Costs guide
How Much Does a Snagging Survey Cost?
Updated 23 July 2026
A professional snagging survey costs around £300 to £600 in 2026, depending on the size of the new build, with large detached homes towards £700. Inspectors routinely log 50 to 150+ defects, from paint splashes to missing insulation and plumbing faults. The best time is between build completion and your legal completion; failing that, book it well inside the two-year builder warranty period so the developer must fix what is found.
Snagging survey costs by property size (UK, 2026)
| Property | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| 1-2 bed flat | £300 to £400 |
| 3 bed house | £400 to £500 |
| 4 bed house | £450 to £600 |
| 5+ bed / large detached | £600 to £800 |
What a snagging inspector checks
A snagging survey is a top-to-bottom quality inspection of a newly built home against tolerances and standards, covering finish (paintwork, sealant, flooring), function (doors, windows, sockets, plumbing, boiler), and fabric (brickwork, roof, loft insulation, garden drainage). Reports run to dozens of pages with photographed, numbered defects the developer can be held to.
The average new build generates a list most buyers find shocking, typically 50 to 150 items. Most are cosmetic; the value is in the minority that are not: missing loft insulation, unconnected extractor fans, plumbing weeps inside boxed-in pipework.
When to book it, and can the developer refuse?
The ideal window is after the developer's own completion but before your legal completion, so defects are fixed before you move in. Some developers resist pre-completion access by third-party inspectors; since the New Homes Quality Code (2022), developers signed up to it must allow a pre-completion inspection. If access is refused, book the survey for the first weeks after you move in.
Either way you are protected by the two-year builder warranty under the NHBC or equivalent 10-year cover: defects reported inside two years are the developer's to fix. The snagging report turns that right into an itemised, evidenced claim rather than a running argument.
Is it worth £400 on a brand-new house?
- One missed defect, unconnected bathroom extractor causing damp, or absent loft insulation costing heat, exceeds the survey fee on its own.
- Developers fix documented lists far faster than piecemeal complaints.
- The report resets the negotiation if you have not completed: significant defects can delay completion until fixed.
- At the two-year warranty deadline, a second inspection sweeps up anything that has emerged since.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does a snagging survey cost?
Around £300 to £600 for most new builds in 2026, rising to £700 to £800 for large detached homes. Pricing is by bedrooms and floor area, and inspectors in London and the South East charge at the top of the range.
When should I get a snagging survey done?
Ideally between build completion and legal completion so defects are fixed before you move in. If the developer will not allow access, book it as soon as possible after moving in, and always well before the two-year builder warranty expires.
Can a developer refuse a snagging inspection?
Developers signed up to the New Homes Quality Code must allow a pre-completion inspection. Others sometimes refuse pre-completion access, in which case inspect immediately after completion: your two-year warranty still obliges them to fix reported defects.
How many snags does a new build usually have?
Professional inspectors typically record 50 to 150+ items on a new build, most cosmetic. What matters is the handful of functional defects, insulation, ventilation, plumbing, that cost real money if missed.
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