Showhomes - snagging report required?

535dman

We are about to buy a home in a new development. The house was the first to be built out of a total of 7 four bed detached houses. The house we are buying is currently the show home and has been used as a show home since August 07. We are completing in December 07. My question is whether you think it is worth having a snagging report done on this house?

New builds have been known to cause various problems but as this home has been used as a show home from August to December, I would have thought any niggles would have come to light and have been sorted out by the builders by now?

Are snagging reports worth the hassle? It would cost me in the region of £450-500 to have this report and I’m not sure if it’s needed as this house is the show home?

Thanks,

Curv

Apologies if I'm missing something, but why do you need to pay for a 'snagging report'? I've always found a notepad, a pen and an hour or so of my time spent wandering round the property was sufficient...

LandyAndy

I bought a four bedroom detached in 1985 that had been a showhome. My grandfather, who spent 50 years in the building trade, walked round the house and produced two close written pages of A4 of snags (together with the correct way of resolving them;) ).

Some of the more obvious things I would have spotted but he also came up with a number of important snags that only an experienced observer would recognise.

New homes today are not better built than they were twenty years ago.

By all means go round yourself first but a snagging report may give you peace of mind.

Doozergirl

You're buying a big house. I'd pay for a proper snagging report and get it all rectified before you move in.

Jonbvn

Curv wrote: »

Apologies if I'm missing something, but why do you need to pay for a 'snagging report'? I've always found a notepad, a pen and an hour or so of my time spent wandering round the property was sufficient...

I believe most buyers are just not qualified to undertake such inspections, and will be using their hearts and not their heads when identifying any defects.

IMHO a snagging report done by a professional inspector is vital for all new builds. Furthermore, when you get it done by a professional, they will chase up the defects with the developer on your behalf.

In the case of the show homes, it is likely that the plumbing and heating may not have been checked. Furthermore, in the rush to complete the show home, the builder may have cut some corners. These issues should be checked during the snagging inspection.

For more info have a look at www.snagging.org