Snagging Surveys in Aberdeen

A proper snagging survey looks far beyond cosmetic polish. In Hazelwood, Countesswells and Grandhome, we check paint and plaster, but we also test doors that should latch cleanly, windows that should seal, sockets that sit square and sealant that should run without gaps. A buyer's solicitor will not pick up a kitchen unit that is out of line by a few millimetres, a badly fitted skirting board or a bathroom detail that has not been finished to the standard the brochure implied.

The same inspection also picks up construction defects that are easy to miss during a quick handover walk-through. Uneven floors, hollow plaster, poorly set thresholds, garden levels that slope the wrong way, drainage that does not fall correctly and roofline details that look rushed all end up on the list. In Aberdeen, where the weather can turn fast and surface water is a real issue in parts of the city, those external checks matter just as much as the kitchen and the en suite.

We also separate out regulatory defects, because these need a faster response. Missing fire-stopping, weak ventilation, drainage falls that do not match the design and cracking that goes beyond normal shrinkage all need to be flagged in clear language. Across Aberdeen's newer schemes, from AB15 8LX to AB22 8AE, our reports give the developer a room-by-room list, with photos, so the site team can see exactly what needs to be put right.

• Paint and plaster defects
• Door and window fit
• Joinery and kitchen tolerances
• Fire-stopping, ventilation and drainage checks

Aberdeen is the Granite City, but the snagging issues on the newer schemes are usually more about modern construction than old stonework. At Countesswells, Grandhome and Hazelwood, the dominant names in the market include Stewart Milne Homes, Barratt Homes, David Wilson Homes, Cala Homes and Dandara. Those sites bring a mix of detached houses, semi-detached homes, terraced plots and apartments, so the snag list changes with the product, from basic finish defects in a flat to garden levels and driveway runs on a larger house.

The local ground and weather also matter. Granite bedrock is generally stable, but glacial deposits and clay content in parts of Aberdeen can create a moderate shrink-swell risk, which is why we watch floor finishes, cracks and external movement closely. Flood risk is another reason to look hard at drainage, with the River Dee, River Don, coastal areas and some surface-water hot spots all relevant in the Aberdeen boundary. That is why a new home in AB15 9PL, AB15 8LX or AB22 8AE can still have drainage, paving and threshold issues even when the interior looks finished.

Aberdeen City Council area has a strong mix of older granite housing and modern builds, which changes the type of defects we expect to find. In Old Aberdeen, Ferryhill, Rosemount & Golden Square and Union Street, older masonry, pointing and damp are common talking points, while in the newer parts of the city we often find window seal defects, plaster cracking, ventilation gaps and incomplete external works. The builder's handover list may be brief, but our report sets out the defects in the language a site manager needs, with photos, location notes and clear room references.

• Countesswells, AB15
• Grandhome, AB22
• Hazelwood, AB15 8LX
• Den of Pitfodels, AB15 9PL