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How to prepare for moving into a new build

Laura Gordon

Jun 7, 2023

Whenmovingintoanewbuildhouse,youhavetheopportunitytocreateahomethatiscompletelytailoredtoyourpreferences.However,you’llwanttobeproperlypreparedinadvance.

How to prepare to move into a new build

As well as providing moving day tips , we’ve outlined the key ways you can prepare for moving house, and how moving into a new build can be a little different than moving into a standard new house.

Moving into a new build house checklist:

Plan ahead
Familiarise yourself with the floor plan
Set a budget
Visit your new build before moving in
Register your new build address
Notify people about your new address
Invest in quality storage solutions
Check the measurements
Ask what the best internet provider is in your area
Get to know your neighbours beforehand

Plan ahead

Before you start packing, it's important to create a plan for your move. This should include a timeline of when you need to complete certain tasks, such as:

Notifying utility companies about your move.
Arranging for a home removal company to collect your things.
Gradually packing up your belongings.

By creating a clear plan, you can avoid any last-minute panic, and ensure a smooth moving-in process. If in doubt, refer back to the stages of a new build home to see where your home is in the process, and how close you are to your move-in date!

Familiarise yourself with the floor plan

One (of the many) advantages of buying a new build home is that you’ll have access to your floorplan early on – . which definitely isn’t always the case if you buy a traditional home.

This is really helpful for when you’re ordering furniture, or moving furniture and trying to see if your current L-shaped sofa will fit into your new living room!

Having access to your floor plan means you can start practically planning the furniture you want to buy, and see how that fits in with your budget.

Set a budget

Speaking of which - when you prepare to move house, you’ll need to consider all the costs involved aside from the actual price of your house.

After all, moving into a new home – or any home - can be an expensive process. So, you should set a clear budget to aim for, and stick to it! Make sure you’ve factored in how much it costs to move home, and then look at creating a quick budget based on:

Removals
Utilities
Furniture
Décor and soft furnishings

Try to make sure you have enough money set aside to cover them all. This will make the process of moving in much easier in the long run.

Register your new build address with Royal Mail

Luckily, this is a step that you can actually skip – while plenty of people moving into new builds have to worry about registering a new address, at Strata, your Experience Manager will make sure that your new address is registered and ready to go for when you move in.

If you run into any issues at all with registering your new build address, you can get in touch with Royal Mail and update your address with them directly.

Notify people and companies about your new address

Since you’ll be moving soon, and you have all the security that comes with a new build, you can prepare for moving house as everyone wants to – by sending your loved ones and neighbours your new address. You can also start redirecting mail to your new address closer to the time, to avoid mail arriving once you’ve moved out.

We recommend using SlothMove, a change of address service that takes just 5 minutes and covers majority of companies that you would need to notify in just a few clicks. It costs just £35, which is cheaper than a Royal Mail redirect!

Invest in quality storage solutions

Moving into a new build is a great opportunity to declutter and get rid of any items you no longer need or want, and probably already features on your moving house checklist. However, it's important to make sure you have good storage solutions (and plenty of them), for the items you do keep.

So, consider investing in quality storage solutions, such as built-in wardrobes or shelving units. This helps you make the most of the room in your home, without over-cluttering it, to begin with! In some Strata homes, built-in wardrobes are included in the master bedroom, offering a great storage space that is hidden away and blends seamlessly with the room.

Get to know your neighbours beforehand

Moving into your new build home is also a great opportunity to get to know your neighbours and build a sense of community. So, when you prepare for moving house:

Introduce yourself to your neighbours
Sign up for any upcoming events or gatherings
Join the community Facebook group or other online communication channel
Use #MyStrataStory to find your neighbours on Instagram and chat to the wider Strata homeowner community.