New Build Snagging Survey: What to Check Before You Move In

New build homes come with a two-year builder's warranty and a 10-year structural warranty (NHBC or similar), but that doesn't mean they arrive defect-free. Snagging surveys on brand-new properties routinely turn up 100-150 issues on a typical three-bed house — most minor, some worth holding the developer to before you complete.

What a Snagging Survey Actually Checks

Finishing quality — paintwork, plastering, tiling, flooring joins, skirting board mitres, and general cosmetic finish, which is where the bulk of findings usually sit.

Doors and windows — squareness, smooth operation, correct locking, draught-proofing, and glazing seals — the same fundamentals covered in our guide to external door and threshold issues, which applies just as much to new doors as old ones.

Plumbing and heating — taps, waste connections, radiator function, and checking the boiler and hot water system actually perform as specified.

Electrics — socket and switch function, consumer unit labelling, and outdoor lighting/power points where included.

Structural and external — roof tiling, guttering, brickwork pointing, render finish, and drainage falls around the property.

When to Book It

The ideal window is after your developer confirms the property is ready but before legal completion — this gives you leverage to have snags fixed pre-completion rather than chasing a developer afterwards, when their priority shifts to the next plot. If completion has already happened, you still have recourse through the two-year warranty, but the process is slower and less within your control.

Reasonable vs. Unreasonable to Push Back On

Reasonable to insist on fixing before completion: functional issues (doors that don't close properly, non-working sockets, poor drainage falls, incomplete insulation), and anything affecting safety or weatherproofing.

Reasonable but lower priority: minor cosmetic paint touch-ups, small tile grout inconsistencies — legitimate snags, but rarely worth delaying completion over if the developer commits to a post-completion fix date.

Worth escalating if ignored: anything structural, damp-related, or affecting the property's warranty compliance — these are the ones worth being firm about, and where a professional snagging report carries real weight with a developer.

Realistic Costs

Item	Typical cost	Notes
Professional snagging survey (3-bed house)	£300 – £600	Detailed photographic report, usually same-day or next-day
DIY snagging (your own checklist)	Free	Workable but developers take third-party reports more seriously
Follow-up re-inspection	£100 – £200	Confirms fixes were actually completed properly

What to Do With the Report

Send it to the developer's site manager in writing, request a schedule for fixes, and keep a copy alongside your NHBC (or equivalent) warranty documents. If issues aren't addressed within a reasonable timeframe, the NHBC Resolution Service (or your specific warranty provider's equivalent) can mediate — worth knowing exists even if you never need it.

How Chat to Your Builder Helps

For £59, we'll talk through your snagging list, help you judge what's genuinely worth pushing back on versus what's routine finishing work, and give you realistic costs if you end up fixing anything yourself later.

We've helped new build buyers across Milton Keynes, Swindon, Northampton, Basildon and Slough. See our related guide on checking a builder's quote.

Book your consultation today and go into completion day with a clear head.