Get Fixes in 30 Days: UK First New Build Snagging Checklist and Form
A snagging list is a written record of every defect or unfinished detail in a new-build home, from a scuffed skirting board to a door that will not close properly. The most important step is timing: request a pre-completion inspection if your developer offers one, and if that is not possible, walk every room within your first days of moving in and report what you find straight away, since the New Homes Quality Code expects most snags to be resolved within 30 days.
TL;DR:
Most snags in new homes are cosmetic and can number between 50 and 150, but serious issues like structural cracks or water ingress require urgent attention.
A pre-completion inspection scheduled 2 to 5 days before legal completion offers the strongest leverage for timely fixes, but the first week after moving in is critical if no inspection is available.
Hiring a professional snagging inspector typically costs between £300 and £600 and ensures detailed reporting, including photographs, severity grading, and remedial suggestions.
A clear, detailed snag report with photographs, location, description, and dates helps developers prioritize repairs and adhere to the 30-day resolution guideline.
Reporting faults promptly and keeping records is essential, and escalation to the Ombudsman or warranty providers is necessary if developers ignore or delay fixes beyond the expected timeframe.
Table of Contents
A room-by-room checklist you can copy into your own template
Working through your new home systematically catches far more than a casual glance ever will. Start outside, move through communal spaces, then finish room by room, testing everything that moves, switches on or drains.
Outside the property, look at:
The roofline, guttering and any visible flashing for gaps or loose tiles.
External walls, render and pointing for cracks, staining or uneven finish.
Paths, patios and driveways for pooling water or uneven slabs.
Fences, gates and boundary treatments for damage or missing fixings.
External doors and windows for draughts, sticking frames or scratched glass.
Inside, work through hallways, living spaces, stairs and bedrooms checking:
Doors that stick, drop or fail to latch, and skirting boards with gaps or splits.
Windows that will not open, close or lock cleanly, and any scratched panes.
Flooring for lifting boards, uneven tiles or carpet seams.
Paintwork, plasterwork and joinery for uneven finish, nail pops or filler lines.
Staircases for wobbly balustrades or handrails that flex under pressure.
Services deserve the same attention, since a fault here is rarely just cosmetic:
Run every tap and flush every toilet to check pressure, drainage and sealing.
Turn on the heating and bleed each radiator to check for trapped air or cold spots.
Test every socket, switch and light fitting, ideally with an RCD tester.
Check extractor fans and trickle vents in bathrooms and kitchens are working.
Once you have your list, separate items into cosmetic and functional. A scuffed wall is not the same priority as a socket that will not switch off, and grading each item this way helps a developer’s team assign the right trade to the right job. Photograph every defect from a distance to show its position in the room, then again close up to show the fault itself, and note the date. That combination of wide and close shots is what turns a vague complaint into evidence a developer can act on quickly.
When to inspect: before completion or straight after moving in
Under the New Homes Quality Code, developers must give buyers a pre-completion inspection and keep them informed of changes to the property. This is your strongest moment of leverage: the developer wants the sale to complete, so unresolved snags at this stage tend to get attention fast.
Book the inspection for 2 to 5 working days before legal completion, timing recommended because it gives the developer enough notice to fix issues while the sale is still pending, according to early analysis of the code.
Allow 2 to 6 hours to walk the property properly, testing services as well as checking finishes, rather than a quick visual pass.
Bring a second person where possible: a partner, family member or professional inspector notices things a single pair of eyes will miss.
If a pre-completion inspection is not offered or not possible, treat your first week after moving in as the priority window and log everything you find immediately.
Pro Tip: Take photographs on your phone as you go rather than writing notes first. It is far quicker to caption a photo later than to remember which crack was in which bedroom.
Should you hire a professional snagging inspector?
A professional snagging survey typically costs in the region of a few hundred pounds, according to HomeOwners Alliance, with the exact figure depending on the size and complexity of the property. That is a modest outlay against a purchase running into hundreds of thousands of pounds, and it buys you a trained eye that knows where developers tend to cut corners.
Professional snagging surveys typically cost £300 to £600 depending on property size, HomeOwners Alliance reports, which makes the service accessible for most new-build buyers rather than a luxury reserved for larger homes.
A good report should include:
Photographs of every defect, clearly labelled by room and location.
Severity grading, so cosmetic issues are separated from functional or safety concerns.
Suggested remedial actions the developer’s team can act on without further clarification.
A summary page the buyer can forward directly to the developer or site manager.
Before booking an inspector, ask for a sample report, check whether they have chartered or building surveyor experience, and look for client references you can verify. A thorough inspector will also physically test services rather than rely on a visual walk-through, since running water, cycling radiators and testing sockets with an RCD tester catches faults a visual check alone would miss.
How to report snags and what your developer must do
A clear snag report gives the developer everything they need to act without a follow-up phone call. For each item, note:
A photograph showing both the wider location and the close-up defect.
The exact location, for example “second bedroom, window frame, left side”.
A short description of the fault and, where useful, a suggested fix.
The date you raised it, so you can track how long it has been outstanding.
Once you submit your list, the New Homes Quality Code expects developers to acknowledge it and work towards resolving snags within 30 days wherever possible, with monthly updates if a fix is delayed beyond that. Grading each item by severity, cosmetic, needing repair, or safety related, helps the developer’s team prioritise correctly and stops a minor cosmetic snag from queuing ahead of something that actually matters.
