Snagging Survey Canterbury

Our Canterbury snagging surveys start from £295 for a 1-2 bedroom property. A 3-bedroom home is typically £325, while a 4-bedroom property runs from £375. The price includes your inspector's travel to CT1, the full inspection, and a written photographic report delivered within 48 hours. Competitor prices in the Kent market range from £299 to £699 depending on company and property size, so our pricing is at the lower end of the Canterbury range while using inspectors with RICS, RPSA, or CIOB credentials.

We cover all active Canterbury new build developments, including Saxon Fields (David Wilson Homes, Thanington Road CT1 3XB), Larchwood (Redrow, Cockering Road CT1 3UR), and Royal Parade (Taylor Wimpey, former Howe Barracks, CT1 1XH). We also cover developments in the wider Canterbury district including the Broad Oak area (Barratt Homes, The Woodlands CT2 0NJ) and Aylesham Village (Persimmon). If your development is not listed, call us - we cover the entire Canterbury district.

A standard 3-bedroom Canterbury new build takes approximately 3 to 4 hours for a full inspection. A 4 or 5-bedroom house at Saxon Fields or Larchwood will typically take 4 to 5 hours. Our inspector works through every room methodically - walls, ceilings, floors, joinery, kitchen and bathroom fittings, roof space, external envelope, drainage, and garden. We do not rush the inspection to hit a time slot.

Before completion if at all possible. A pre-completion inspection gives you the strongest negotiating position - your developer must fix defects identified before you sign completion documents, or agree in writing that they will fix them within a set timeframe. If you have already completed, you still have two years under the NHBC Buildmark warranty to report defects. Our report is formatted to meet NHBC warranty claim requirements and can be submitted to your site manager immediately.

Yes - Canterbury's chalk bedrock creates specific risks that a thorough snagging inspector will note. The East Kent chalk is riddled with ancient dene-holes (mine shafts), solution pipes, and swallow holes that can cause localised ground movement. Our inspectors check ground-floor slabs, patio surfaces, and garden walls for any early signs of settlement or cracking that might indicate sub-surface movement. We also note whether the developer has included a building regulation certificate for foundations, which should confirm the foundation design addressed the ground conditions identified in the site investigation.

Canterbury's River Stour puts approximately 2,000 properties at risk and 15% of the Canterbury district lies in Flood Zone 3. For new build buyers, the key check is whether the drainage infrastructure for the development has been properly installed and adopted. Our inspectors check that inspection chamber covers are correctly installed, surface water drainage connections match the approved drainage plan, and that DPC heights are appropriate. Chalk aquifer groundwater is a further risk - in January 2026, rainfall was 210% of the long-term average and the Nailbourne winterbourne had already begun flowing. New builds in lower-lying parts of CT1 should have drainage specifications reviewed carefully.

Industry data from specialist snagging firms covering the Kent market suggests 50 to 200 defects per inspection are typical on new build completions, regardless of the developer. On Saxon Fields and Larchwood homes specifically, our inspectors commonly find 40 to 80 items across a 4-bedroom house - mostly minor cosmetic issues, but typically including 3 to 8 items that require proper trades remediation (drainage, airtightness, roofline, or ASHP installation issues). The important point is not the number but the severity - our reports categorise each item by urgency and required trade.

Yes. Canterbury has a significant flat and apartment market - 28.7% of CT1 housing stock is flats, driven partly by the city's large student population. We inspect new build apartments at Royal Parade (CT1 1XH) and city-centre conversions. For apartments, our inspection focuses on the internal fit-out, fire door compliance, acoustic performance between floors, ventilation systems, communal corridor finishes, and balcony or terrace drainage. We cannot inspect communal areas not accessible to the individual purchaser, but we note any visible defects in shared spaces during our access.