From the opening weekend, Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 August, visitors to new two show homes at Granby Meadows in Harrogate can enjoy a unique behind-the-scenes look at how the new homes are being built.
As well as two fully furnished show homes, Redrow is unveiling a ‘Harlech’ four-bedroom view home that has been left deliberately ‘unfinished’ in parts, with many of the internal workings on display. It’s a novel idea, prompted by the success of the housebuilder’s ‘hard hat’ tours that take customers on a tour of their home during what’s known as the ‘first fix’ stage of construction.
“We’ve found that customers really love to see the inner workings of their homes, including evidence of where the electric cables and pipes have been fixed prior to plastering. It also provides them with reassurance of the quality, care and thought that goes into building their home,” Redrow site manager Louis Calpin explained.
Inside the ‘Harlech’ view home, various rooms are shown at different stages of build – almost like an exhibition.
Louis talked us through the home: “On the ground floor we’ve left most of the house at first fix, before the plasterboard is fitted, so people can see the pipes and cables running through the house. In the lounge we’ve created a half-and-half approach so people can see half of the room at first fix and the other half finished, plastered and painted, which shows the transition.
“Upstairs we’ve taken each of the four bedrooms to a different stage. In bed two, the room is at first fix and you can look up into the loft and see the insulation and some of the roof trusses. The partition between this room and the bathroom has been finished in clear acrylic sheeting so that people can see the sound insulation between the rooms and, from the bathroom side they can see the pattresses we use to take the weight of mirrors, towel rails and basins. The ceiling is also clear acrylic so you can see the loft insulation above.”
The ‘Harlech’’s fourth bedroom has been plaster-boarded but not skimmed; bedroom three is at what’s known as second fix stage – all the structural work is complete and finishing work has been done prior to painting; and the main bedroom has been completely finished, painted and carpeted.
“The attention to detail is evident throughout in how tidily things like cables and pipes are clipped into place, how neatly blockwork is pointed even though it’s not normally on show, the thickness of our insulation, and how smoothly our rooms are plastered prior to painting, for example. These are things that customers don’t normally see when they move in, but they are all very important aspects of the quality of their new home,” Louis added.
Having first-hand insight into the level of insulation installed as standard in a Redrow home serves as a reminder to customers of how new homes are generally better insulated than older, second-hand properties and therefore more efficient and cheaper to run.
This novel approach is a Yorkshire initiative that they hope may be rolled out at other Redrow developments across the country. Signage around the home explains the different stages and what’s on show.
“It’s great for customers to see the quality of fixtures and fittings that are normally hidden in a finished home, but it’s also great for me as the site manager. For example, if I’ve got a new trade on site such as an electrician or plumber, I can show them exactly what we expect,” Louis added.
“It will also be a good resource for any schools that visit as we’ll be able to show pupils interested in construction as a career some of the usually hidden elements involved in building a home.”
For those who prefer to see how their finished new home will look, Redrow is also opening three-bedroom ‘Warwick’ and ‘Leamington Lifestyle’ show homes, both of which have been professionally designed, decorated and dressed to impress.
Steve Jackson, sales director for Redrow Yorkshire, said: “Whilst the Harlech shows purchasers what goes into building one of our homes, the ‘Warwick’ and ‘Leamington Lifestyle’ show them how their own new homes could look after they move in. Our show homes are designed to inspire customers and also display some of the many specification choices and optional upgrades that are available to our homeowners via My Redrow.”
The unique Harlech view home and two fully furnished show homes promote a range of two-, three- and four-bedroom homes available at Granby Meadows, where current prices start from £291,950 for the two-bedroom ‘Buxton’.
There are also homes from Redrow’s new generation ‘Lifestyle’ range, which boast fewer bedrooms than normal, but each bedroom is larger, more luxurious and has its own ensuite. A ‘Leamington Lifestyle’ – the same design as one of the new show homes – is currently available from £569,950.
The new show homes and view home at Granby Meadows will be open daily. Find ot more at www.redrow.co.uk.
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