What is a snag?

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A snag is a defect that remains in your property after the building work has been completed and handed over to you the purchaser. Typically, a defect is an item that may be damaged, broken, fitted poorly or is incomplete and unfinished. The majority of defects encountered are cosmetic issues, however it isn’t uncommon to discover more serious defects which contravene current building regulations.

 

What is snagging?

 

Snagging is the process of a qualified expert inspecting your property and producing a detailed report highlighting any defective items which require rectification. The purpose of the report is to identify any defects in your home which the developer or contractor is responsible to rectify.

 

Should my property not be checked for snags prior to completion?

 

Yes, your new property should have been inspected regularly throughout the duration of the build, not only by the developer/contractor, but furthermore by a local authority or private sector building control service. These parties inspect regularly to ensure your property complies and meets the standards set in line with current Building Regulations. Sadly, they aren't present on a daily basis and instead attend at key milestones such as foundations and pre-plaster. In addition to this any new build property should come with a minimum 10-year structural warranty from an approved policy provider such as LABC, NHBC or Premier. Your developer or contractor has a responsibility to inspect and rectify any defects before you complete on the sale, however, it is inevitable that they will pick up all defects especially given the lack of quality control in current new build properties. It has been widely documented that standards delivered in the construction industry have significantly declined in recent years, at present we are picking up to and above 200 issues per property.

 

When is the best time to undertake snagging?

 

The ideal time to undertake the inspection of a property is following practical completion and prior to occupation. Typically, this is when you will be exchanging contracts with your developer, however some developers will not allow any inspection to take place until the legal completion has been completed. 

 

We would always recommend having the inspection prior to moving into the property. If you move into the property, it can become difficult to get the developer to rectify the defects as they may argue that you have caused the damage or issue when moving into the premises. Furthermore, it is far easier for our inspectors to undertake the inspection when the property is empty and unfurnished for obvious reasons. Regardless of the above you do have two years from the date of your legal completion by which you can still to report any defects to the developer or contractor. They are legally obliged to fix any defective items as part of your property’s warranty within the two-year period, after this the structural warranty comes into effect. 

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Who undertakes the snagging inspection?

 

All inspections and reports are undertaken compiled by professional inspectors, all of our staff are recognised members of the Institute of Clerk of Works and Construction Inspectorate of Great Britain Incorporate.

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How does it work?

 

Once the inspection is booked our inspector will attend on the allocated time and date you requested. The inspector will walk through every area in and around your property while compiling a written and photographic report. At end of the inspection the inspector will run through and highlight some of the issues they have recorded. You can review the draft issue of the report and suggest anything you think may need adding or that you've already noted. 

Following the inspection, the report is compiled within 48 hours (unless an additional service is requested) and forwarded to you so you can issue it to the point of contact who you've previously been dealing with. We offer the report in both hard and electronic versions and you can choose this prior to submission, although we do prefer the greener electronic approach. In the event that the report file size is too large to send via email which happens frequently due to the number of issues we record, it will be issued via a downloadable link from a provider such as We Transfer.  

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How long does an inspection take?

 

The duration of an inspection all depends on the size of the property being inspected, the number of defects noted and whether the property is furnished or unfurnished. Typically, an average size 3-bedroom unfurnished house will take around 3 hours.

 

What are the advantages of independent snagging?

 

A professional inspector is trained, educated and has years of experience in this particular field and therefore is more likely to spot a greater number of defects than the average homeowner. As part of our service, we will liaise with you and your developer/contractor until you are happy that all items have rectified to an acceptable standard.

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Can a developer or contractor refuse to rectify the defects?

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Developers or contractors are responsible for rectifying any defects caused by their failure to build in accordance to the approved standards and current regulations as stipulated by the warranty and insurance provider.Guidelines and standards can however be subjective and open to interpretation, which is where the snagging process can become difficult. You the purchaser might consider something to be a defect, however the developer may argue it is not and is within the industry guidelines.

Here at Qualitas we always push to get all defects rectified regardless of their importance and ensure that the money you have spent provides you with a quality product for you and your family for years to come. Our ethos is simple, if we wouldn't accept it in our homes, then we won't accept it in yours. 

 

Do I need to provide anything?

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Only free access to your property, all our inspectors carry their own equipment including ladders, torches and hand tools. All inspectors wear overshoes when in the property throughout the duration of the survey and carry dust sheets should they be required.

We don't request anything from the client during the survey, however we don't often say no to a good old cuppa tea.