new building

[butter1]

I'm moving into my first home next weekend and the apartment is new and the builders finished it in March.  The thing is, I want to start decorating when I get in there but I have been told that I should wait at least 6 months before painting on new places as the walls may crack etc?  Is this true?

[Uriah Heep]

Yes.  It is normall for some settlement/shrinkage to occur after a building is completed.  Depending on the method of construction it is advisable not to paper for at least a year.  There is no reason why you cannot emulsion the walls to get away from the - more than likely - magnolia.  All this is quite normal and unless large cracks appear do not worry.  Also you can help the situation by slowly raising the temperature.

[Miss Zippy]

When I bought a new build I was told not to decorate for a year, to allow everything to dry out and settle.  As Uriah Heep says, keep the temperature as warm as you can bear in the first couple of months.  Don't forget to get a 'snagging' inspection arranged within 6 months or so of moving in so the developer can then put right any minor problems that have shown up/developed. 

[Paul Wayman]

I have to agree people. Don't paper, paint only for a year or so. Water and emulsion combined for a base coat. Follow it with whatever you like. You will get shrinkage, cracking etc, but a little bit of polyfiller will do that for you.

[Paul Wayman]

Sorry, also if going  directly to newly plastered walls, PVA mixed with water will seal them before the water/emulsion mix.