When moving into a new-build, most people want to start putting their own stamp on their home right away - from hanging portraits and art to putting up wallpaper and painting walls.
However, it's not always wise to do so and could lead you having to fork out for repairs before your home is even lived in.
Mike Norton, Trade and Projects Director from Magnet Trade, warns that doing a bit of DIY could end up being incredibly costly, with some mistakes costing thousands of pounds to repair.
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Why you shouldn’t decorate your new-build walls immediately
The experts, said: "If you’ve just moved into a new-build home, your walls are most likely to be decorated with emulsion paint in a neutral or white tone. Many new homeowners leap at the chance to decorate over these default tones immediately.
"But in reality, builders highly recommend leaving 12 months between moving in and decorating the walls."
This is because new building materials, such as wood frame, concrete and plaster, need time to dry out slowly and ‘settle’. These new materials can also shrink or expand as they adjust to the space and temperature, hence why you may notice gaps in joinery and white deposits on the wall.
Particularly in the UK, where the climate is colder and prone to fluctuation, this drying process can take longer. Painting before this 12 month period can therefore lead to cracks and nail pops in the walls as it inhibits the drying process - not allowing the fresh materials to breathe and receive proper ventilation.
Mike, added: "This is likely to affect the quality of the paint finish - resulting in you having to re-do it, which is both costly and time consuming. These cracks can even result in you having to re-plaster the walls which costs an average of £600 for each room. That’s not including the wasted time and money spent on the initial painting materials.’’
What happens if you use wallpaper instead of paint?
On wallpapering, the expert detailed: "Applying wallpaper to newly built walls is worse than applying paint and should be always avoided. Wallpaper suffocates the walls and the paste inhibits airflow which severely impedes the drying process.
"Underneath the wallpaper, hairline cracks and nail pops will form which will invite trouble and expense further down the line."
For the first 12 months in a new-build, avoid wallpaper and resist the temptation of paint. Even when you do avoid these things, it is normal for some minor cracks to have appeared over the drying period.
Most builders will fix these cracks and any side effects of the drying and shrinkage process for no cost. Or, because they’re minor, they can simply be filled with caulk. If you don’t wait it out, the cracks and damage are likely to be a lot worse and builders may not repair any damage as you have gone against their advice.
Instead, you’ll be left with the added time, expense and waste of having to strip down and re-do the wallpaper and paint jobs yourself or from a tradesperson. Or, you may even have to re-plaster.
If you can’t wait, use breathable paint
Mike, said: "If you really can’t wait to decorate the walls in a new build, choose a breathable paint that’s water based instead of a plastic-based one so that the drying process isn’t as severely affected."
You can also use other tips and tricks to quicken the drying process:
Use central heating sparingly to allow walls and joinery to naturally expand and contract with the season.
Open windows to ensure proper ventilation and keep a gentle flow of fresh air.
