Before buying a new home you MUST

If you have not carried out a detailed Snagging meeting with your new home builder you are storing up problems for the future.

These days the house building industry is populated by mainly publicly owned companies who have share holders breathing down their necks to keep profits up. The builder will then do anything to keep costs down as low as possible with scant regard to quality. The net result is poor quality work requiring remedial maintenance or worse a total rebuild of the offending problem.

To achieve the lowest build cost the builders will subcontract almost all the elements of the building process and just act as project managers.

This means that the actual day to day responsibility for an individual working on a house is often remote with work routinely being unchecked.

Over the years this has resulted in a general "work to the lowest" level acceptable rather than to the highest standards. On the basis that those customers that complain will have the remedial works carried out those that do not just live with the problems.

This low standard of work has resulted in subcontractors recruiting many untrained workers masquerading as qualified builders. The Author noted a large sign on a new building site in southern England " Wanted Bricklayers. Great rates no experience required" one shudders at the brickwork that resulted.

The one action a house buyer must take before completion is to carry out a full and in-depth Snagging meeting with the site manager.

This meeting should not be confused with the property handover where the workings of the house are explained, boiler, heating etc. The Snagging meeting should just be to inspect the property and identify any part of the property that requires remedial work prior to the owner moving in.

The builder will often find many reasons not to have such a meeting or try and delegate it to the site office. Purchasers should ensure that the site manager is available for the Snagging meeting and does not disappear to some other pressing meeting half way through the process.

During the meeting the builder is unlikely to assist you in finding faults they will just follow along (usually looking miserable) and take notes.

It is important that the purchaser takes detailed notes on all items that are unacceptable to compile a Snagging report that the builder will give to the various tradesmen following the meeting. By using a digital camera to record items of particular interest you can be sure of a very accurate and undisputable record.

It can be a confusing and stressful meeting unless adequate preparation has been taken. This would include a Snagging list of items to inspect, the correct tools for the meeting and a method of recording the meeting for future reference.

Overall the purchaser must make sure they conduct a full and detailed inspection of all parts of the building to ensue that the Snagging list is compiled. This list should then be copied and enough copies given to the builder for them to give to the various tradesmen to carry out the remedial work.


------

John Mills is an Estate Agency director and has extensive new house buying experience. John advises all his clients to Snag their new homes with vigour and to take copious notes. The builder is not your friend.
http://www.snagging-guide.co.uk