Developer defect guides

Snagging is the process of identifying defects in a new home before, and shortly after, completion. Done well, it saves years of frustration. Done badly, it leaves owners chasing items that should have been caught on day one.

These are the items we see missed most often.

Plaster blemishes and roller marks under low-angle light. Paint runs and missed edges around skirting and architrave. Filler that hasn't been sanded flush. Caulking that wasn't tooled. Tile grout missing in shower corners. Scratched glass on windows and shower screens.

These are best identified with a torch held parallel to the surface.

Doors that bind on the frame, latches that don't engage, hinges that aren't flush, handles with missing fixings. Skirting that lifts at the join. Architrave with open mitres. Worktops with poor joint alignment. Drawer fronts that don't align with cupboard doors.

Visible leaks under sinks and basins, slow drainage from shower wastes, toilet pans that rock, radiator valves that drip. Outside, look at every gulley after a rainstorm and check whether it actually takes the water away.

Cracked ridge tiles, missing dry-verge clips, blocked weep-holes in brickwork, render cracks at corners, missing mastic around door and window frames, render that hasn't been brought down behind cladding. Driveway settlement around manhole covers.

After warranty expiry, anything cosmetic is the homeowner's responsibility. Pursue items that affect weather-tightness, water ingress, drainage, or that will get worse if left. Cosmetic blemishes are best rolled into the second decorating cycle.