Our guide to

Settling into your new home

A new home is an individually-built hand-crafted product. Our settling in guide is great way for you and your new home to become familiar with each other.

Cosmetic snags and defects

While you settle in, here is everything you need to know about cosmetic snags and defects.

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Watch out for extreme weather conditions

Taylor Wimpey is not responsible for any damage caused to your property by extreme weather conditions i.e. storms, high winds, freezing temperatures etc. Particular attention should be paid to external taps (if fitted) to ensure they are lagged and drained. Any problems that arise should be covered by your own home insurance.

Learning more about shrinkage & moisture

As your home is lived in and heated, timber and other materials will shrink and this can cause minor cracks on wall and ceiling finishes. Small cracks or gaps may also appear at joints and corners of skirting boards and other interior joinery. These natural cracks are an unavoidable part of the build process and Taylor Wimpey are not responsible for correcting them.

To minimise shrinkage, try to keep a reasonably even temperature throughout your home, even in rooms which are not occupied.

Chalky brickwork or 'efflorescence'

A consequence of drying out may be the appearance of a white deposit on walls, called ‘efflorescence’. This is caused by natural salts coming out of the wall materials and is quite normal. It is not harmful and usually disappears over time. If efflorescence occurs on internal walls it can be wiped or brushed away. If efflorescence persists internally, it could indicate a water leak, in which case you should contact the Customer Service team within the first two years of warranty.

Carefully manage heating throughout your home

Homes where the heating is off all day because the occupants are out, are more likely to suffer condensation problems than those heated more continuously. This is because, when normal activities such as washing and cooking are carried out in the evening, the home has been unheated for long periods and so surfaces are cold.

Make sure the central heating timer is set so that your home is warm by the time you return home. During very cold weather, it may be better to leave the heating on during the day to maintain an even temperature. The temperature can be set a few degrees lower and turned up when you return.