Pre-completion inspection
The inspection to book if you have not completed yet. We go through the finished home before you sign, so the developer fixes the defects while they still have every reason to.
Why before completion matters
Once you have completed and moved in, you are a customer with a snag list. Before you complete, you are a sale that has not closed. Developers respond to the second one faster. A pre-completion inspection puts a numbered, photographed list of defects in front of the site manager at the moment they most want to keep you happy.
Under the New Homes Quality Code, developers signed up to the code must allow you to arrange a pre-completion inspection once they confirm the home is finished. We carry CSCS cards, so we can attend on a live site without fuss.
What we do on the day
At least two hours on site, longer for larger homes. Every room, inside and out: walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, kitchen, bathrooms, roofline, brickwork, drainage, garage, garden and boundaries. Every defect is photographed and numbered. Where a measurement matters, we measure it and note what the standard requires.
What you get
A PDF report within 48 hours, written for the site manager to act on. Each item has a number, a location, a photo and a plain description. You get a phone call to walk through it, and it is yours to send on. You can add the electrical inspection to any visit.
What is included
Included
- Every room, inside and out
- Exterior: brickwork, pointing, roofline, guttering, drainage, driveway, fences
- Doors, windows, locks, seals and ironmongery
- Walls, ceilings, plaster, decoration and sealant
- Floors, tiling, skirting and architrave
- Kitchen units, worktops, appliances and plumbing
- Bathrooms, showers, sanitaryware and seals
- Heating, hot water and ventilation operation
- Loft access, insulation coverage and storage
- Garage, meter cupboards and external taps
- Numbered, photographed PDF report within 48 hours
- Phone call to walk you through the findings
Not included
- Structural survey or engineering assessment
- Valuation or mortgage advice
- Removing fixed parts, lifting floors or opening sealed units
- Asbestos, damp specialist or drainage CCTV surveys
- Certified electrical (EICR) or gas safety certificates
- Chasing the developer to carry out the works
Our standard inspection is non-intrusive. We look, test and measure, but we don’t remove fixed parts, lift floors or open sealed units. If you want us to open things up, book the intrusive inspection.
Pre-completion questions
Will the developer let you on site?
Developers signed up to the New Homes Quality Code must allow a pre-completion inspection once the home is complete. We carry CSCS cards, which sites require for anyone attending before handover. Tell us the developer and the site and we will arrange access with them.
When should I book?
As soon as the developer tells you the home is finished and ready for inspection, usually one to three weeks before legal completion. Book us as early as you can so we can hold a date.
What if the developer refuses access?
It happens with developers outside the code. Complete, then book a snagging inspection for the first days after you move in. The report goes in under the two-year defects period.
Can I delay completion because of the report?
That is a question for your solicitor, not for us. What we can do is give you a report in a form your solicitor can put in front of the developer.
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Fully independent
No developer referrals. We only work for you.
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Trade qualified
Qualified electrician, working on new-build sites every week.
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CSCS carded
Cleared to inspect on live sites before you complete.
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Fully insured
Public liability and professional indemnity cover.
Completing soon?
Send us the plot and your completion date. We will hold a slot.