electrics and plumbing are (mainly) in and there is a working kitchen and bathroom then we would be perfectly happy to rough it for a while while and move in.

However I bet it is not as simple as that. What legal requirements and inspections need to be passed? Perhaps all fire regs met, so all plaster board in place etc.

The house will have 1 bedroom, bathroom, and open plan kitchen/lounge on one floor, so everything we would need. So could we move in when all that is done then continue working to complete the upstairs?

[Buzz]

I think this will come down to what are you comfortable doing and whether or not you care  much about what you are supposed to do or just  crack on with what your going to do .

We completed the utility, 3 bedrooms and ensuites and moved in the day after the carpets in the beds were fitted, kitchen was a fridge freezer, single portable induction hob, microwave and gas bbq .

 

 

[Conor]

Anytime, really. 5ho I think it's different in Scotland. When we moved in we didn't have running water in our kitchen, any floor coverings, and only one working bathroom. 

 

Bear in mind, work will grind to a crawl when you move in, and you might have vat reclaim issues as seems HMRC have (in the past) used the date of occupation as a definition of complete, and the three month countdown on vat reclaim starts. 

[Mike]

For a single domestic house, I don't recall any restriction - so whenever you / your partner / your builder will let you. However you do have to start paying Council Tax from that date, and you may want to check your insurance policy.

[MPH243]

We moved in with a the kitchen breakfast room finished, 3 bedrooms and 1 ensuite. We had the stairs fitted but the hall landing not finished as well as most other rooms. 

 

The building inspector was not bothered,  he said it was up to us. 

 

Our site insurance covered us but we had to get separate contents insurance. 

 

We lived here 2 years before final sign off and fortunately HMRC paid out last month on the VAT. 

[ToughButterCup]

Anytime.   But.

 

Read this

 

[Kelvin]

9 hours ago, MPH243 said:

We moved in with a the kitchen breakfast room finished, 3 bedrooms and 1 ensuite. We had the stairs fitted but the hall landing not finished as well as most other rooms. 

 

The building inspector was not bothered,  he said it was up to us. 

 

Our site insurance covered us but we had to get separate contents insurance. 

 

We lived here 2 years before final sign off and fortunately HMRC paid out last month on the VAT. 

You definitely roughed it with a kitchen, breakfast room, 3 bathrooms and 1 en-suite completed. 😂 

[MPH243]

It was not to bad😁 and the house is 260sq meters which helps, just having a 8 and 3 year old and trying to keep it safe for them was the main concern. The outside was a typical building site so had to make a temporary patio and fenced off area so the youngest did not escape.