Surface damage during the construction and fit-out phase of new build properties is almost inevitable. Scratched baths, chipped tiles, marked worktops and damaged floor coverings appear on nearly every new build snagging list — and the question of whether to repair or replace has a significant impact on the cost and timeline of handover.
The True Cost of Replace vs Repair on New Build Sites
The instinct on many new build sites is to replace damaged fittings — because replacement feels cleaner and more defensible to the buyer. But the costs add up quickly:
- Replacing a chipped bath: £400–£800+ (fitting included)
- Replacing a shower tray: £300–£600+ (fitting included)
- Replacing a damaged tile in a completed wet room: £150–£400+ (including grouting and silicone repair)
- Replacing a chipped granite or quartz worktop section: £500–£2,000+
Professional surface repair costs a fraction of this — typically £80–£250 per item — and is invisible in normal use. On a development of 10, 20 or 50 units, the saving is substantial.
What Counts as Snagging Surface Damage?
- Bath chips and scratches from installation or trades working in the bathroom
- Shower tray chips from scaffolding poles, tools or equipment dropped during fit-out
- Tile chips and grout contamination from cement or plaster splashes
- Worktop chips and scratches from kitchen installation and subsequent trades
- LVT and laminate floor damage from equipment movement
- UPVC and composite door chips and scratches from delivery and installation
Site-Based Repair Programmes
Shazam Repairs works with property developers and house builders on site-based repair programmes — a scheduled visit in the week before handover to work through the snagging list and address all surface damage across the development in a single efficient programme. This approach delivers consistent results across all units and dramatically reduces the cost and delay associated with individual item replacements.
Warranty and Guarantee
All Shazam Repairs work is guaranteed. In the rare event a repair doesn’t meet expectations, we return to re-address it — providing the developer with a defensible position with buyers and building inspectors.
Get a Developer Surface Repair Quote
Contact Shazam Repairs to discuss your development — whether you have a single unit or a multi-plot site, we can provide a scheduled snagging repair programme to suit your handover timeline.
