Our buying process

Understand your finances

Before you start your home search, take a moment to review your savings, income, and credit history. This helps you get a clear idea of what you can afford and ensures you’re financially ready to take the next step.

Value your current home

If you already own a property, getting a professional valuation will give you a realistic idea of how much it’s worth. This helps you understand how much equity you have and what you can put toward your next home.

Explore your borrowing power

Speaking with a mortgage broker or lender will help you understand how much you can borrow. They’ll look at your income, expenses, and credit score to give you an estimate, so you know what price range to focus on.

Beginning your home search is an exciting step – and a personal one. It’s about more than just bedrooms and square footage. It’s about how you want to live, and where you feel most at home.

Start by thinking about what matters most to you—space, location, layout, community. Make a simple list of what you need now, and what will support your lifestyle in the years ahead.

If you’re just beginning your journey, browsing our latest developments is a great place to start. We understand that choosing where to build the next chapter of your life is a big decision. That’s why we offer clear, thoughtful information on each location, our build quality, interior specifications, and the surrounding community—to help you picture what life in a Tolman Home could truly feel like.

Every home starts with a vision—and seeing it in person is the first step in bringing that vision to life.

When you book a viewing with us, what you’ll see depends on the stage the build is at. You might be walking the footprint of your future home, standing on a freshly prepared plot, or stepping inside a house that’s well on its way to completion.

Wherever we are in the journey, our team will help you picture what’s to come. We use floor plans, CGIs and finishing material samples to bring the space to life—so you can start to imagine where the light falls, how the rooms connect, and what it will feel like to live there. It’s a relaxed visit, tailored to you. A chance to ask questions, get a sense of the space, and feel confident in your decision.

It’s a relaxed visit, tailored to you. A chance to ask questions, get a sense of the space, and feel confident in your decision.

Before you can reserve a new home, you’ll need to be in a proceedable position—meaning you’ve either accepted an offer on your current home, or you have the funds available to move forward without needing to sell.

Having this in place gives you the confidence to take the next step, and allows us to commit to your chosen home.

If you’re still in the process of selling, we’re here to support you—whether that’s answering questions or connecting you with trusted local agents.

Once you’re ready to proceed, we’ll be ready to reserve your new Tolman home and move forward together.

Once you’re ready to proceed, we’ll guide you through the simple steps to secure your chosen plot. This includes completing a reservation form, paying a reservation fee, and providing proof of funds. That can be a recent account statement showing available funds, or if you’re buying with a mortgage, a mortgage in principle alongside a statement showing your deposit.

Once these are in place, your home is officially reserved and taken off the market – giving you peace of mind as you move forward.

We’ll walk you through every part of the process, from timelines to next steps, including any personalisation options available at your stage of build. Our goal is to make this process feel straightforward, supported, and exciting.

Once your new home is reserved, the next step is to appoint a solicitor to handle the legal side of your purchase.

Your solicitor will manage the contracts, carry out necessary checks, and guide you through to exchange and completion. It’s an important role, so it’s worth choosing someone experienced in new-build purchases—they’ll know the process and keep things moving smoothly.

If you already have a solicitor in mind, great. If not, we’re happy to recommend firms we’ve worked with who understand the way we build and the timelines we work to.

You’ll need to formally instruct your solicitor within 3 working days of reservation, so they can begin reviewing contracts and liaising with our legal team. This helps keep your purchase on track and avoids unnecessary delays.

If you’re unsure where to start, just ask—we’re here to help you every step of the way.

One of the joys of buying a home off-plan is the chance to personalise it.

If you reserve early enough in the build process, you’ll have access to our range of home options. These include choices like kitchen colours, worktops, flooring, and paint colours. You’ll also be able to select from a list of optional extras and upgrades, such as built-in wardrobes or enhanced finishes. It’s your opportunity to shape the look and feel of your new home from the start.

The options available to you will depend on the stage of the build when you reserve. If your home is already finished, the specification will be set—but rest assured, it’s been carefully chosen to reflect our high standards and timeless design.

Our team will guide you through what’s possible for your plot and talk you through each option, so you can make decisions with confidence and ease.

This is where your new home starts to feel like yours.

Throughout the build, we offer opportunities for you to visit site and see the progress being made. These build progress visits are a chance to get a real sense of the space, ask questions, and feel more connected to the journey.

What you’ll be able to see—and when—depends on the stage of construction and health and safety guidelines at the time. Sometimes it might be a walk around the plot; other times, it could be your first look inside the structure of your future home.

We’ll keep you updated on progress and let you know when viewings can be arranged. Our team will walk you through the site safely and share what’s happening at each stage.

It’s your home, and we want you to feel part of its story from the ground up.

Exchange is a key moment in your home buying journey—it’s when everything becomes official, and your new home is one big step closer.

Exchange is the point where contracts are signed. Our solicitors will formally exchange the signed contracts, and from that point, the sale becomes legally binding.

At this stage, you’ll also pay your deposit and we’ll agree on a completion date (the day you’ll receive your keys). Typically, there is around 5-7 working days between exchange and completion.

We’ll be working closely with your solicitor throughout to make sure everything is clear, timely, and well-supported.

Once contracts are exchanged and your purchase is legally binding, we’ll be in touch to arrange your home demonstration – a special moment where we walk you through your finished home.

During this visit, we’ll walk you through how everything works – from heating and appliances to doors, windows, and where to find the essentials. It’s also a great time to ask any questions and get familiar with the space before you move in.

Depending on timings, your home demo might take place just before completion, or even on the same day – especially if things are moving quickly. In some cases, it may happen when you collect your keys or on the day you choose to move in.

We’ll also talk you through what happens next, including our aftercare process and how we’ll continue to support you once you’re settled in.

It’s more than a handover—it’s the beginning of life in your new home, and we’re here to make sure you feel confident and cared for from day one.

This is the moment you’ve been working toward — the day your new home becomes officially yours.

On the day of legal completion, your solicitor will transfer the remaining funds to us, and once that’s confirmed, we’ll release the keys. You’ll then be invited to collect them and step into your new home for the very first time as its owner.

We’ll be in touch ahead of time to let you know any final details, including your meter readings, warranty pack, and contact details for your aftercare support.

Moving in marks the start of a new chapter, and we’ll be right here to support you through those first few weeks and beyond — ensuring your new home is everything you hoped it would be.

We’re committed to ensuring that your new home continues to meet your expectations long after you’ve moved in.

Before you complete your purchase, we carry out a quality assurance survey to check everything is in order. We aim to complete this the works identified on this survey before you move in, but in some cases, there may be scheduled work that takes place after completion. Once you’ve moved in, you have 14 days from the date of completion to notify us of any defects or damages. These, along with any issues identified in our quality survey, will be rectified within 30 working days of legal completion.

Your new home is covered by both a 2-year and 10-year warranty. The 2-year warranty is provided by us, covers any issues that might arise with the build, while the 10-year warranty is provided by the relevant insurer, and ensures your home remains protected against structural defects for a decade.

To help you keep track of these details, we’ll send you a New Home Information Manual. This manual will include everything you need to know about your warranties, how to contact us, and how to handle any aftercare needs that may arise. We’re here to support you every step of the way, ensuring your home stays just as you envisioned it.