Hello and welcome to this week’s episode of let’s get snagging if you are in the process of buying or have bought a new build property then this podcast is for you
My Name is Ian Lively of Lively Professional services Ltd
In this week’s episode we are going to be talking about
How to do your own Snagging Inspection
Now that you have got the keys to your new home you will probably be asked by your builder for a snagging list usually within the first seven to ten days.
The thought of having to snag your new home can be a little scary especially if you don’t know what you are looking for, you might also have thought about using the services of a professional snagger to do this for you, this will certainly make it a lot easier and give you peace of mind, but there is a cost to using a professional snagger which might put you off, especially when money is tight, and you want to use whatever spare money you have to buy new things for your new home,
spending money on a professional snagger is an expense you can do without, and I fully understand that.
When does the snagging process start
The start of the snagging process should begin at the home demonstration, this is the first opportunity you will have to visit and look at your new home. You will be given an opportunity during your home demonstration and again at key handover to inspect your new property.
My advice is to take your time and do this carefully at both the home demonstration and key handover that’s because there can be a time difference between home demonstration and key handover which means there could have been trades in your home who could create more snags.
Some builders will want to do the home demonstration and key handover on the same day. This is never a good idea, you will have enough to think about without having to go through a home demonstration with the site manager.
During your home demonstration take your time and have a good look around, don’t let your Site manager rush you through it.
This will be the first time you have seen your brand-new house you will be excited this is the first time you’re seeing it and there is a lot to take in, if you are not sure of anything don’t be afraid to ask questions and if you missed or don’t understand what the site manager is telling you, ask him to go through it again, he won’t mind and should be happy to explain it to you again.
There are a few things which you need to look at during your home demonstration and again at key handover.
You need to pay particular attention to your windows for scratched glass, when you look through your windows stand 1 meter away don’t go right up to the window and try and have a background such as another building or trees this will give a contrast and make any scratches stand out don’t look at the sky as this will make them difficult to see, also check any mirrors and shower screens for scratches and damage.
Check your kitchen units and appliances, any floor coverings that have been included, wall and floor tilling, sanitaryware and any other furniture fitted by the builder such has wardrobes for damage and make sure any issues you have seen are logged on the home demonstration form or key handover form.
On your completion day your builder will ask you for a snagging list within the first seven to ten days. They should explain to you is that this is for the items we have just spoken about because if you don’t let them know in the first seven to ten days about scratches and chips after this period, they will most likely not rectify them as they could have been done by you moving in.
Don’t let your site manager panic you into rushing into giving them a snagging list.
It's important to remember that during the first two years of your warranty agreement your builder has a responsibility to put right defects which you could not see at the time of moving in or those that develop later.
If you have not been told about your warranty agreement, then I would ask the sales or site manager to explain it to you as there are a number of different warranties builders use the three most popular ones are the NHBC Premier Guarantee and Local authority building control the NHBC are probably the best of a bad bunch, you need to know what your warranty covers, your rights and how the warranty claims procedure works should you need to make a claim.
All new homeowners can identify snags, these are usually the more obvious ones such as minor decoration imperfections, chips, and dents.
These are fine but they are mostly minor defects, and the more serious ones go unnoticed. This is not the homeowner fault, most new build homeowners don’t know how their home has been constructed and possibly don’t have a trade or industry background to know what to look for.
If you are unsure of what to look for why don’t you check out our YouTube channel, the videos on it will give you an idea of what to look for and where to look.
If you are lucky, you might have a family member or friend who have some experience and knows what to look for, this can be a great help to new home buyers.
Presenting your Site manager with an easy to follow snagging list will help him, If you can also include photographs and a location of were the snags are then this will really help.
When you are going to do your snagging inspection this should be carried out in a methodical way which your site manager will appreciate, the report should be easy to follow it should also clearly describe what the snag is and where it is just saying there is a dent in the living room wall won’t help your site manager as there are 4 walls in a room.
Hopefully the advice in this podcast will help new build homeowners to put together there snagging list.
So were should you start to do your snagging list
I usually start with the external areas first I would advise starting at the road or footpath because this gives you a good view of your front elevation.
1 Check your drive and paths for any damage or loose paving’s if it has rained check if these areas holding water.
2 Is the landscaping ok, look at the turf has it been laid flat with no damage or footmarks, check there are no dead plants which need replacing. If the garden areas are just soil, have they been rotavated and raked flat with no stones larger than 25mm left. There should also be no builder’s rubble or debris left in the ground.
3 Is the fencing ok, are post straight are there gaps underneath the fence which might need a gravel board fitting, does the gate open and close properly and the bolt and latch work correctly
4 Look at the front of your house does the brickwork look clean with no staining are there any damaged bricks or render if it is rendered. If you have artstone sill and heads are these clean with no damage or cracks.
5 Check the windows and windowsills for any scratches or damage
6 Are the windows sealed, is the mastic damaged or looks untidy
7 around the house is the soil or chippings 150mm
lower than the Damp Proof Course
8 Are the air bricks blocked and is the ground sloping away from them, there should be a 75mm gap below the air brick to the ground level.