Warranty protection runs on two separate timelines. In the first two years, the developer is generally responsible for defects reported through the snagging and after-sales process. Beyond that, most new builds carry a 10-year structural warranty covering major issues such as foundations or load-bearing elements, which is the route to use once the developer’s initial responsibility period has passed.
Common snagging issues and which ones need urgent attention
Most snags found in new-build homes are cosmetic rather than dangerous. Typical new-build snagging surveys can take 2 to 6 hours and frequently uncover a substantial number of items, often reported in the range of 50 to 150 or more depending on the size of the property, according to Checkatrade.
Surveys commonly find 50 to 150 or more snags in a typical new-build home, Checkatrade notes, a range that reflects how much fine detail gets missed during a fast handover process rather than a sign of poor build quality alone.
Common cosmetic snags include:
Scuffed or unevenly painted walls and ceilings.
Scratched window glass or door panels.
Gaps around skirting boards, architraves or kitchen units.
Uneven grouting or tiling in bathrooms and kitchens.
Service and installation issues need a firmer test than a glance:
Heating systems with cold spots, suggesting trapped air in radiators.
Appliances that fail to power on or seal properly.
Plumbing with weak pressure, slow drainage or leaking joints.
Sockets or switches that do not respond, best confirmed with an RCD tester.
A smaller number of snags point to something more serious. Shrinkage cracks narrower than a £1 coin are usually considered normal settlement and not treated as snags, but NHQB guidance recommends reporting any crack wider than that for investigation. Signs of water ingress, doors or windows that will not close due to frame distortion, or any exposed wiring should be flagged immediately rather than added to a routine list, since these can indicate structural movement or safety hazards that need faster attention than the standard 30-day target.
Using a snagging template: the fields that matter
A simple spreadsheet works better than a running list of notes, because it keeps every snag traceable from the moment you raise it to the moment it is signed off.
Room and item: name the space and the specific fixture or surface affected.
Description: state the fault plainly, for example “kitchen tap drips continuously when closed” rather than “tap issue”.
Photo link: attach or link the labelled photograph for that entry.
Date raised and severity: log when you found it and whether it is cosmetic, functional or urgent.
Assigned to and target completion: leave space for the developer to confirm who is handling it and by when.
Keep one master version and share updates with your solicitor, the developer’s site team and, if you used one, your inspector, so nobody is working from an outdated copy.
What to do if the developer will not fix your snags
If items are ignored past their agreed timescale, use the developer’s formal complaints process and keep a written record of every date and response. Under the New Homes Quality Code, complaints should be acknowledged within 5 working days, with next steps set out within 10 working days.
Log every communication with dates, names and reference numbers.
Escalate to the New Homes Ombudsman or the relevant warranty provider if the developer’s own process stalls.
Contact your conveyancer if the issue affects the legal completion or the warranty terms.
Keep your original snagging report and photos, since the Ombudsman or warranty provider will ask for this evidence.
How we think about quality control and remedial work
Disputes over defects usually come down to a lack of clarity between what was quoted, what was built and what the homeowner expected. Detailed quotes and live project transparency close that gap before it opens, which is the same principle we apply on our own residential jobs. When remedial work does come up, whether after a snagging list or a wider renovation, clear documentation from the outset speeds up the fix rather than the argument.
— Florin
Remedial and follow-on building work from EvoStruct
If your snagging list turns up something beyond a quick developer fix, a structural alteration, a loft conversion, or a larger renovation, you can obtain detailed quotes quickly and may have options to view live projects through virtual tours before you commit.
Loft conversions, extensions and garden rooms covering a range of residential rectification and improvement work.
Home extension services for homeowners whose remedial needs grow into a larger project.
A rapid, transparent quote process backed by real-time virtual tours of current sites.
Get in touch through Evostruct for a fast quote or to arrange a virtual tour-based assessment.
This article is general information, not a substitute for advice from a qualified lawyer. Consult a qualified legal professional about your own circumstances before acting on anything here.
Sources
FAQ
Should I get a snagging survey on a new build?
Yes, a professional survey is worth considering, since inspectors test services as well as finishes and typically cost in the region of £300 to £600 depending on property size. It is a modest cost against the value of catching faults before your warranty windows narrow.
On average, how many snags are found in a new build?
The number varies widely by property size and finish quality, but surveys commonly uncover 50 to 150 or more items in a typical new-build home. Most of these are cosmetic rather than structural.
How long do you have to report snags on a new build?
There is no fixed deadline for reporting a snag, but reporting promptly after moving in gives you the best chance of a quick fix. Once reported, the New Homes Quality Code expects developers to work towards resolving issues within 30 days wherever possible.
Which snagging company is best for new builds?
There is no single best provider for every buyer, since the right choice depends on your property type and location. Look for a chartered or building surveyor with sample reports and verifiable client references before booking.
What counts as a snag versus normal wear on a new home?
A snag is a fault or unfinished detail the developer should fix, such as a sticking door or a dripping tap. Hairline shrinkage cracks narrower than a £1 coin are usually considered normal settlement, but NHQB guidance recommends reporting any crack wider than that for investigation.
Recommended
Comments