Nothing can be more heart-breaking than moving into your dream home and discovering several defects. You spent a considerable amount of money on it, and since it’s a new build, you certainly expected to see excellent workmanship.
The thing is that, regardless of how much you spend or who your developer is, you are not going to get a defect-free house.
Over the years, the quality of newly constructed properties in Dublin and all across Ireland has significantly declined. This explains why getting a home snagging survey is considered an integral part of the house buying process.
A home snagging survey, or simply snagging survey, is an inspection of a house or building conducted by professionals. This type of survey is only for newly built houses as well as freshly renovated ones. The entire house is inspected in a home snagging survey – up, down, inside and outside.
It is called a home snagging survey because it is primarily meant to check for small defects or snags. It should be noted that this kind of inspection is not just about looking for minor defects but also major ones like damp, moulds, and raised floor.
The flaws discovered include functional issues, i.e. parts or things that are not working. Some examples are a door missing a hinge, a window that wouldn’t close or a toilet that won’t flush.
The snags may also have something to do with the house’s aesthetics like a cracked tile or peeling paint. Here, snagging specialists determine if the quality of the finish meets acceptable standards.
Most defects uncovered during a snagging survey are minor and cosmetic or aesthetic in nature. Sometimes, snagging specialists also find structural issues, particularly major damages to critical house parts like the walls and floors.
It is not unusual for snagging reports to have entries involving windows and doors. In fact, many snagging specialists say that damaged and ill-fitted windows and doors are the most prevalent issues they encounter.
These house parts sustain damages like scratches, dents or cracks during installation. These issues are easy to miss which is why a professional must do the inspection.
Improper installation of these house parts is also a common occurrence. This issue is usually why doors or windows rattle when shut or do not close at all.
You’d think you’d only see scraped or chipped paintwork in old houses, but this issue also hounds many newly constructed homes. Worst, some properties even have incomplete paintwork.
A poor-quality paint job does not compromise the safety of your house, but it can definitely make it look dated. More than just being an eyesore, sloppy paintwork can be expensive to fix.
Your plumbing system needs to be in excellent condition for other house parts like sinks and toilets to function properly. Unfortunately, many newly constructed houses are found to have plumbing-related issues.
What most snagging specialists find during their inspection is a leaky pipe. Often, the leaks are just small, the type that would result in the floor having a few drops of water. But there are also new build homes with leaks large enough to cause severe damages.
Other plumbing issues uncovered are slow drain, leaking showerheads, tap leaks and clogged pipes.
Issues involving tilework also always make it to new build snagging lists. Many are just minor problems like superficial blemishes or chips and unfinished grout. Others are more serious ones like tiles that are cracked, missing or have fallen off.
When it comes to ventilation, issues are typically found on the tile vents and fans. Located on the roof, tile vents enable airflow in the roof space and prevent moisture build-up. While newly constructed homes are equipped with tile vents, they are usually not connected to the ducts.
The same issues are noted with fans placed in the kitchen and bathroom. Experts say that poor fitting or failure to follow the manufacturer’s installation guide are the top reasons why fans are not correctly connected to the ducts.
While it may be inevitable for new build properties to have flaws, you can ask your developer or builder to fix them before you finalise the deal or move in. But for this to happen, you need to hire professionals to inspect the property and determine the defects.
Buying a new build house? Make sure you get home snagging survey services! Call us today on 016874452 (9am to 5pm) or 0852563277 and talk to our experienced snagging specialists!
Phone (sales): 016874452 (9am to 5pm)
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New home surveys carried out a snagging report for our new family home. I found Tony to be very professional & prompt I am very happy with the service provided. I was supplied with a very detailed report which included images for all the defects found. I am happy to recommend New Home Surveys to any of my friends & family members.
I employed New Home Surveys to carry out a snagging report on my new house. I found them very efficient and very good at their reports.
N.H.S supplied me with a survey for my new family home recently. Report provided was very clear with clear images & details for the many faults they found on my property. Our development company had no problem at all in reading the report and fixed all the snags they found in our house. I am very happy with the service they provided.