Pre-Completion vs. Post-Completion Snagging Surveys: Which One to Choose?

When it comes to buying a new home, one of the crucial steps in ensuring you get a quality property is conducting snagging surveys. These inspections help identify and rectify any defects or issues in your new home before or after you move in. Two common types of snagging surveys are pre-completion inspections and post-completion inspections. In this blog post, we’ll explore the differences between these two approaches and help you decide which one might be the right choice for you.

Pre-Completion Inspection:

A pre-completion survey is carried out before you officially complete the purchase of your property and receive the keys. It was introduced by the NHQB (New Homes Quality Board), and any house builder signed up to the New Home Quality Code is obligated to allow a customer’s advisor (inspector) to inspect the property during the notice period, which is typically around 7 days prior to completion.

Key points about pre-completion inspections:

• The inspector must be suitably qualified, work within their competencies, and have the relevant professional indemnity insurance.
• They must also be a member of organisations like RPSA, RICS, CIOB, or ICWCI.
• Inspectors use a standard template pre-completion inspection checklist issued by the NHQB.

Benefits of a pre-completion inspection:

1. Snags are fixed before you move in, ensuring a smoother transition to your new home.
2. Serious issues are identified and addressed before completion, avoiding potential post-move-in disruptions.

However, pre-completion inspections come with limitations:

• The inspector cannot deviate from the NHQB’s template.
• Limited inspection tools like thermal cameras, moisture meters, and high-level cameras or drones are not allowed.
• The time allowed on-site is restricted to 1-2 hours, which may not be sufficient for a thorough inspection.
• The property may not be entirely finished or cleaned, which can hinder the inspection process.
• Accompanying site managers may eat into the limited inspection time, reducing the thoroughness of the examination.
• Defects may not always get fixed before you move in, defeating the purpose of the pre-completion survey.

Post-Completion Inspection:

A post-completion snagging survey typically takes place after you have completed the purchase of your home and received the keys. It is usually conducted a day or more after you’ve moved in, allowing for a more comprehensive inspection.

Main benefits of post-completion snagging surveys:

1. These inspections are more comprehensive and not restricted by time.
2. Professional inspection tools like thermal cameras, high-level photography, and moisture meters can be used.
3. Findings can be discussed with you in person at the end of the inspection.

However, there are disadvantages to post-completion snagging inspections:

• Scheduling the inspection alongside other tasks, such as moving or laying floors, can be challenging.
• Remedial works may disrupt your life while living in the property.
• Defects are not raised before you complete the purchase of your home, which may affect your peace of mind.

It’s essential to note that your builder is still obliged to fix defects raised within their 2-year defect liability period, regardless of whether they were identified before or after completion.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, both pre-completion and post-completion snagging inspections have their advantages and limitations. Pre-completion inspections provide the builder with an opportunity to fix defects before you move in, but they come with time and property restrictions. Post-completion inspections offer more thoroughness but may result in remedial works while you own the property. Ultimately, the choice depends on your preferences, timing, and tolerance for potential disruptions. You can book your snagging survey via our website here

The post first appeared on NES Snagging Services.

Looking for a snagging survey in Middlesbrough?

Middlesbrough is a sporting city, known for football, it’s sporting village, swim centres and leisure centres. As well as maintaining a fit lifestyle, there is plenty to do to keep you entertained with cinemas, Museums and lots of other fun things to do in this friendly city. With so many new build locations, which we have carried out snagging surveys, there are lots of choices for your new home depending on your location needs. You can check out new build developments in Middlesbrough here.

Why get a snagging survey in Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough is a celebrated multicultural city, which also means there are lots of choices to entertain everyone. This mix of culture and interest has instigated new build developments across the city. 

A common worry new-build buyers have about their home is that the whole building process seemed to complete rather quickly. Time is money and new-build developers and their contractors have targets to hit in order to attain maximum profit. However, this rush can often mean defects are caused or some work is left incomplete.

The good news is that major defects in Middlesbrough new-build developments don’t come around too often, however, minor defects are much more common. You have a two-year window to report any defects to your developer for them to repair or if left it can become a long term cost for you. We recommend you get a snagging inspection done as soon as you get the key, preferably before any furniture is in the house.

Hiring a snagging inspection from a professional like NES will not only give you peace of mind that your new home is in good standing order, but we will also find any defects and present these to your developer in a snagging report. You only have two years to report defects to your developer, so act now.

How much does a snagging inspection cost?

NES offers one simple snagging package that starts from £320. The price only varies with the size of your house. You can see our full price list here     

Want to know more?   If you have any questions regarding your snagging survey, then please get in touch. You can contact us via messenger or call us anytime. Also, check out our new build snagging FAQ’s for more information

The post Snagging Survey Middlesbrough first appeared on NES Snagging Services.

Looking for a snagging survey in Gateshead?

The home of the Angel of the North, The Sage Opera House, and the Millennium Bridge makes Gateshead one of the most photographed places in the North East and highly credited by those who live there.

The Metro Centre is another popular attraction in Gateshead. As the second largest shopping centre in the UK it not offers a fantastic shopping and dining experience, but also lots of entertainment with a cinema, climbing wall, arcade and more fun activities for the family. For information about what’s on at the Metro Centre check out their website.

With easy access to the A1, Gateshead has attracted numerous developers to provide new build homes within this popular area.   You can check out new build developments in Gateshead here.

 

Why get a snagging survey in Gateshead?

Gateshead is a popular place for developers as it is in close proximity to Newcastle, with some Gateshead new build houses even within walking distance to the neighbouring metropolitan city. The Bill Quay plots are a short walk from the quayside. What is striking about a lot of the new builds in Gateshead is their stylish, modern look at a more competitive price than those available in Newcastle.

The property prices may be more competitive than over the water, but that does not mean you should take any risks with the quality of the property you are buying. Your snagging survey will ensure you are buying a property at the high standards you would expect by identifying snags and consolidating them into a report for you to hand over to your developer.

You could check for snags yourself but like a mechanic, a professional surveyor has experience, knowledge and tools to produce the most accurate report to give to your developer.

With new build properties in Gateshead, it is unlikely there will be any major defects. However, on a typical snagging report it is not unusual for 70-100 minor defects to be identified. That is a lot of defects which could be expensive for you down the line if gone unnoticed.

Getting a new build snagging inspection from a professional like NES will not only give you peace of mind that your new home is in good standing order, but it is also presented in a clear report for your developer to action. You only have two years to report defects to your developer, or the costs fall on you, so act now.

How much does a snagging inspection cost?

NES offers one simple snagging package that starts from £320. The price only varies with the size of your house. You can see our full price list here

 

Want to know more?

If you have any questions regarding your snagging survey, then please get in touch. You can contact us via messenger or call us anytime. Also, check out our new build snagging FAQ’s for more information

The post Snagging Survey Gateshead first appeared on NES Snagging Services.