New-Build Snagging Survey Costs in London

Typical London fee ranges

As a broad market guide in London: snagging inspections on one and two bedroom flats typically run from around £300 to £600; larger flats and townhouses from around £500 to £900; and substantial detached houses can be £1,000 or more. End of defects period re-inspections are usually priced similarly or slightly below. As with any survey, access, size and the standard of finish drive the time on site — these are market-typical illustrations, and we confirm a fixed fee per instruction.

What a good snagging inspection covers

A surveyor-led snagging inspection goes beyond paint and mastic: doors, windows and ironmongery operation; floor levels and finishes; kitchen and sanitaryware installation; visible plumbing and electrics presentation; balconies, thresholds and external works; loft spaces and accessible roof details; and the consistency of fire-stopping presentation at service penetrations where visible. The output is a contractor-ready schedule the developer’s customer care team can work through, not a vague complaint list.

Timing is most of the value

Two windows matter. A pre-completion inspection — where the developer permits access — catches defects while you still hold the leverage of completion monies. The second is just before the end of the defects period under your warranty, commonly two years for developer obligations under NHBC, LABC or Premier schemes: a re-inspection a month or two before that date sweeps everything that has emerged through a heating season into a single, evidenced claim while the obligation still exists.

New-build specifics in London

High-density London schemes add particular checks: balcony drainage and decking, communal corridor finishes that affect your demise, MVHR and heat interface units installed to manufacturer requirements, and the door-closer and fire-door details that later feature in block fire inspections. A snagging report that records these properly also becomes useful evidence for the building’s managing agent.

Common questions

Can the developer refuse access before completion? Some do. If pre-completion access is refused, inspect as soon as possible after completion — the defects period obligations still apply.

Is snagging worth it on a small flat? Usually, yes: a single misaligned fire door or failed shower tray costs more to remedy privately than the survey fee.

Do you fix the defects? No — the report is independent evidence for the developer to act on, which is exactly why it carries weight.