Snagging - pros/cons?

katkatmachine

OMG! This thread is very helpful! We are also on the process of buying a house. Reading this, we will definitely get a professional snagging company to check our house before completion. Thank you!!!

nik_k

katkatmachine wrote: »

OMG! This thread is very helpful! We are also on the process of buying a house. Reading this, we will definitely get a professional snagging company to check our house before completion. Thank you!!!

This is what makes this forum so useful, people asking questions which you might not have thought of asking, and the amazing collective knowledge of the forumites!

sofa_searcher

Viki2410 said:

We moved into our New Build in July last year and had a professional snagging company in. It was the best £400 we spent. As FTB's we were not sure on everything to look out for.

We had a list of 3 pages worth of snags, things that we would not necessarily have picked up on. One biggie for us was that they pointed out that the back garden would not drain properly as the topsoil used was unsuitable and the ground below was full of clay, so additional drainage was needed. The developer argued but we pushed to get it rectified and they ended up removing all the turf, putting in land drains and buying better top soil and relaying fresh turf. When we had all the bad weather last year, our neighbours gardens were like swamps, where as ours handled it great. The neighbours are now having to wait until later this year to have their gardens rectified, but this is going to be so much harder as there are now other houses built at the back of us.

They also picked up on things like plug sockets not being put on straight, the banister not being level going down the wall etc. Trivial things, but things that when you notice them would drive you mad.

The developer didn't like that we were having a professional snagger in. We did it before completion on our "pre completion walk round check" and they tried to tell us we couldn't, but we argued that it didn't matter if it was us that snagged it there or someone else, they relented as they knew they had no leg to stand on. Worst case scenario, we had a month to report our snags, so you could always get someone in on completion.

Good luck!

Do you mind disclosing who you used? Also when would you say is best to get the snag done?

nik_k

sofa_searcher said:

Viki2410 said:

We moved into our New Build in July last year and had a professional snagging company in. It was the best £400 we spent. As FTB's we were not sure on everything to look out for.

We had a list of 3 pages worth of snags, things that we would not necessarily have picked up on. One biggie for us was that they pointed out that the back garden would not drain properly as the topsoil used was unsuitable and the ground below was full of clay, so additional drainage was needed. The developer argued but we pushed to get it rectified and they ended up removing all the turf, putting in land drains and buying better top soil and relaying fresh turf. When we had all the bad weather last year, our neighbours gardens were like swamps, where as ours handled it great. The neighbours are now having to wait until later this year to have their gardens rectified, but this is going to be so much harder as there are now other houses built at the back of us.

They also picked up on things like plug sockets not being put on straight, the banister not being level going down the wall etc. Trivial things, but things that when you notice them would drive you mad.

The developer didn't like that we were having a professional snagger in. We did it before completion on our "pre completion walk round check" and they tried to tell us we couldn't, but we argued that it didn't matter if it was us that snagged it there or someone else, they relented as they knew they had no leg to stand on. Worst case scenario, we had a month to report our snags, so you could always get someone in on completion.

Good luck!

Do you mind disclosing who you used? Also when would you say is best to get the snag done?

We used MDR Home Inspections (www.mdrhomeinspections.co.uk) and I'd recommend Michael to anyone looking for a snagging inspection

Racky_Roo

I just moved in to my new build on the 17th Dec and had booked MDR home inspections for the 29th Dec. My builders were fine on handover when I said I had a snagging survey booked, they just said send us the report when we're back on the 4th. Probably as they're a small local building firm and generally build to a high standard. I had 57 faults found, some quite minor so I dealt with them myself (like paintwork) but quite a few others I hadn't found in my 10 days here.

Definitely worth the money as it can sometimes be months before you find faults yourself and it makes it harder to get fixed once the builders have left the site. My friend is still finding quite major faults on her Barratt home a year in but is struggling to get them fixed.

Racky_Roo

I should add that if your builders aren't that helpful, I actually don't think it's worth getting the builders back up getting the inspection done pre completion if they're still going to be on site after you move in. Legally they have to fix any faults anyway so I would advise waiting until you're in and keeping the peace. I exchanged and completed at short notice so couldn't get a slot before my completion but am happy with the way it worked out.