New Build Reservation and Build Progress Record

Who this is for

A buyer's own record of a new-build purchase. Reservation details at the top, each build stage logged as the developer reports it, and every promise dated.

People who have reserved a home on a new development and are waiting for it to be built, often for months, with updates coming from sales staff and site managers.

What this helps you track

• The development, plot, developer contact and reservation fee paid
• The completion window you were given at reservation
• Each build stage and the date the developer reported it
• What evidence you saw, such as photos or a site visit
• Dated correspondence and what was promised by when

How to use it

1. Write the development, plot number, developer contact, reservation date, fee paid and the completion window you were given at the top.
2. Rename or add build stages to match the terms your developer uses in their updates.
3. When a stage is reported, write the date, who told you and what evidence you saw.
4. Record every call, email and visit in the correspondence table, with anything promised and the date it was promised for.
5. Tick kept when a promise is met, so unmet ones stand out when you next speak to the developer.
6. Keep your reservation agreement and any written updates with this record.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

What counts as evidence of a build stage?

Anything beyond being told: dated photographs from the developer, a site visit, a written update or a warranty inspection report. Note which you had, since a verbal update is harder to rely on later.

Is the reservation fee refundable?

That depends on the reservation agreement you signed and the rules where you are. Read the agreement and ask your solicitor or conveyancer; the record only notes what you paid and when.

Why record promises separately?

Completion dates, upgrades and fixes are often mentioned in passing over months. A dated list of who said what makes it easier to follow up and to show your solicitor if something goes wrong.

Can I use it for snagging too?

It is built for the time before completion. For defects found after you move in, a separate snagging list works better, with one line per fault.