New-build snagging in Northern Ireland: buyer checklist

By James Gorman

Plan the inspection before handover week

New-build snagging is the process of recording items that need attention in a newly built home. For a buyer in Derry or the wider North West, the useful first step is to agree how and when the home can be inspected. Do not wait until a removal van is booked to ask about access and outstanding work.

A snagging check is different from your solicitor's legal checks, a lender's valuation and the building's warranty arrangements. None should be assumed to replace the others. The NHBC moving-in guidance recommends checking the home before completion and again when moving in. Ask which warranty and consumer code actually apply to your purchase.

Confirm access, scope and the applicable code

Ask the developer when the property will be ready for inspection, who can attend, how long the appointment allows and whether any areas will be inaccessible. If using an independent inspector, agree their scope, qualifications, report format and limitations before booking. A quick viewing and a professional inspection are different services.

Where your purchase is covered by the New Homes Quality Code, the New Homes Quality Board explains the pre-completion inspection opportunity. Check coverage for your developer and reservation rather than assuming every Northern Ireland new build falls under that code. Your solicitor can explain the contractual position if access or timing is disputed.

Walk through with a short, repeatable checklist

Take the agreed specification and note which rooms, fixtures and finishes should be included. Work through each room in the same order. Look at visible finishes, doors, windows and supplied fittings, and ask for a demonstration of controls. Only operate equipment where it is safe and you have permission to do so.

Outside, review accessible paths, boundaries, garden works and other items included in your purchase. Distinguish your plot from shared areas or later phases of the development. Do not enter a roof space, climb onto structures or open electrical equipment to extend a visual check. Specialist concerns belong with a suitable professional.

Write a list someone can act on

Give each item a reference, location, description, photograph and date. For example, an illustrative note might say: 'Kitchen K04: cupboard door catches adjacent panel when opened; close-up attached.' Avoid broad entries such as 'kitchen unfinished' when several different tasks need separate responses. Ask the developer to acknowledge the list and identify the person coordinating follow-up.

Add columns for the developer's response, proposed action, target date and the result of your recheck. Mark unresolved points clearly. A promise that something will be done and evidence that it has been completed are different records. Keep correspondence together so you can explain the sequence without reconstructing it from messages.

Separate finish issues from serious concerns

Do not label a possible structural or safety problem as merely cosmetic to keep the purchase moving. Raise it promptly with the developer and the appropriate professional. Equally, do not diagnose the cause of a crack, leak or unusual smell from a photograph alone. Record what was observed and ask for an explanation and appropriate investigation.

If the home or agreed works are incomplete, discuss the implications with your solicitor before making a completion decision. A snag list is not a universal right to delay payment or completion, and warranty cover is not a promise that every complaint will be accepted. Check the actual documents and keep deadlines for reporting issues in view.

Use the handover to learn the home

At handover, collect the relevant manuals, warranty information, certificates and emergency contact route. Ask how to report defects and what happens outside normal office hours. Recheck recorded items after agreed work, and keep your inspection notes. For the wider buying process, see our Northern Ireland home-survey guide.

Explore new-build homes around Derry and ask James Gorman Property about the homes it is currently marketing. If your move depends on selling your present property, start that separate conversation with a free property valuation. This checklist is preparation guidance, not a technical inspection or legal opinion.