What is Snagging and Why Does It Matter?
Snagging is the inspection of a new building to identify its shortcomings. The flaws can relate to structure, woodwork, finishing, or style. After that, it is the responsibility of the builder to rectify these issues. The whole idea is to get the perfect product with no need for repairs.
The snagging matters because as laymen, we don’t know about the technicalities of house building. It is the responsibility of an independent inspector to scrutinize a building as per laws of the land, safety regulations, building quality material, durability, and aesthetically pleasing outlook. That’s why it is important to hire seasoned professionals for carrying out the job. As a real market leader in UAE’s real estate, Land Sterling can provide inspection services at your doorstep.
When we talk about the quality of life and facilities, the Gulf Tiger Dubai has no equal. The city has been ranked as the 3rd best city in the world to live and work in. That’s why for most people, it is a dream to own a residential property here. However, before doing that, you must have a complete snagging inspection of your desired place.
What Are the Benefits of Snagging?
Snagging is the assurance that your house is in the right order. It provides 3 key benefits.
Saves Repair Costs
If you buy a new house, the last thing you want is to pay the repair costs. If a house contains defects or unfinished work, it becomes an additional liability. There are cases when the quality is so poor that the buyer has to change the complete flooring or wall tiles. Paying these costs is stressful and unjust.
With Snagging, you no longer have to pay for a builder’s wrongdoings.
Ensures Safety Standards
For any house, safety comes before any aesthetics or modernization. If the building material isn’t of premium quality, it will ruin your living experience. An experienced surveyor can determine the quality of cement, concrete, bricks, and wood. Although they aren’t flashy, the whole building stands on this base.
Like Dubai, all major cities have their building construction and safety codes, snagging ensures that the house is built accordingly.
Peace of Mind
A home is a place where you go for peace. Nobody wants to live in a house full of snags. The snagging allows you to identify the snags and resolve them. So that once you move in, your place is ready to host you without any diminishing defects.
What is the Best Time to Have a Snagging Inspection Carried out?
So far, we have extensively discussed the snagging inspection and its importance. In this section, we will explain the best time to have one.
You can ask for a snagging inspection of a house in these three timelines.
Best Time: Before Making a Sales Agreement
The ideal time to have an inspection is before finalizing the agreement. As a consultant, this is the property inspection time Land Sterling recommends to its clients.
At this point, you have the maximum leverage and the upper hand. Since the builder is on the receiving end, he will be willing to make the necessary amends to close the deal. However, once you sign the contract, things change quickly. So, always inspect before the deal.
Second Option: After Moving In
There are certain builders which don’t allow an initial inspection. Some even go as far as to make it legally binding. In that case, you should order an inspection right after moving in.
During that inspection, the surveyor can freely securitize the interior and exterior of the house. Being the owner, you can give him additional time. After that, he will generate a comprehensive snagging report to highlight all the flaws. This list will be communicated to the house builder for the resolution of pointed mistakes
Last Resort: During the Warranty Period
In case, you have moved in and stayed at a place for a significant period, the last thing is to seek help from the warranty clause. Most houses have a warranty of 2 years, during which you can ask for rectification.
So, you can have a delayed snagging inspection and ask the builder to rectify the issues. However, for that, you should ask about the time frame and scope of warranty services.
Desnagging
Desnagging means the resolution of all the highlighted snags in a new house. Desnagging is the responsibility of the seller. For a new house, it takes about 4-5 weeks to remove all the pointed flaws. However, the period can vary in case the snags are greater than average.
The best practice is to have a second snagging inspection from the surveyor to see whether the snags have been rectified or not.
The Bottom Line
The snagging inspection is a critical element of house buying. It acts like a safety net, which saves your money from being wasted. For excellent results, you should know the best time to have a snagging inspection carried out. We recommend having it before signing the sales agreement.
Land Sterling provides the premium real estate solution across the UAE. Our experienced surveyor can visit any real estate property in Dubai. If you are planning to buy a new home, contact us for its snagging inspection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many snags are normal?
It depends upon the property type. For an average-sized house, the number of snags varies between 50-150.
What is a snagging checklist?
A snag checklist is a list of snags found by a surveyor in a newly built house. The list is generated by a reputed snagging company. After that, it is the builder’s responsibility to resolve these issues.
What are the most commonly found defects during snag inspections?
The most common snags include damaged stone floors, poorly fitted doors, improper plaster, poor paint finish, and damages during construction.
