Self-snagging tips

commited

Hi folks,

We're shortly going to be snagging our new build home and have decided to do it ourselves. Our previous house was a new build also and we paid a surveyor to do the snagging who came highly recommended but I actually found a lot more issues than he had, all of which he agreed were justifiable snags and he should have picked up on. We're both Engineers with a good eye for detail, though not in the building game, but not 100% up to speed with the most recent building regs.

We're planning to bring a ladder with us, levels, laser measures and torches but wondering if anyone has any tips for us?

Thanks

yannakis

My 5c

1. Scratches on all windows/patio doors - they will most probably be dirty so pay very close attention.
2. Make sure all windows/patio doors close smoothly, and the ones that lock also lock smoothly.
3. Radiator brackets positioned correctly (i.e. screw on the bottom side).
4. Check attic insulation on every little corner.
5. Check if toilet seats are fixed to the floor correctly.


All the best with your new house

Eric Cartman

1) bring a spirit level and a set square/corner. Check that skirting boards line up properly and are level, check radiators are level,

2) measure the distance from the floor to the bottom of a door when closed and open at 90 degrees, the amount of doors set incorrectly that end up ruining wooden floors is massive.

3) make sure the circuit breakers are all labeled and they do what they say they do, there should be a sheet of paper / card indicating all functions or labels applied beside each breaker.

4) valves , any heating valves make sure you know what each of them does and where all of them are for shutting off various things.

5) vents - make sure they all are clear and line up on the outside, loads of times they have insulation or rubble in the way or barely line up with the hole.

davindub

commited wrote: »

Hi folks,

We're shortly going to be snagging our new build home and have decided to do it ourselves. Our previous house was a new build also and we paid a surveyor to do the snagging who came highly recommended but I actually found a lot more issues than he had, all of which he agreed were justifiable snags and he should have picked up on. We're both Engineers with a good eye for detail, though not in the building game, but not 100% up to speed with the most recent building regs.

We're planning to bring a ladder with us, levels, laser measures and torches but wondering if anyone has any tips for us?

Thanks

For the sake of a few hundred euros, it would probably be worth someone with experience, not so much for visible issues, but issues that will arise due to harder to spot things, e.g. a simple thing like spacing around wooden floors, oak = X cm space around edge, laminate = Y, get it wrong and the floor will lift.

Sleeper12

Heat up some water, you'll want to know that the immersion is working anyway, and run taps and showers and flush the toilet.
I've seen plenty of toilets flushing with hot water. A thermostatic shower will have uncontrollable water temperature if hot and cold are mixed up

Gumbo

davindub wrote: »

For the sake of a few hundred euros, it would probably be worth someone with experience, not so much for visible issues, but issues that will arise due to harder to spot things, e.g. a simple thing like spacing around wooden floors, oak = X cm space around edge, laminate = Y, get it wrong and the floor will lift.

Typically when snagging though, no floors will be laid.

Aravo

A) check windows and doors, open and close and lock ok. Make sure windows do not touch frame on closing. If they catch window frame, manufacturer will sent someone to adjust.
check heating. Are all thermostats working ok. Things can be complicated if you have oil and also stove with boiler meant to work together.
C) if septic tank with raised percolation area. Is the submersible pump and float switch working ok. No excess cables allowed as it may interfere with float switch.
D) if ducting is coming into house from outside for services eg esb, eircom, oil pipe, put some cloth down into ducting and foam fill to keep out any unwanted pests.
E) fuse board should be marked. You should know what each does.
F) all TV points and data points should be marked and labelled so it's easy to use for the homeowner.
G) have a few quid held back to subbies so they will come back to remedy snags. Some things crop up months down the line. Any decent subbie will have no issue sorting out minor things.

Good luck.

commited

davindub wrote: »

For the sake of a few hundred euros, it would probably be worth someone with experience, not so much for visible issues, but issues that will arise due to harder to spot things, e.g. a simple thing like spacing around wooden floors, oak = X cm space around edge, laminate = Y, get it wrong and the floor will lift.

Thanks for the tip but I've done all of the fit out on this house and performed renovations etc - pretty handy with all aspects of DIY and second fix elements. I paid a surveyor last time for exactly the reason you stated and I ended up doing a better job. Just looking for tips in here for interesting snags people have caught in the past

Thanks to all the posters who've offered things to look out for

Sleeper12

Best of luck in your new home

Gumbo

Feel under the sink P traps while running water for
Leaks and non tightened wares.

Every handle should be secure and be able to take a good whack opening and closing.

Window restrictors and no key locks (although these are building regs opposed to snags and should be picked up by your supervising agent).

Kitchen press alignment.

All electrical points work.

Paint finishes.

Garden finishes.

Boiler firing on all zones independently.

seagull

Just remember to take a couple of light bulbs with you when you go to snag, in case there are none in any of the light sockets.

A marble is quite good for checking how flat a floor is.

Biggest thing in our house, which was missed in the snag, was that the boiler overflow pipe hadn't been connected.

Gumbo

seagull wrote: »

Just remember to take a couple of light bulbs with you when you go to snag, in case there are none in any of the light sockets.

If this is a new build, then I bet my ass the developer has stated on the BER cert that all lighting has low energy bulbs fitted, so they should be fitted at the time of hand over to the OP.

commited

kceire wrote: »

If this is a new build, then I bet my ass the developer has stated on the BER cert that all lighting has low energy bulbs fitted, so they should be fitted at the time of hand over to the OP.

This is an interesting point - last time we bought the BER stated this but there were no bulbs fitted. I ended up fitting LEDs throughout so no big deal but should I insist on bulbs being fitted as you are correct, the BER report for this house states the same.

Gumbo

commited wrote: »

This is an interesting point - last time we bought the BER stated this but there were no bulbs fitted. I ended up fitting LEDs throughout so no big deal but should I insist on bulbs being fitted as you are correct, the BER report for this house states the same.

Completely. It’s one of the requirements I check for as part of Part L compliance on every new house under my remit.

Bear in mind, they may not have to be led, just low energy savers.

commited

kceire wrote: »

Completely. It’s one of the requirements I check for as part of Part L compliance on every new house under my remit.

Bear in mind, they may not have to be led, just low energy savers.

Thanks for that, this was completely missed by our surveyor last time.