9 Check the facia boards and soffit for damage and cleanliness
10 Check the roof tiles or slates for any damage or if they are not lying flat up the valley, are the ridge tiles damaged and securely fixed, you can do this from across the road at the front and the back of the garden area at the rear of the property.
Follow this same method with all your elevations, front, left, right and rear which ever applies to your property.
Once you have completed the external areas of the house, if you have a garage then you can inspect it using the same method as when you inspected the external of your property, however on the internal area of your garage you also need to check:
1 Check the brickwork in the pikes is it fully filled to the underside of the felt with no gaps if it is a double garage shared with your neighbour there should be fire stopping on top of the party Wall, this will be insulation or other material.
If the garage is internal the garage door should be a fire door, the gaps around the door should not exceed 4mm and the door should have a door closer fitted, the casing should also have brush strips fitted for the door to close against.
2 Are the electrics working correctly is there a bulb fitted in the light if detached is the electric feed clipped and the electrical fittings such as RCD and sockets and light switch fitted to a back board to protect them from any water ingress if it is a single skinned garage.
3 Check the garage doors work properly check for any damaged or scratches and if they are sealed correctly
4 Are the walls and floor slab clear of any access mortar droppings or staining
5 If there are internal brick or block pillars supporting the walls do they project above the bottom of the roof truss giving support to the pikes
6 Check the roof timbers for damage, does the diagonal bracing but up to the brickwork, are the wall plate straps screwed to the brickwork. Also check the felt for damage.
7 If it is an internal garage check the ceiling line in the garage and around any pipe penetrations there should be no gaps to allow fire to spread to the upper floors, these are normally filled with an intumescent mastic or fire collar if the penetration is more than 50mm.
Once you have completed the external elevations of your house you can move on to the internal areas.
Start at your front door and work inwards to the hall and to each room that radiates from it. Try to do your inspection in a clockwise or ant-clockwise manner this will help.
1 Check the front door and frame for any damage or scratches does it open and closes properly, don’t forget the letter box.
2 Check the walls for damage or poor plastering such as plasterboard joints and trowel marks
3 Check the floor slab for damage or if you have had any floor coverings fitted check for marks.
4 Do the internal doors close and latch without rattling on the keeper, is there any visible damage to the door or handle
5 Check paintwork including all the woodwork, walls and ceiling for damage or poor quality
6 Check windows, do they open correctly, are they or the glass scratched or damaged remember to have a background when looking for scratched this contrast will highlight them.
7 Check kitchen units and worktops for scratches and damage, do the doors and drawers soft close mechanisms work properly do the doors line up. and line up
8 Check the appliances work and are secured in place, you will be surprised the number of appliances we see that arnt.
9 Check the wall and floor tilling for damage or lipping in the kitchen and bathrooms
10 Are the kitchen lights and sockets working such as the grid switch, do the switches operate the appliances that are on them such as the dishwasher, extractor hood and fridge.
11 Check the patio or bifold doors open and close and are not damaged, check the glass is not scratched
Now you have completed the downstairs follow this method for the stairs, landing the bedrooms and bathrooms rooms. Remember to do it methodically make it so your builder will be able to follow your list.
Now you have finished your snagging list for the external and internal areas of your house, the last place you need to check is your roof space. You will need a pair of steps or a small ladder for this. Please don’t miss this area as we often find some serious issues in the roof space.
Start by looking at:
1 Your insulation, is it flat and level without any missing or gaps
2 Is the felt intact and not damaged
3 Are the bathroom and ensuite extractor fan ducts connected to the outside by a tile vent or by a solid ducting to the external walls these should be insulated with no restrictions to the air flow and connected to the tile vent with tape to seal it and a jubilee clip. If they have used a flexible ducting this should be no longer than 15oomm otherwise it should be a solid ducting this is a building regulation.
4 Check any roof vents are connected and the felt around them is not cut out too big
5 Do your soil stacks have air admittance valves fitted (Dergo Valve) or are they connected to roof tile vents
6 Check the blockwork is filled and tight up to the underside of the felt on the pikes. If it is a party wall between you and your neighbour, there should be firestopping on top of the blockwork and between the felt and tiles. If you have a spandrel panel, then there should also be firestopping underneath it.
7 If you have a mechanical ventilation system installed is there a walkway to it for you to maintain it
These are the areas that you need to look at when doing your snagging list.
Once you have finished your snagging list you can give it to your builder.
Always send this by email to the customer care department even if you are going to give any snags to your site manager ask customer care to log them on your file that way you will have an audit trail should you ever need to go to resolution with your warranty provider.
Whilst this list is not exhaustive it is a good guide for you and should help you to complete your snagging list for your builder.
However, my advice would always be to use a third-party professional to snag your new build, they will identify more defects and produce a professional snagging report for you to give to your builder.
So as we finish this podcast I hope this has helped good luck with your snagging and don’t forget,
· If you have any comments or topics you would like me to cover then drop me an email to Socials@livelyprofessionalservices.co.uk
· If you would like more information, then you can visit our webpage at www.livelyprofessionalservices.co.uk all one word
· Or visit our YouTube channel at livelyprofessionalservices.co.uk
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· SO Until next time thank you everyone for joining me today and I look forward to talking to you soon.