Moving in before completion

[Lincolnshire Ian]

We are building a TF house which will be wind and watertight post erection (piling starts in 48 hours). We will tile the roof, build the outer skin, install underfloor heating and then money will start getting tight. 

We are in the fortunate position of being able to live in our current house while the new house is being built, but fitting the house out is going to be challenging without either taking out a bridging loan or moving into the house before it is finished. 

I favour moving in before the house is finished. Despite the obvious downside of living in a dusty building site what are the less obvious things I may have overlooked. 

Will I get problems with my site insurance? 

Could it make claiming the VAT back difficult etc,etc

Many thanks 

[Conor]

Jobs will crawl to a near stop. We did that, due to financial reasons. Don't regret it, but we're still trying to finish of stuff three years later. Get it fully finished then move in.

 

Sell your current house to release the funds, and find somewhere to rent for a few months.

[ToughButterCup]

33 minutes ago, Lincolnshire Ian said:

...and then money will start getting tight. ... but fitting the house out is going to be challenging without either taking out a bridging loan or moving into the house before it is finished. 

I favour moving in before the house is finished.....

 

Exactly the same issue here. 

 

22 minutes ago, Conor said:

Jobs will crawl to a near stop. We did that, due to financial reasons. Don't regret it, but we're still trying to finish of stuff three years later. Get it fully finished then move in....

 

Different decision : money-based. Only just sold our house 10 years on. Moved in before completion  years ago.

In terms of VAT have a look at my posts about that - not complicated but you need to know and be able to challenge others who should know the system thoroughly (because its their job)

Read and re-read the VAT and Local Authority rules on habitation - and know what the local LA Valuation Officer's agenda is  .... 😑 LAs appear not to apply their own policies uniformally 

The Local Valuation Officer's decision is (is highly likely in your case) to be the trigger for the VAT process.

In brief my learning was:

 

• The key question is : when does your LA Valuation Officer regard your property as Habitable.
• Be clear about the rules
• Keep brief informal records because I forget stuff
• Keep the HERAS up and secure all the time. LA Valuation Officers have been know to just walk on site without permission. 
• Move in
• I avoided thinking about site insurance. Stupid as running across a motorway. My excuse? Two hip replacements and the associated pain.
• Keep my other half in the loop - it's a jangling experience
• Think of England, Harry and St george.

Edited 23 hours ago by ToughButterCup

[JohnMo]

We were similar, sold house as late as possible, but sold second car to release funds. Used credit cards.

 

As mentioned above, once in, nothing has any urgency so takes for ever. So put off as far as possible. 

[nod]

It depends on what you mean as before completion 

[Kelvin]

What caught me out, and this is a Scottish building regs thing, is we were very nearly complete internally other than a banister and a glass panel at the top of the stairs (glass panel got smashed by the courier and I wanted the banister as one complete piece of wood turned round the corner so beyond my joinery skills). The lease on our rental was up so had to move. I assumed a formality so applied for a habitation certificate but BCO said no. He came to see the house and said we really needed full sign off including patio to move in and were reluctant to approve habitation certs. In the end he approved it but we had to lash something up for the glass panel (plywood sheet) and the banister. 
 

No matter how tidy you are houses mid build are dusty places to be with loads of materials coming in. I wouldn’t have wanted to be living in it while try to build it. And as others have said everything slows down once you’re in. We are in 1 year and 1 week and there’s a long list of small jobs that I’m very slowly working my through. I’d have done them in a few weeks if I had the same urgency as when we were building. 

[ProDave]

We did a slow "build as you earn" due to inability to sell the old house.  Instead we let it, to give income, moved into a static caravan on site while we completed the build.

 

We started to use more and more of the house as it progressed, while still officially living in the 'van.

 

It was self build insurance renewal costs that tipped us to getting a temporary habitation certificate to move in and swapped to normal house insurance while we finished off.

 

Living on site should NOT slow it down, if anything it will speed it up because you are already there, ready to go and work on the build when there is time to do so.

[mjc55]

We are building a "Pod" a mini me of the house to test the various build ideas (Ecobricks - flat green roof etc.).

 

Windows for Pod are being delivered early September and hopefully in Pod by Octoberish - depends as want to get main house footings in before the weather changes.

 

There are a number of issues around this 

 

VAT submission

CIL completion document

Address - we have an address but it hasn't been propagated yet but will be required for post etc.

Council Tax 

Water Rates 

 

It's a bit of a minefield.