New build homes frequently have surface damage that needs addressing before or at handover — and snagging inspections routinely identify chips, scratches and marks on worktops, baths, tiles and other surfaces. Surface repair is widely used in the new build sector to resolve snagging items quickly and cost-effectively. Here’s what homeowners and developers need to know.
Why New Builds Have Surface Damage
Building a house involves dozens of trades working in a space over many months. Even with good site management, surfaces get damaged — a worktop chip from a dropped tool, a bath scratch from something dragged across it during plumbing, a tile crack from settlement or point loading, a UPVC window frame mark from scaffolding. This is normal on construction sites and doesn’t indicate poor quality materials — it indicates the inevitable reality of the building process.
Common Snagging Surface Damage
- Kitchen worktop chips from tools or materials
- Bath and shower tray chips and scratches
- Tile chips and cracks from point loading or tools
- UPVC window frame marks and scratches
- Floor surface scratches, chips and indentations
- Bathroom basin chips
The Developer’s Perspective
For house builders, surface repair is standard practice for resolving snag lists cost-effectively. Replacing a worktop or bath on a snag represents a significant cost and delay; professional repair resolves the item for a fraction of the price and in a fraction of the time. Most major house builders use approved surface repair contractors to manage their snagging repairs.
The Homeowner’s Perspective
If you’ve bought a new home and your snagging inspection has identified surface damage, you have the right to have it rectified by the developer under the warranty. The developer may offer to carry out a surface repair rather than full replacement — this is a legitimate and standard approach, provided the repair is carried out to a professional standard and the result is acceptable. Ask to see the repair before you sign off the snag item as resolved.
Shazam Repairs: New Build Snagging Specialists
We work with both house builders and individual homeowners on new build snagging. We provide fast, professional surface repair to resolve snag items and can provide written reports suitable for sign-off purposes. We cover the UK and offer multi-plot pricing for developers.
