What is snagging?
A snag is a minor fault in a new home that falls short of the expected quality or finish. It is usually something damaged, broken, badly fitted or unfinished. Snags can be found at the pre-completion inspection or after you move in.
The New Homes Quality Board separates snags from defects. A snag is cosmetic, like a scratch on paintwork. A defect affects how something works, such as the plumbing, electrics or heating, and can take longer to fix. Both go on your list and both are the builder's to fix in the first two years.
When should you snag a new build?
Twice, if you can. First at the pre-completion inspection, before you complete, while the builder still has the keys. The pre-completion inspection page covers that day.
Then again in your first weeks. Some problems only show once you have lived in each room for a while. Do the scratches and chips first. NHBC won't cover cosmetic damage reported more than seven days after completion.
A trick we used we photographed each room from the doorway on the first day, before any furniture came in. It settled any question about whether a mark was there before we moved in.
What do I need to snag a house?
Not much. A phone for photos, a plug-in socket tester and a £1 coin will do most of it. Snaggit, which makes a snagging app, puts a socket tester at around £10 from a hardware shop and adds a torch, a small spirit level and a tape measure.
Use the tools to measure something you can already see, not to hunt for problems. The official checklist allows a spirit level or tape for that, but judges walls and paint by eye from 2m.
What is the NHBC snagging checklist?
NHBC publishes a two-page "New home checklist". It suggests checking every part of the home before and just after you move in, because NHBC's own inspectors focus on the most important parts of the build. It doesn't form part of the NHBC Standards or the Buildmark policy.
The checklist builders on the New Homes Quality Code have to use is the NHQB's pre-completion inspection checklist. It is longer and sets how to look: walls from 2m, cupboards from half a metre, brickwork from 10m. LABC Warranty publishes a sample checklist too. The checklist on this page follows the NHQB's, in a shorter form for a phone.
How long do you have to report snags?
Up to two years from completion for most snags, but scratches and chips need reporting within days. NHBC's warranty excludes cosmetic damage reported more than seven days after completion. The NHQB says the time allowed for scratches varies by builder but is usually only a few days.
For everything else, under NHBC's Buildmark the builder must put right anything you report in the first two years that doesn't meet NHBC's requirements. Under the Quality Code, it should settle most within 30 days. The two-year warranty page covers how to report, and how long snagging takes covers what to expect.
How much does a snagging survey cost?
Typically a few hundred pounds. The HomeOwners Alliance says a snagging survey starts at £320. Petty Son & Prestwich, an East London estate agent, puts a typical survey at around £500, varying by firm and region.
You don't have to use a professional. This checklist and the room pages are written so you can do it yourself. A professional knows the tolerances by heart and may find more, so it is a judgement call.
What do I do with the list?
Send it to the builder's after-sales team, in writing. A builder on the Quality Code must tell you how to report problems and who to contact. Report each snag in writing, with a photo where you can, and keep a record of everything you send. The two-year warranty page lists what to put in each report.
Where to find the detail
Each part of the checklist has its own page, with the reasons behind each check and the official measurements:
- Every room: walls, paint, doors, windows, sockets, radiators, floors.
- Garden and drive and roof, walls and gutters.
- Kitchen and bathrooms.
- Hall and stairs and loft and garage.
- Windows and doors, heating and hot water and electrics.