New Build Snagging and Finishing Work

What to look for during snagging

Snagging is about workmanship and function, not taste. Work room by room in good daylight and record everything with photographs and locations.

Paint coverage, roller marks and missed edges behind radiators and doors · Plaster defects visible in raking light, particularly on ceilings · Doors binding, latches misaligned, gaps at architrave mitres · Silicone finishes in bathrooms and kitchens · Grout and tile alignment, and any hollow-sounding tiles · Every socket, switch, tap, extractor fan and window opening tested · External: rainwater goods running correctly, brickwork pointing, driveway falls

Shrinkage cracking is normal

New buildings dry out over the first heating season and fine cracks appear at plasterboard joints, around ceiling perimeters and above openings. They are expected, and most developers will fill and redecorate them once at the end of the defects period rather than chasing each one.

The distinction worth making is between hairline shrinkage and cracks that are wide, growing or stepped — those need reporting immediately rather than waiting.

Finishing work owners usually add

Developer specification tends to be thin on storage, flooring and decoration. The most common additions are proper flooring throughout, wardrobes and understairs storage, upgraded decoration over the standard single-colour finish, and a garden that is more than turf.

All of it is cheaper and faster in an empty house. Painting a house before the furniture arrives is a different job from painting around it.

Timing around the defects period

Avoid altering anything the developer is still responsible for until the snags are closed out, or you risk the alteration being blamed for the defect. Once the list is signed off, the house is yours to change.

Keep the warranty documentation and the developer's snag correspondence together — both are asked for on resale.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to report new build snags?

Developers typically operate a defects period from legal completion, with structural cover running much longer under the warranty. Report early and in writing regardless.

Are hairline cracks a defect in a new build?

Fine shrinkage cracking as the building dries is normal and usually addressed in one visit at the end of the defects period. Wide, stepped or progressively growing cracks are not.

Should I decorate a new build straight away?

The building is still drying in its first year, so many owners do a light refresh on move-in and a full decoration after the first heating season, once shrinkage cracking has been made good.

Can I fit flooring before snagging is complete?

It is safer to wait for anything the developer may need access to. Flooring in bedrooms and living areas is usually low risk; bathrooms and utility areas are worth leaving.