 When buying a new-build property it is very common for the sales staff to put you off using a professional snagging company and explain that there is no need because the site and warranty inspector will have been inspected it and signed it off.
Unfortunately the biggest mistake that new-build purchasers make is they trust this and find out issues the hard way. The above photograph was taken by our snagging inspector Frazer today and it goes to show how serious issues can be missed by all those that go around before us. One of the worst houses we have inspected externally was actually very good inside and the customer walked around and almost cancelled the inspection with us! So if you are considering a snagging inspection, don't just base your decision on the quality internally when walking around as there will be many things only our inspectors will be able to identify using specialist equipment.
0 Comments
Let's take a few examples from Gareth's inspections this month: the pictures here show issues all falling out of building regulations, including breaches of fire safety regulations, joinery and heating. These are issues that you just wouldn't know to look for as a homeowner (or in most instances as a Site Manager) as you rely on trades doing their job properly.
As part of the snagging inspection, our snaggers will check the soil for topsoil consistency. The NHBC say that it should have 100mm topsoil which should not contain contaminants. Needless to say, we rarely find this and whenever we see turf failing to knit (a sign in this weather being it is yellowing) we like to see why... On an inspection this week our professional snagger identified a moisture patch on a ceiling in the dining room. We were concerned about the high moisture and so the Site Manager visited in concern the ceiling was in jeopardy. He was somewhat unhelpful and said the issue was sorted and we were trying to scare the customer. After a frank discussion, it was agreed to bore a hole in the ceiling...
There was a huge amount of collected water above the ceiling and it continued to drain like this for several hours; the below video shows it still draining after an access hole was cut through to investigate it's origin. It is a good example where the site managers do not often have the experience to identify underlying serious issues like this, which frankly was dangerous. This weekend we attended a property built by one of the largest (volume build) construction company's in the UK. One benefit of buying a property through a large company like this is that there should be no design flaws since it has been drawn up by a Technical team and had a proven track record through many hundred/thousand of houses built in the same way. This is not always the case however as demonstrated in this house we inspected. It is a good example how our snagging surveyors have a critical eye for detail and we draw upon our years of experience to know when something isn't right. On arrival we knew this house design should have been reversed (or "handed" as it is known as): The position of Master Bedroom window left little room for a bed and offered a 3ft view out onto the neighbours rendered wall. With such issues which is a clear design flaw, it is important to rectify because it may affect the future sale of the property. 
We have attended a couple of houses this week which have breached fire safety. These have both been built by small scale developers that have charged a premium for the privilege of having a 'bespoke' home. It is a good example to demonstrate that sometimes a snagging inspection can raise serious safety concerns which have been missed by not only the developer but also their nominated building inspector that signed the house off. |
A Snaggers BlogHomeSnag inspectors are experts at inspecting new-build houses. This blog shares real examples to demonstrate the importance of getting your new build house or apartment snagged professionally Archives
November 2020
"I always insist that there is specific provision for snagging," says Thomas Moran, partner at law firm Speechly Bircham. "Reputable developers do this anyway, but there are all sorts in the market, some big, some small, so you need a contractual promise than within, say, a year they will come back to remedy any minor defects in the finishing." read full article here
|
|
|
Dalton House, 60 Windsor Avenue, London, SW19 2RR
Hill Quays, 14 Commercial Street, Manchester, M15 4PZ
|