New build snagging survey
A snagging survey is an independent inspection of a newly built or newly converted home, checking the finish and workmanship against the standard it should have been built to, so defects can be put to the developer before or shortly after you move in.
This guide covers the rules in England. See Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
0 snagging surveyors listed across the UK
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What gets checked
- Finish and workmanship throughout: plastering, paintwork, flooring, doors, windows and fittings
- That fixtures, appliances and services are installed and working correctly
- External areas, including render, pointing, guttering, drives and drainage
- Anything that looks like it falls short of the developer’s or NHBC-style warranty standard
Why timing matters
Snagging before legal completion gives you the most leverage, since the developer still wants the sale to go through. Most new builds also come with a 2-year developer warranty and a longer structural warranty (commonly NHBC, Premier Guarantee or similar), so a follow-up snag list is worth doing again near the end of year one.
In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
This guide describes the rules in England. Building regulations are devolved, so here is how new build snagging survey works in the rest of the UK.
The same approach and warranty providers (NHBC, Premier Guarantee and others) operate across Wales.
The same approach applies in Scotland; new build warranties are often provided by NHBC or similar schemes operating UK-wide.
The same approach applies in Northern Ireland, with NHBC and other UK-wide warranty providers active in the market.
Common questions
Isn’t this the developer’s job to check?
The developer and building control both sign off the build, but an independent snagging surveyor works for you, not the developer, and often finds things a standard sign-off misses.
How many snags is normal?
It varies a lot by developer and site, from a handful to well over a hundred on a new home; a snagging list itself isn’t unusual, it’s how the developer responds that matters.
What if the developer won’t fix something?
Most new builds have a structural warranty provider (such as NHBC or Premier Guarantee) with a dispute resolution process if the developer won’t act.
When’s the best time to book?
Ideally in the days before legal completion. If that’s not possible, book as soon as you can after moving in, and consider a second check near the end of the first year.
New to the jargon? See our glossary of terms, from air permeability to TrustMark.