Question 1

Why do new homes have so many defects?

Accepted Answer

This is due to many things, the build times are being reduced to try and get more homes built as quickly as possible to cover the national shortage of housing. Added to this the house builders own build targets and low prices being paid to sub contractors. The lack of quality inspections by the site management teams and the sub contractors own attention to detail whilst the build is in progress and perhaps the most concerning is the shortage of fully qualified skilled tradesmen.

Question 2

What is “Snagging”?

Accepted Answer

It is a term used within the construction industry and is the process used to identify defects and poor workmanship in a property.

Question 3

When should the “Snagging” inspection take place?

Accepted Answer

Ideally as soon as the house is complete but some house builders will not allow access until legal completion. As soon as legal completion has been issued then preferably before the new homeowner moves in to enable all areas to be inspected before the rooms get full of furniture.  However in many cases this is not possible so the snagging needs to be done as soon as possible after moving in.

Question 4

How Much time do you have to produce a snagging list?

Accepted Answer

The homeowner has up to two years to produce a list and there is no limit to how many lists you can produce. So if new things come to light during the first two years these can either be added to the original list or a new one produced and the builder is legally required to rectify these up to the expiry of the two years from legal completion.
One thing to note here is it is always best to produce the list whilst the builder is still on site as it has been proven it is much easier for the main contractor to arrange rectification with the relevant sub contractors.

Question 5

Why do I need to employ a Snagging Professional?

Accepted Answer

When you move into a brand new home you are normally blown away with excitement and cant wait to start making the house into your home with your personal possessions etc. The last thing you want to do is to spend time looking around for defects, plus do you know what and where to look for these, some are obvious even to the untrained eye but there could be some that are not so obvious but just as important to get fixed. Buying a new home is normally the biggest expense you will encounter in your lifetime You have paid a lot of money for your new home and you should expect it to be perfect. You wouldn’t buy a new car with a scratch on the door and accept it so why accept poor workmanship in your brand new home. This is where a Professional Snagger can help by taking away all that stress so your moving in should be an enjoyable experience.

Question 6

What happens after the two year warranty period has expired?

Accepted Answer

As stated above the builder is responsible to cover any defect within the first two years. After that from years 3-10 it will the fall under either the NHBC / Premier / LABC  or equivalent Warrantees.
This warranty is basically an insurance policy which is designed to protect the purchaser for a period of 10 years against latent defects to their home. However the term “Latent Defects” is normally only structural issues, as any other defects should have been identified and cleared within the first two years.

Question 7

What areas do I cover?

Accepted Answer

Predominantly my aim is to cover the whole of Norfolk as this is where I live and have a very good understanding of the area and the builders who operate within this area.

Question 8

Who are we?

Accepted Answer

Norfolk NewBuild Inspections is an independent company owned and run by Adrian Cooper.
Adrian will carry out all the inspections and complete the reports.
This way you can be sure of getting a very professional, friendly, and personal experience as you will be dealing with the same person throughout the inspection process.

Question 9

Experience

Accepted Answer

I have been in construction industry for 43 years and am a carpenter and joiner by trade but the last 30 years I have progressed to being in management positions with the last 20 years in senior positions.
During this time I have been involved in many multi million pound projects working for Blue Chip clients. The quality they expect is of the highest standard and part of my management role was to snag these buildings in readiness for handover. These clients would not accept anything but perfection, so the experience I have gained throughout those years I feel I can now put to good use in snagging your homes.
I also purchased a new build property in Norfolk just over 3 years ago so have a very good understanding on how the whole process works from putting down the deposit on your chosen plot in the sales office to watching the build, picking the extras then to the handover process and the snagging.

Question 10

How much does an inspection cost?

Accepted Answer

Please see price list under services
A 5% discount can be offered to both houses if two inspections can be carried out on the same day on the same site.

Question 11

What are the payment terms?

Accepted Answer

All prices quoted are inclusive of VAT
A £50 deposit will be required to secure your inspection date with the balance payable on the issue of the snagging report
Payment by cash or bank transfer

Question 12

How will I receive the report?

Accepted Answer

The homeowner will receive the report electronically in PDF format plus a hard copy can be posted out if required.
A further copy of the report can also be issued in PDF format direct to the Builder/Main Contractor with the homeowner’s permission, along with a covering e mail should this be required.

Question 13

What happens after the Inspection?

Accepted Answer

On going telephone support is available after inspection, however subsequent revisits if required are charged at 50% of the original inspection fee.

Call us on 07941 088243

Norfolk NewBuild Inspections

Frequently asked questions