New build homebuyers frequently encounter surface damage during the snagging process — chips in kitchen worktops, cracked tiles, scratched baths and similar damage that occurred during construction or fitting. Understanding who’s responsible for this damage — and the most effective way to get it remedied — saves time and frustration in what’s already a stressful process.
What Is Snagging Damage?
Snagging is the process of identifying defects in a new build property before or shortly after completion. Surface damage — chips, scratches, marks in worktops, tiles, baths and flooring — is among the most commonly identified snagging items. In most cases, this damage occurred during construction, from tradespeople working in the kitchen and bathroom after surfaces were fitted.
Developer Responsibilities
Developers and housebuilders are legally required to complete a property to the standard implied by the contract and, for homes registered under the NHBC Buildmark warranty or similar schemes, to defined quality standards. Surface damage identified at or near completion is a builder’s responsibility to rectify. Document all damage thoroughly during your snagging inspection — ideally with a professional snagging surveyor.
How Builders Typically Address Snagging Repairs
Builders typically use their own approved contractors for snagging repairs. The quality of these repairs varies. If you’re unhappy with the standard of a repair arranged by your builder, you’re entitled to request a higher quality result or get an independent assessment of whether the repair meets a reasonable standard.
When Repairs Have Been Carried Out Inadequately
If a builder’s snagging repair is visible, poorly matched or otherwise inadequate, an independent specialist repair is often the most practical solution — whether arranged at the builder’s cost or as a self-funded rectification of an inadequate repair.
Request an independent assessment for your new build snagging damage →
