New-Build Snagging Surveys

The UK's market-leading snagging company, experts at inspecting new-build properties


HomeSnag are the market leading, independent new-build snagging company offering professional snagging inspections throughout England and Wales. We are experts at snagging new-build properties and use specialist equipment to identify snagging issues both major and minor, presenting them in an efficient photographic snag list for your developer to action quickly. 
We offer a Heat-loss survey either as a supplement to your snagging inspection or on its own. Our inspectors hold RICS accredited qualifications and we exclusively survey new build properties (both apartments and houses).
We are the only 5 star rated snagging company, independently verified.

External Snagging Inspection

As part of our snagging inspection we carry out a thorough check externally on brickwork, groundwork, fenestration, correct damp proofing, soil test, roof inspections and more.

Internal Snagging Inspection

Most of our time snagging will be spent inside as we check for damage and poor workmanship ranging from plumbing and heating issues, levels of floor and ceilings, poor paintwork and missing loft insulation.

Thermographic & Borescope

When booking you will be prompted whether to include a thermal camera test & borescope inspection for just +£45.
Or you can have us around to do a heat-loss survey on its own (click here)

Why have a professional Snagging inspection?

A snagging inspection differs to a structural survey in the detail and array of checks carried out. Not every snagging company does the same thing however. There are 'snaggers' that you can employ that will walk around with a pen and paper making notes of only minor things. Then there is our company which employs qualified surveyors, armed with specialist equipment such as thermal cameras, levels, borescope cameras, moisture meters (etc), making us able to identify major as well as minor issues that are often out of sight.
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A typical snagging survey with us lasts 5 hours and we will check for major and minor issues that have been missed. This can range from shortfalls in fire risk to leaks. Our inspectors raise issues with the aim of making your new-build property as near to perfect as possible and and our inspectors are very knowledgeable in building regulations and tolerances set by the NHBC. In fact, when applicable we provide the relevant clauses within the report.
Our inspectors are qualified with RICS accredited qualifications and we use equipment ranging from laser levels to cameras able to inspect your roof. Therefore, whilst a property may appear fine at face value to an untrained eye, that does not mean the fundamentals are correct. Please visit our blog for some examples...
All our photos internally and externally are time-stamped to ensure there is proof of when the snag was recorded.
This is important because often a developer will deny responsibility for issues you only notice until it is too late. 
The most important reason why you should employ a snagging survey is that buying a new build house is likely going to be the most expensive and important purchases in your lifetime. It is therefore a small price to pay for the reassurance a thorough inspection has been carried out to avoid issues further down the line. 
"Snagging - the very name is enough to put you off. No one likes having to deal with problems or hitches. But for anyone who buys a newly built or converted property, the S-word can be crucial. ​Do it right and you could save yourself thousands of pounds. Do it wrong and you could end up with a problem property"
As part of your snagging inspection we will inspect:
  • Aerial photographs of roof and gutters (on houses)
  • Loft inspection
  • Brickwork and Pointing snagging
  • Issues with your external doors
  • Driveways, paths and inspection chambers 
  • Soil - topsoil and subsoil quality
  • Fencing 
  • Plumbing:  internal leaks / efficiency of heating
  • Flooring levels and blemishes 
  • Ceiling / Walls and Skirting board snagging
  • Corners and ducts are square, ceilings are level and walls are plumb
  • Internal windows: draughts, scratches and damage
  • Internal doors: twisting frames, rattling and un-level doors
  • Levels of sockets, switches and radiators [note we do not inspect according to drawings]
  • Staircase joinery snagging
  • Kitchen: inspect cupboard doors, sizing up the space for appliances, extraction test etc
  • Bathrooms: tiles and fittings
  • Paintwork and Plasterwork snagging
  • Thermal imaging of radiators
For an additional £45 on the snagging inspection we can also check your insulation. This involves drilling into the mortar of brickwork in a few places (which we will make good afterwards) to check the cavity using a borescope camera. 
Should you want us to carry this out it will be prompted as an optional choice when booking online or over the phone.
all independently collected and verified

New-Build Property heat-loss surveys

HomeSnag inspectors specialise in heat loss in new build houses, and we have inspected several hundred houses with serious issues of missing cavity wall or loft insulation, draughts or under-performing heating systems.
For customers that have already moved in and are experiencing heat loss in a new build house we can investigate using a thermal camera and borescope. There are typically 4 reasons why heat loss occurs, all of which are checked on our visit.
  • Thermal bridging and draughts
  • Lack of cavity wall insulation
  • Under-performing heating system
  • Leaks or damp ingress effecting insulation / heating system