Data from BuildScan revealed that the average new-build home today comes with as many as 157 snagging issues present. This is significantly up from the average of 80 found in 2005, and represents an annual increase of 6.4 per cent each year since then.
Some snagging issues can be relatively easy to put right, including problems like poorly fitted doors, substandard plastering and low attention to detail, although they are inconvenient. However, snagging issues can also be far more severe, and costly to remedy.
These include structural defects, which may be down to shoddy foundation work, which can result in cracked walls, sloped floors, or doors that fail to shut as they should. Another nightmare snagging issue is the poor installation of damp-proof coursing and the pipework, which can lead to serious flooding damage and lingering damp, while BuildScan warned that all too often new-build buyers discover incorrectly fitted roof trusses. These can breach the standards set by the National House Builders Council, in the worst cases rendering a home completely worthless.
Harry Yates, founder and managing director at BuildScan, noted that the growth in snagging issues was the inspiration for launching the BuildScan app in the first place.
He continued: “An average snagging list of 157 defects may sound unbelievable but that really is the extent of the issues found by many new-build homebuyers and it’s an issue that has unfortunately grown significantly over the last 15 years.
“These can range from very minor aesthetic issues to far more serious problems such as structural instability that can result in your home being worthless despite the high price paid.”
Research last month found that new-build sales are at their lowest level in a decade, off the back of delays caused by Covid-19 and the introduction of the EWS1 form.
