What Buying New Homes Has Taught Me About Snagging

I have spent much of my career around property. I previously worked in land and new homes for one of the country’s largest estate agency groups, dealing with developers, construction teams, handovers and buyers. I have also bought several new homes for my own family. Those homes were built by Westbury Homes, Charles Church, Redrow, David Wilson Homes and a local independent developer. The experiences were very different.

Our Redrow home had a generally good finish, but the customer care that followed was generally disappointing. David Wilson Homes had issues to resolve, but its customer care was exceptional. Charles Church sat somewhere in the middle. Our experience with the independent developer was considerably more serious and ultimately led us through the formal complaints and dispute resolution process.

Over the years, I have seen good workmanship, poor workmanship, inappropriate materials, concealed problems and the familiar attitude that somebody else will deal with it later. My family has had to move into temporary accommodation while substantial work was carried out. We have also followed the Consumer Code for New Homes complaints process and taken a claim through CEDR. It has been frustrating, disruptive and, at times, exhausting.

Would it stop me buying another new home?

No.

Despite everything, I would still choose a new home over an older property. I have always said there are two types of buyer: those who buy new and those who do not. I like the light, the layouts, the energy efficiency and the feeling of moving into a home that has not previously belonged to somebody else. The experience has, however, taught me a few things.

Not every imperfection is worth fighting over

When you first move into a new home, it is very easy to inspect every wall from an angle, notice every brush mark and become irritated by the smallest blemish. Some finishing defects should be corrected, particularly where they are obvious or fall below a reasonable standard. However, homes are not factory made products. They are built on site by many different trades, using materials that dry, shrink and move after completion. A slight variation in paintwork may not matter once the furniture is in and you have marked the wall yourself. Minor shrinkage cracking is also common while a new building dries.

That does not mean accepting poor workmanship. It means recognising the difference between a minor imperfection and an issue affecting safety, function, weather resistance, durability or the proper use of the home.

Do not confuse personal perfectionism with the standard that can reasonably be expected from a house built on site.

Focus on the defects that matter

A long snagging list can look impressive, but the number of items is not the most important thing. A loose handrail, leaking fitting, badly installed roof component or ineffective drainage detail may matter far more than dozens of small decorating marks. The purpose of a good snagging inspection is not to produce the longest possible report. It is to identify, explain and prioritise the issues that genuinely need attention. Cosmetic defects should still be recorded where appropriate, but they should not distract from more significant concerns.

Understand your warranty and consumer protection

New home buyers are often reassured that the property has a ten year warranty without fully understanding what that actually means. Warranty providers, consumer codes and dispute resolution schemes all have different roles. Cover can also change after the initial builder warranty period. NHBC, Global Home Warranties and other providers do not necessarily offer the same protection.

Read the documents supplied with your home. Find out who provides the warranty, when the policy starts, how long the builder remains responsible, which consumer code applies and how defects must be reported. Also check what complaints process you need to follow and which independent dispute route is available if matters are not resolved.

The more you understand, the less frightening a defect often becomes. If something significant is covered, you know which route to follow. If it is not, you can make decisions with a clearer understanding of your position.

Cake does not improve remedial workmanship

Many homeowners try hard to maintain a good relationship with the customer care operatives attending their property. That is sensible, and people should always be treated with courtesy and respect. However, I have also learned that cake, biscuits and expensive coffee do not necessarily improve the quality of the repair. Sometimes they simply mean the operative spends more time eating cake and less time completing the work.

Be welcoming and reasonable, but also be organised. Know which items are being addressed, check the work before the operative leaves where practical, and keep a record of anything that remains outstanding.

Be courteous to the people trying to help

Frustration should be directed at the problem, not automatically at the person who arrives to deal with it. The customer care technician standing in your kitchen may not have built the defective wall, installed the leaking shower or made the decision that caused the problem. Many operatives are trying to resolve issues created by somebody else.

Be firm where necessary, but remain polite and factual. Clear photographs, dates and concise descriptions are usually more effective than anger.

Do not review the developer too early

Buyers are often asked to leave a review shortly after collecting the keys, when the excitement of moving in is at its highest. I would wait until the initial snagging and remedial work is mostly complete. The quality of a developer is not demonstrated only by how the home looks on handover day. It is also shown by what happens when defects are reported.

Problems can occur on any development. The real test is whether the developer communicates properly, accepts responsibility where appropriate and completes repairs to a reasonable standard.

Learn how your home works

Understanding your property can help prevent avoidable problems. New homes contain a significant amount of moisture from construction. Heating, ventilation and normal occupation all affect how that moisture leaves the building. Poor ventilation, blocked air paths or inappropriate use of heating can contribute to condensation and mould.

Some cracking may be related to normal drying, while other patterns may need closer attention. Learn how to use the heating, ventilation, drainage and other systems in your home. Read the manuals, keep the important certificates and report problems promptly rather than allowing them to become worse.

Expect some problems, but do not let them define the experience

A new home should be completed properly, and buyers should not have to accept careless workmanship or unresolved defects. At the same time, expecting every part of a site built property to be perfect can make the first few months unnecessarily stressful.

Arrange the right inspection. Understand the report. Focus on the defects that matter. Keep good records and follow the correct process where repairs are needed.

Then, more than anything else, enjoy your new home. You worked for it. You paid a lot of money for it. It should be a place to live, not a permanent snagging project.