Kitchens - New builds ''like a blank canvas''

07/02/2008

A new home is like a blank canvas waiting for the buyer to make their mark, according to an industry body.

Last year the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment published a report which concluded that the standard of the majority of new housing developments in England was poor.

However, John Slaughter, director of external affairs at the Home Builders Federation, insisted some of the criticism contained in the report was unfair and that there are many benefits to buying a new build home.

New properties have to comply with more exacting energy efficiency standards than their predecessors and architects often design the interior layouts with contemporary living in mind, he explained.

Brand new homes also offer buyers the opportunity to design kitchens, bathrooms and dining rooms to their own specifications, Mr Slaughter said, explaining: "We always say that a new home is like a blank canvas to a large extent - you don't have to inherit other people's decor or DIY."

He added that many home buyers really value the opportunity to adapt a new property to their own lifestyle and taste.