Barratt Homes are currently constructing a number of new build developments in the Scott Jenkins Water Softeners area of operation.
A mixture of 2, 3 or 4-bedroom homes are available – nicely appointed but all currently without a key ingredient – a water softener!
That’s surprising – given that this part of the south-east is known for being a hard water area. As one of the most experienced and customer-focussed soft water system specialists in southern England, we are perfectly placed to provide new homeowners with a brand-new water softener – from day one. The benefits this can provide for Barratt homeowners are far reaching. Read on to find out why.
Barratt new builds in West Sussex
Haywards Heath
WYCHWOOD PARK
Rocky Lane, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 4RN
3-4 bedroom homes
Yapton
RYEBANK GATE
Drove Lane, Yapton, West Sussex, BN18 0EB
3 bedroom homes
Barratt New Builds in Surrey
Chertsey
ELDEBURY PLACE
Hanworth Lane, Chertsey, KT16 9LL
Barratt New Builds in Hampshire
Emsworth
SAXON CORNER
Emsworth, Hampshire, PO10 7LF
3 & 4 bedroom properties
Water softeners are VAT exempt for new-build property homeowners
You may not realise this, but if you are on the verge of moving into a brand- new Barratt home, you stand to make an immediate 20% saving on a new water softener.
Can’t be bad, can it!
What makes this possible? Well, so long as the property you are buying has yet to be signed off, should you decide to have a water softener fitted before that happens, then the price of the water softener will be VAT exempt, in other words, zero rated.
This is because water softeners are classed as white goods, which happen to be eligible for VAT exemption in new build homes.
Moving into a pristine new property is always a time of great anticipation. Why not add to the excitement by opting for a high quality, energy saving water softener from day one!
Claiming your 20% VAT exemption
By having a water softener installed in your brand-new home before your moving-in date, you can claim a VAT refund on the product. To ensure you are eligible, you need to apply to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) within 3 months of the installation taking place.
To make sure the water softener is zero-rated for VAT, the installation has to be carried out during the construction stage of the project or, certainly, in close succession to it. This is described as work done ‘in the course of construction’.
Please be advised that the water softener won’t be eligible for zero-rate VAT status after the building work is completed.
Don’t worry, if you aren’t sure how to claim back the 20% VAT. We’ve been through this many times with new customers and will be happy to assist you with all the paperwork.
What makes the water so hard in Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey?
Across much of south-east England – worst of all in coastal regions – living with hard water is a fact of life. It’s got nothing to do with the type of rain we get – rainwater is actually naturally soft. The reason why water is so hard in this neck of the woods is down to the soil.
The counties of East and West Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire sit on mainly chalky or limestone soil. These soil types are rich in calcium and magnesium minerals. Whenever rainfall reaches the underlay, these minerals get to work and change the water from soft to hard.
Whilst water hardness levels vary throughout the region, they are typically consistently above 250 parts per million (ppm) almost everywhere – sometimes even higher. On the water hardness scale, any measurement in excess of 200ppm is deemed to be hard and 300ppm is exceptionally hard. Tin hat in the shower time! With a water softener in your home, however, that reading will plummet to virtually zero.
Here’s why water softeners improve your lifestyle
For local homeowners who aren’t impressed with having hard water constantly coming out of the taps and showerheads, the sensible advice is to have a water softener installed. You’ll notice the benefits immediately! Skin and hair adore softened water! Soft water enables them to remain in their naturally shiny and vibrant condition. On the other hand, hard water simply washes the living daylights out of everything. You’ll notice it in laundry, too. Clothes, towels and bed linen all feel so much softer to the touch if soft water is flowing through the washing machine.
And as for household cleaning, water softeners will shoulder much of the hard work for you! That’s because hard water is the prime cause of limescale – which can be a nightmare around the home. Water softeners, however, prevent scale from ever building up. This stops any accumulation in household appliances, like dishwashers, kettles, irons and the aforementioned washing machine. Cleaning kitchens and bathrooms is also a much more straightforward exercise – less elbow grease and expense. This is because surfaces retain their shine for longer and require less detergents in the process.
A water softener will also help reduce your energy bills
Once you take possession of the keys to your brand-new home – complete with a high-quality water softener – you’ll be saving money straightaway. Why? Because the water softener is there to safeguard your new central heating system from limescale accumulating in the pipework. Within just a few months without a water softener, hard water causing scale will clog up and seriously downgrade the boiler, dramatically shortening its lifespan. And boilers are certainly not cheap to repair or replace!
By removing hard water from the system, your central heating system and household appliances will work much more efficiently for far longer. Softened water equates to big savings on fuel bills. Since your central heating system won’t be fighting against limescale, it won’t have to work so hard to provide the necessary levels of heat and hot water for your home. And that means your hard-earned money will stretch a lot further.
And it will all be down to the wise decision you made to have a water softener installed in your new Barratt home!
For further information or to book your installation time, call SJ Water Softeners today on 01243 607494 or email or scott@sjbs.info