Snagging vs a house survey

Different jobs

Snagging looks at a new dwelling against the standard of workmanship you were sold - finishes, fittings, and incomplete items the builder should still make good.

A house survey (often called a pre-purchase inspection or building survey) looks at an existing property: structure, damp, roof, services, alterations. It is the search people run for older homes, not “snagging”.

New build: snagging

If the house has just been handed over, or is about to be, hire snagging. You want a punch list the site manager can action, with photos tied to rooms and drawings.

A structural engineer can still be brought in if the snagging visit finds cracking, movement, or water that looks like more than a finish defect.

Older home: survey

If you are buying a second-hand house in Ireland, book a surveyor. Phrase your search as house survey, building survey, or pre-purchase inspection - not snagging.

Surveyors produce a condition report. They rarely pin fifty cosmetic items on a floor plan; that workflow is for new-build snagging firms.

Once-lived-in new estates

Some “new” houses have been occupied for a year. You can still snag unfinished builder work, but you may also want damp and heating checked as you would on any home. Be clear with the inspector which job you are booking.