Buying a new build home in Cambridgeshire is exciting — whether it's a development in Hampton, Alconbury Weald, Loves Farm, or one of the many other new estates springing up across the county. But one of the first decisions you'll face is flooring, and it can be more complicated than first-time buyers expect.
At Cambridgeshire Carpets, we work with new build homeowners and property developers across all PE and CB postcodes. Here's what you need to know before making any decisions.
Many new build developers offer a flooring allowance as part of their incentives package — typically between £2,000 and £5,000 depending on the property size. On the surface this sounds generous, but there's an important catch: the flooring installed through the developer is often a basic specification, and the choice of products is limited.
In many cases, homeowners find they can get better quality flooring — and more of it — by negotiating with the developer to take the cash equivalent of the allowance and arranging their own flooring through a specialist. This isn't always possible, but it's always worth asking.
If you're arranging your own flooring for a new build, timing matters significantly. The ideal window is after your snagging inspection but before you move furniture in. Working with bare subfloors and empty rooms means your fitter can work quickly, precisely, and without risk of damage to your belongings.
We're experienced at working to new build timelines and can coordinate with your developer or site manager to access the property at the right stage. We understand the requirements of working on an active development site, including any health and safety sign-in procedures.
New build properties almost always have concrete screed subfloors, which need to be fully dry before flooring can be installed. Concrete screed typically takes around one day per millimetre of thickness to dry — meaning a 75mm screed could take 75 days. Fitting LVT or carpet over a damp screed can cause adhesive failure, warping, or mould growth beneath the floor.
Always ask your developer for the screed drying certificate or moisture reading results before any flooring goes down. We carry professional moisture meters and will test before proceeding to protect your investment.
LVT is the most popular choice for new build ground floors in Cambridgeshire. It handles the residual moisture that concrete subfloors can emit even after drying, looks excellent in the open-plan layouts that typify modern new build design, and is genuinely easy to live in from day one.
For bedrooms and stairs, carpet remains the top choice — it's warmer, quieter, and more comfortable underfoot, and new builds often have thinner internal walls where carpet helps absorb sound between rooms.
We can supply and fit a complete package for your entire new build property, from the ground floor LVT through to bedroom carpets and stair runners, coordinated to a consistent colour palette that suits your style.
We also work directly with property developers and housing associations across Cambridgeshire. If you're managing a development and need a reliable flooring contractor who can work from architectural floor plans, meet site deadlines, and supply and fit at scale, we'd welcome a conversation. Call us on 07345 995206 to discuss your requirements.