Snagging surveys in Chichester

A proper snagging survey in Chichester goes far beyond a quick visual check at the front door. At Minerva Heights on Old Broyle Road, or in a plot near the cathedral quarter, our inspectors look for cosmetic defects, functional faults, construction issues and regulatory problems that a buyer's solicitor will not list as part of the legal pack. Paint splashes, poor plaster finish and scuffed joinery show up early, but so do doors that do not latch, windows that do not seal and sockets that sit out of square.

The bigger issue is that many new-build defects only become obvious once you start using the home properly. In a Redrow house at Lavant View or a Countryside Homes property at Saddlers Reach, we often see missing sealant, uneven flooring, gaps in skirting, kitchen fit tolerances that are off, or drainage and garden levels that are not quite right. Those are the sorts of defects that can turn into complaints later if they are not recorded while the builder is still responsible for them.

Chichester also has a strong mix of flint, Sussex brick and older conservation-area buildings around the Georgian streets near Chichester Cathedral, so buyers sometimes assume a new home will be free of the usual issues. It won't be. New-build defects are often hidden behind fresh finishes, and the local market has several active sites, including Indigo Park, Monarch Walk and Graylingwell Park, where a photo-led snag list can save weeks of back and forth. We document each item in a way the developer can work through without guesswork.

• Cosmetic defects such as paint, plaster, scuffs and poor mastic finish
• Functional defects such as doors, windows, sockets and heating controls
• Construction defects such as uneven floors, gaps in skirting and kitchen fitting issues
• Regulatory defects such as missing fire stopping or undersized ventilation
• External defects such as drainage falls, paths and garden levels

Chichester is not a generic new-town estate, and the building context matters. The city has active schemes from Bellway, Redrow, Countryside Homes, Charles Church, Miller Homes, Linden Homes and Cala Homes, including Indigo Park, The New Fields, Lavant View, Saddlers Reach, Monarch Walk, Minerva Heights, Graylingwell Park and Shopwyke Lakes. That mix of builders means the same snagging principles apply, but the details can differ plot by plot.

The local fabric is also distinctive. Chichester's historic core uses flint and Sussex brick, with Roman cross streets, the Norman cathedral and Georgian townhouses inside the conservation area, while newer schemes sit on modern estate layouts in PO19 and along the Old Broyle Road corridor. That contrast is useful for buyers, because it reminds you that a fresh finish does not mean fault-free workmanship, and it also explains why our inspectors pay close attention to external brickwork, mortar lines, sealant and rainwater goods.

Rather than rely on a town-wide figure, we check the specifics for your exact address. We do know the Harwich Formation Siltstone outcrops on the foreshore in Chichester and Langstone Harbours, and the city sits close to Chichester Harbour and West Wittering Beach, so drainage, ground levels and external falls deserve a proper check. On homes like Monarch Walk beside the River Lavant, or a new phase at Minerva Heights on PO19 3PH, we pay close attention to the details that show whether the site has been finished properly.

• Brickwork, mortar and pointing around windows and doors
• Sealant at bathrooms, kitchens and external junctions
• Drainage falls, gutters, downpipes and garden levels
• Fire stopping, ventilation and any visible safety gaps
• Boundary treatments, paving and unfinished external works