Buying a new build? What you need to know about conveyancing

On a standard house purchase, a lot of early administrative work only starts once you have instructed a solicitor: identity checks, proof of where your money is coming from, and gathering the documents your solicitor will need. That is normal, and it is rarely a problem, because a standard purchase usually gives you time to catch up.

A new build does not give you that time. The clock starts the moment you reserve, and the exchange window does not wait for you to finish your ID checks.

This is the specific reason our model suits new build purchases well. Because we complete identity verification, source of funds evidence and document collection before you are matched with your panel solicitor, that groundwork is already done by the time the developer's contract pack lands. We are not claiming to complete your purchase faster than anyone else. We do not have the case data to back a claim like that. What we can say is that the specific early stage steps a new build deadline puts pressure on are steps that happen before instruction in our process, not after it.

If you would like to see exactly how that early preparation works, our how it works page walks through each step.

New build conveyancing is the legal work involved in buying a property directly from a developer, rather than from a private seller. The basic legal steps are the same as any purchase: searches, checks, contracts, and registering the property in your name. What is different is the pace, the paperwork, and who is setting the terms.

With a resale property, contracts are agreed between two individuals with roughly equal say over timing. With a new build, the developer's solicitor prepares the contract, and it is written with the developer's sales targets in mind. That means a tighter deadline to exchange contracts, a reservation fee to pay upfront, and extra legal checks that do not apply to older homes, such as whether the property has been built in line with planning permission and building regulations.

New build flats are almost always sold as leasehold. New build houses are usually freehold, though some are sold on long leases, so it is worth checking early which applies to you. If you are not sure what leasehold means for your purchase, our guide to leasehold vs freehold explains the difference in plain English.

This is the single biggest difference buyers are not prepared for. Once you reserve a new build property, most developers give you a set window to exchange contracts, commonly around 28 days, though this varies by developer and can be longer. Miss that deadline, and you risk losing the property, along with some or all of your reservation fee.

The deadline exists to protect the developer's sales pipeline, not to help you. It has nothing to do with how ready your solicitor is, how complicated your case is, or how quickly your mortgage lender works. It is a fixed date, and every part of the legal process has to happen before it: searches, mortgage offer, checks on the contract pack, and your own ID and source of funds evidence.

This is exactly why new build purchases are where solicitors most often ask buyers to hurry up. In a normal purchase, there is usually more breathing room. On a new build, there is not.

A solicitor working on a new build purchase checks things that simply do not come up on a resale property:

• ●Planning permission: confirming the property has been built in line with what the council approved.
• ●Building regulations: confirming the build meets current safety and construction standards.
• ●Warranties: most new builds come with a ten year structural warranty, commonly NHBC Buildmark, though other providers exist. Your solicitor checks this is in place and correctly assigned to you.
• ●Estate charges: many new build developments include an estate management company and an ongoing charge for maintaining shared spaces, roads, or drainage before they are adopted by the council. This is worth understanding before you commit, as it is an ongoing cost separate from your mortgage.
• ●The developer's contract pack: reviewing every clause, since it is written by the developer's solicitor with the developer's interests in mind, not yours.

New build purchases come with a few costs that do not apply to buying an existing home.

Paid when you agree to buy the property, to take it off the market while contracts are prepared. This is usually non-refundable if you pull out, though it is normally deducted from the final purchase price if you complete. Amounts vary considerably between developers, so always check the reservation agreement carefully before paying.

This is a fee for preparing the final, formal version of a legal document, the engrossment, once terms have been agreed and it is ready for signing. It sometimes appears as a separate line item on a new build cost breakdown rather than being folded into general legal fees. It is a legitimate cost, not a hidden extra, but it catches people out simply because it is rarely explained.

For a full breakdown of typical legal costs, see our conveyancing fees guide, and if you want to see the full cost of the move, not just the legal side, our moving cost calculator covers Stamp Duty, survey and removal costs too.

On most purchases, you agree a fixed completion date at exchange. On a new build, that is often not possible, because the property may not be finished yet.

Instead, most new build contracts use completion on notice. You exchange contracts and commit to the purchase, then the developer gives you a set number of days' notice to complete, commonly around ten working days though this varies, once the property is finished and signed off by building control. You then need to be ready to complete within that window, which means your mortgage offer needs to still be valid and your funds need to be in place.

This is worth planning for in advance, particularly if your mortgage offer has a fixed expiry date, since a delay to the build can eat into that timeframe without you having any control over it.

• ●Read the reservation agreement fully before paying the reservation fee, and check the cancellation terms.
• ●Instruct a solicitor as soon as you reserve. Do not wait for the contract pack to arrive.
• ●Start your mortgage application immediately if you have not already.
• ●Ask your solicitor to confirm the exchange deadline in writing, and diarise it.
• ●Ask specifically about the warranty provider and estate management charges before you exchange.
• ●Confirm whether the property is freehold or leasehold, and what that means for your ongoing costs.
• ●Keep in regular contact with your solicitor and the developer's sales office in the run-up to the deadline.

If you are buying your first home as well as your first new build, our first-time buyer checklist covers the wider process too.

It is often slightly more, because of the extra checks involved: warranty review, planning permission checks, and sometimes engrossment fees. Always ask for an itemised quote so you know exactly what is included.

It depends on the developer. Many will extend the deadline if you are clearly making progress and keeping them updated. Some may reissue the property to another buyer and keep some or all of your reservation fee. Staying in regular contact with the developer's sales team is the best way to avoid this.

Not necessarily a specialist by title, but you do need one who regularly handles new build purchases and understands the tighter deadline and extra checks involved.

Last reviewed 1 September 2026. This guide describes process and developer convention rather than quoting rates. Reservation fees, exchange windows and notice periods are set by each developer and vary, so check your own reservation agreement and contract rather than relying on the typical figures described here.