New-build snagging inspection

Who it's for

A snagging inspection is for anyone buying a newly built house or flat, or who has moved into one in the last two years. It is common for a new home to have some defects and unfinished items, and some have more significant problems. An independent inspection gives you a clear, dated record to put to the developer.

When to book

Before completion. If the developer allows it, an inspection before completion puts defects on record before you move in. Developers registered under the New Homes Quality Code must give you the chance of a pre-completion inspection, carried out by you or by a suitably qualified inspector. It takes place after the developer has served notice to complete and before the completion date. The notice period can be short, so contact us as soon as you have a likely date.

The Code sets conditions for who can act as an inspector, including membership of a recognised professional body. Andrew Parker is an Associate member of RICS and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Building.

After you move in. If an inspection before completion is not possible, book soon after you move in, and in any case within the first two years. Most new homes come with a warranty, often for 10 years. Under most warranties, the first two years are the period in which the builder must put right defects that do not meet the warranty provider's standards. After that, cover is usually narrower and mainly concerns structural problems. Check the terms of your own policy.

Registered developers must also provide an after-sales service for at least two years after completion. Complaints that arise in that period and are not resolved can be taken to the New Homes Ombudsman Service. The New Homes Quality Board's guidance for buyers explains how this works.

What we check

We inspect the home inside and out, looking for defects, damage, poor workmanship and unfinished work. We judge each item against the standard of finish and workmanship you can reasonably expect in a new home. Depending on the property, the inspection covers:

• Outside: brickwork, pointing, render and cladding; roof coverings and chimneys seen from the ground; gutters, downpipes, fascias and soffits; windows and external doors; air bricks and weep holes; paths, drives, patios, steps, fences and gates; visible drainage covers
• Inside: plaster and paint finishes; doors, frames, skirtings and trims; floors and floor finishes; stairs, handrails and balustrades; kitchen units and worktops; bathroom and en-suite fittings, tiling and sealant; windows, including how they open, close and lock
• The roof space: insulation, ventilation and the visible roof structure, where there is safe access
• Services: a visual check of the heating, electrical and plumbing installations, with taps, wastes and sanitary fittings seen in normal use

What you get

Before completion, with a developer registered under the New Homes Quality Code, we record our findings on the Code's standard Pre-Completion Inspection Checklist, as the Code requires, and add our photographs. After completion, you get our own written snag list, organised room by room and then outside, with a photograph, a short description and the location of each item. Either way, it is set out so the developer's team can work through it item by item.

The report is typically issued within 5 working days of the inspection. If completion is close, the paid express option gets it to you within 2 working days. Once it is issued, we offer you a call to talk it through.

Using the list with the developer

1. Send the list to the developer's customer care team. Before completion, copy it to your sales contact and your conveyancer.
2. Ask the developer to confirm in writing which items they accept and when they will be put right.
3. Keep a record of what you send and receive, of appointments, and of each item once it is fixed, with photographs.
4. If an item is disputed or not dealt with, use the developer's complaints procedure. If the developer is registered under the New Homes Quality Code, a complaint that is not resolved may be taken to the New Homes Ombudsman Service. Your warranty provider may also be able to help.

If an inspection before completion finds something serious, talk to your conveyancer about your options before you complete.

What it does not cover

A snagging inspection is a visual check of what can be seen on the day. It does not include:

• a Level 2 or Level 3 survey under the RICS Home Survey Standard, or a valuation
• testing the services or appliances, or the electrical, gas and heating installations
• work that is hidden, such as foundations, drains below ground, and insulation or fire-stopping inside walls and floors
• lifting floor coverings or moving furniture and stored items
• going onto roofs. You can add drone images of the roof where flight is permitted
• confirming that the home complies with building regulations, planning conditions or the warranty provider's standards

How it works

1. 1

   Get your price

   Choose the survey and enter the property value and postcode. The price includes VAT and any travel supplement.

2. 2

   Book and sign

   Confirm your booking and sign our terms online. You can cancel within 14 days.

3. 3

   Inspection

   Andrew inspects the property. For a Level 3 we check the airspace and the weather and fly the drone where permitted.

4. 4

   Your report

   We invoice you after the inspection, and issue the report once it is paid: typically within 5 working days of the inspection, or 2 with the express option.

5. 5

   Talk it through

   We offer you a call with the surveyor to go through the findings and your next steps.

Prices

Snagging inspection prices are fixed by the value of the property and include VAT. Drone roof images, where flight is permitted, and the express report are optional extras. A travel supplement applies beyond about 25 miles of Hemel Hempstead, and the price calculator adds it for you.