subject: Beginners Guide to Buying a Park Home [print this page] Beginners Guide to Buying a Park Home Beginners Guide to Buying a Park Home
Park homes have become a popular alternative to buying a bungalow for both retired and semi-retired people and are often found in some of the most attractive parts of the UK. Shield Total Insurance, one of the UK's leading providers of Park Home Insurance, provides an essential guide to help you find the perfect residential park home.
Park homes are a long way from the conventional holiday static caravan, with new park homes being built to BS3632 standard. For the purchaser's peace of mind there is also a ten year Gold Shield warranty scheme operated by the National Caravan Council.
There are two main types of park home. The single unit (usually 10ft or 12ft wide) and twin units offering 10ft or 11ft widths per section, giving an overall width of 22ft. They come fully furnished in a variety of styles and exteriors, with most customers usually taking a visit to the factory to give their input as to layout and how the park home should be finished off.
Today's park homes are built to be durable for all weather conditions. With prices of 40,000 plus, manufacturers will build to budget and can produce units as small as one bedroom models. All domestic appliances should be fitted, with a full central heating system and double glazing. In many cases, a verandah or decking may be fitted as long as it's not a permanent fixture (- given the home still has to be movable).
Many park homes are situated in either the countryside or coastal location. Most near a village or town, but if you don't run a car or have had to give it up, you need to check just how you can get about. Is the local public transport reliable and does it run at regular times near the park? Look for a park that suits your needs in terms of position and size. Most are usually well laid out, often developed from old caravan sites and cater for retired users, but some parks will take families too.
Make sure the site licence of the park you want to go on is valid and that the park is for allyear living. Does the park allow pets and if so, does that mean only dogs or cats? Space permitting, are you allowed to place a pre-fabricated garage unit? The majority of park homes will have gardens with a small shed being permitted, but do check.
Most parks are small communities in which residents look out for each other. These are usually on privately-owned secure estates which cut down the burglary risk. When choosing your park it's always a good idea to talk to some of the residents. How long have they been there? What is it like security wise? Is it generally quiet? Don't forget when you buy a park home, you own the home but the park operator owns the land it's on and you will have to pay a rent to cover the park's upkeep.
Once you have made your choice of park, remember a park home is just like a home made from bricks and mortar. All mains services will need connecting and you should still stay secure and be insured. When arranging your Park Home Insurance make sure to advise your Park Home Insurer of the full value of your park home and anything you have of value contained within it. Being underinsured can bring misery and doesn't save money in the long run.
Do your homework and follow these simple rules and you should have many happy years in a home that's both comfortable and pleasing to own. For all your Park Home Insurance needs, why not get an online Park Home Insurance quote from Shield Total Insurance today?
