The 20 Most Common New Build Defects: What to Look for on Your Snagging Inspection

Why the Same Defects Appear Repeatedly

New build defects are not random. They cluster around predictable categories — the wet trades (plastering, tiling), the second-fix trades (joinery, kitchen fitting, electrical), and the external envelope (brickwork, roofing, drainage). Time pressure on site is the primary driver: housebuilders operate to tight programme commitments, and trades working to daily productivity targets in cold or damp conditions produce more defects than the same trades working at their own pace.

Understanding where defects concentrate allows you to inspect more efficiently and increases the probability that your snagging list will be comprehensive.

Defects 1–5: Plasterwork and Ceilings

1. Skimming ridges at plasterboard joints

Where two plasterboards butt together, the joint is taped and skimmed. If the skim coat is not feathered sufficiently wide, a ridge appears once dry — visible under raking light. Check every ceiling and wall with a torch held low and angled.

2. Blow holes in skim

Tiny pits caused by air trapped in the wet skim coat. Often visible only under artificial light at an angle. Common on ceilings.

3. Trowel lines and drag marks

Caused by overworking the skim before it has set. Produces curved score-like marks across flat surfaces.

4. Plaster not returned into window reveals

The window reveal — the internal face between the wall and the window frame — is frequently under-plastered or painted without a proper skim coat, leaving a rough textured surface.

5. Ceiling coving or cornice poorly mitred

Where specified, coving should have tight mitre joints at internal and external corners. Gaps filled with filler and painted over are a defect, not a finish.

Defects 6–10: Paintwork

6. Roller marks and holidays

"Holidays" are areas missed by the roller — patches of bare plaster or undercoat visible through the finish coat, typically in corners, behind radiators, and above door frames.

7. Paint on glass, chrome, and tiles

Masking failures leave spots or smears of emulsion or gloss paint on window glass, chrome fittings, electrical face plates, and tile faces. Some can be removed by the buyer without difficulty; others require professional cleaning.

8. Poor cutting-in at junctions

Where two colours meet — ceiling to wall, wall to skirting, door frame to wall — the line should be straight and crisp. A wavy cut-in line or visible brush marks are a paintwork defect.

9. Gloss paint runs on doors and skirting

Applying gloss paint too thickly on vertical surfaces causes it to run before it sets. Runs harden into a visible sag that requires sanding and repainting.

10. Incomplete second coat

Many developers apply a single coat of emulsion to ceilings and walls. Where specified as two-coat, check coverage is even and the first coat is not visible through the finish.

Defects 11–14: Doors and Joinery

11. Doors not hanging square in frames

A door that is not plumb will swing open under its own weight (if the hinge side leans forward) or close under its own weight (if the hinge side leans back). Check every internal door.

12. Inconsistent gaps around door leaf

The gap between the door leaf and the frame should be consistent on all three sides — typically 2–3 mm. A door that rubs at one corner and has a wide gap at the opposite corner indicates a fitting problem.

13. Latch not engaging on first attempt

The latch bolt should enter the striking plate cleanly. Stiff or inconsistent latch engagement indicates the strike plate is misaligned — usually a 30-second fix but a legitimate defect.

14. Skirting board mitre gaps

At internal corners, skirting boards are scribed (not mitred) in quality joinery; at external corners, they are mitred. Gaps at either joint — particularly if filled and painted — indicate a fitting defect.

Defects 15–17: Tiling and Wet Areas

15. Tile lippage

Where adjacent tile faces are not perfectly coplanar, the edge of the higher tile creates a trip hazard and an aesthetic defect. More than 1 mm of lippage on wall tiles or floor tiles is generally unacceptable.

16. Grout not raked at movement joints

Where tiling meets a different material (bath rim, shower tray, worktop), or at internal corners, the joint should be filled with flexible silicone — not grout. Grout at these junctions will crack as the building settles.

17. Cracked tiles

Tiles cracked during installation, or laid over a substrate that moved before adhesive cured. Check every tile face under raking light and tap suspect tiles to check they are not hollow (unbonded).

Defects 18–20: External and Services

18. Gutters not falling correctly

A gutter that does not drain fully will collect standing water, fostering moss and eventually overflowing against the fascia. Check for standing water in gutters after rain, or ask your inspector to check with a level.

19. Electrical socket not level or miswired

Use a spirit level on every socket and switch face plate. Use an inexpensive socket tester to check for miswiring — a surprisingly common finding even on premium developments.

20. Boiler and heating not commissioned

The boiler should have been commissioned by a Gas Safe registered engineer and a commissioning certificate provided. Check that all radiators heat up fully, that the thermostatic radiator valves operate correctly, and that the boiler's fault history is clear on the display.

Using Your Findings

A comprehensive snagging list referencing these categories — with photographs of each item — gives you the strongest possible basis for pursuing the developer. Our [new build snagging calculator](/new-build-snagging-calculator) can help you estimate the remedial cost of items in each category and prioritise those that carry the greatest financial exposure.

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