New Build Snagging Surveys
An independent pre-completion inspection of your new-build home, carried out under the New Homes Quality Code. It is a detailed assessment of visible defects, poor workmanship, incomplete items and anything needing further attention from the developer before you complete.
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Survey: New Build Snagging Survey
What type of property is it?
🔒 No obligationRICS regulated
- RICS Regulated Firm since 2020
- 4.9 on Google and Trustist
- We aim to respond the same day
What is a new build snagging survey?
An independent inspection of a completed new-build home, designed to find the deficiencies in workmanship and finishing that are easy to miss on a developer walk-round, and to put them in writing before you are committed.
- Carried out against the NHQB Pre-Completion Inspection Checklist and the New Homes Quality Code
- Designed to assess the finish, fit-out and workmanship of a newly completed home, not to replace a structural survey, Building Survey or specialist investigation where one is required
- Items for attention clearly recorded and cross-referenced to the relevant trade, helping the developer allocate and manage the remedial works
- Quoted individually, and booked around your completion date
What a snagging survey covers
- Roof coverings, flashings and rainwater goods
- External finishes, brickwork, render and pointing
- Windows, external doors and glazing
- Internal walls, ceilings, floors and joinery
- Kitchens, bathrooms and fitted units
- Loft spaces and insulation
- Heating, plumbing, electrical and ventilation services
- Drainage, external areas and outbuildings
- Common parts and communal areas where specifically agreed
- Fitted appliances included with the property
Heating, plumbing, electrical and ventilation services are checked in normal everyday operation where possible and accessible. These are functional checks only and do not constitute specialist testing, safety certification or an assessment of statutory compliance. Fitted appliances included with the property are operated in their normal everyday modes where installed, connected and accessible.
When a snagging survey is worth booking
- Buying a newly built house or apartment from a developer
- The Notice to Complete has been issued and completion is approaching
- You want a clear record of matters requiring attention while the developer remains responsible and your warranty protections are in place
- The property is finished but the quality of workmanship is hard to judge on a walk-round
- You have already completed and want the outstanding items documented properly
New Build Snagging Survey explained
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Your pre-completion inspection rights
- Under the New Homes Quality Code, buyers of applicable new homes must be given the opportunity to arrange a pre-completion inspection before legal completion
- You can appoint a suitably qualified independent surveyor to carry out the inspection on your behalf using the prescribed Pre-Completion Inspection Checklist
- Where pre-completion access is refused or impossible, the survey is best done as soon as you have moved in
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02
What the inspection is for
- The pre-completion inspection is not intended to delay or prevent legal completion. Its purpose is to identify and record items requiring attention so that these can be raised with the developer
- Identifying snagging items at this stage gives you a clear record of matters requiring attention while the developer remains responsible for addressing applicable defects and the protections provided by your new-home warranty are in place
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Flats and apartments
- For flats and apartments, the inspection focuses on the interior of the property
- Common parts and communal areas are not included unless specifically agreed as part of the instruction
- The demised property is inspected to the same standard as a house, covering finish, fit-out and workmanship throughout
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What we commonly find
- Poor workmanship and finishing defects
- Damaged, missing or incomplete fittings
- Shrinkage cracking and settlement to plasterwork
- Kitchens and bathrooms installed out of level or out of line
- Misaligned doors, windows and joinery
- Defective or scratched glazing
- Roofing, guttering and drainage faults
- Quality-control items missed by the developer’s own checks
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The report you receive
- Items for attention described plainly, with photographs
- Items grouped by trade so the developer’s teams can work through them
- Practical observations on workmanship and finish quality
- Specialist investigation flagged where something needs a closer look
- A document you can send to the developer as it stands
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What a snagging survey is not
- A New Build Snagging Survey is specifically designed to assess the finish, fit-out and workmanship of a newly completed home
- It is not a structural survey or Building Survey, and does not replace specialist investigations where these are required
- Services are checked in normal everyday operation only, with no specialist testing, safety certification or assessment of statutory compliance
New Build Snagging Survey: your questions answered
When should the snagging survey be carried out?
Ideally after the developer has issued the Notice to Complete and before legal completion, so defects are recorded while your position is strongest. If the developer will not allow pre-completion access, book the inspection as soon as you have the keys. The report is still the record you need while the developer remains responsible for addressing applicable defects and your new-home warranty protections are in place.
Will a snagging survey delay my completion?
The pre-completion inspection is not intended to delay or prevent legal completion. Its purpose is to identify and record items requiring attention so that these can be raised with the developer. Under the New Homes Quality Code, buyers of applicable new homes must be given the opportunity to arrange a pre-completion inspection before legal completion, and the visit itself usually takes a few hours.
Is a snagging survey the same as a RICS Home Survey Level 2?
No. A snagging survey looks at the quality of finish and workmanship on a newly built home and lists what the developer should put right. A RICS Home Survey Level 2 or Level 3 assesses the condition of an existing property, its defects and its maintenance needs. If you are buying a new build, the snagging survey is typically the relevant inspection.
Does it check that the house complies with Building Regulations?
No. A New Build Snagging Survey is specifically designed to assess the finish, fit-out and workmanship of a newly completed home. It is not a structural survey or Building Survey and does not replace specialist investigations where these are required. Heating, plumbing, electrical and ventilation services are checked in normal everyday operation where possible and accessible. These are functional checks only and do not constitute specialist testing, safety certification or an assessment of statutory compliance.
What happens after I send the report to the developer?
The developer works through the items and confirms what has been done. Items for Attention are clearly recorded and cross-referenced to the relevant trade, helping the developer allocate and manage the necessary remedial works, so the report can be sent on as it stands. If you need a re-inspection once the work is complete, we can arrange that too.
Do you cover flats and apartments?
We inspect apartments as well as houses. For flats and apartments, the inspection focuses on the interior of the property; common parts and communal areas are not included unless appropriate and specifically agreed as part of the instruction.
What clients say
From clients across our surveying and building consultancy work.
4.9 from Google and Trustist reviews
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My experience with Huxley Surveyors more than met expectations. Mathew did our Level 3 pre-purchase survey of a flat in a Grade II listed property in Hove. His very extensive report was well presented, and upon receipt Mat proactively suggested a follow up phone call to clarify any points in the report and to answer any questions. All in all, a good experience. I can highly recommend Huxley Surveyors.
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The survey itself was exceptionally detailed and comprehensive, leaving no stone unturned. The report was clear, well-structured, and easy to understand, highlighting both major concerns and smaller issues that could have easily been overlooked.
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Fabulous service from Chris. We have used Huxley surveyors twice and would recommend without doubt. The service was professional, informed and really efficient. Following a survey, Chris offered follow- up calls to help with anything that wasn’t clear. A fantastic service.
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