Independent defect reports for new-build homes in RG17
New-build homes in Hungerford, West Berkshire, often sit beside older High Street properties, floodplain land near the River Kennet, and a small number of recent housing schemes in and around RG17. Our snagging inspectors walk the property, document every defect with photos, and produce a report you can send to the developer before the snagging window closes. It is a practical job, not a box-ticking exercise.
The local picture matters here. Local data for Hungerford turns up one confirmed planned scheme for 12 dwellings in the draft Neighbourhood Plan, plus the Chestnut Walk conversion, while search results also surface Lapwing Green in Speen, Knights Grove in Newbury, and Woodlark Place in Newbury, all outside the town boundary. That mix tells you something useful, the Hungerford market is small, but the defects on a new home in RG17 can still be just as numerous as anywhere else.
£573,000
Average house price
-1.59%
12-month price change
67
Residential sales in the last 12 months
60%
Homes with 3 or more bedrooms
100 to 250
Average snags found per new-build home
12 dwellings
Confirmed local new-build pipeline
Using listing data from home.co.uk and property data from homedata.co.uk
A proper snagging inspection in Hungerford starts with the obvious things. Paint lines on a flat in RG17 7, plaster around a window reveal, a scuffed skirting board, a poor silicone joint in a kitchen. Those are the defects buyers see first, and they are also the easiest for a developer to dismiss unless they are photographed and written down clearly.
The less obvious issues matter more. Our inspectors check doors that do not latch, windows that do not seal, sockets that sit out of square, and kitchen units fitted with poor tolerances. On a new house off the A4 or a plot close to Charnham Street, we also look closely at drainage falls, garden levels, boundary treatments, and whether external works match the plan.
Then there are the items a solicitor will not catch. Missing fire-stopping, undersized ventilation, gaps in cavity barriers, or structural cracks that go beyond normal shrinkage need a separate line in the report. Hungerford has 138 listed buildings and a long history of timber-frame and brick construction, so local buyers tend to notice workmanship fast, but a snagging report turns that concern into a document the builder has to read.
Source: Homemove inspection benchmark
The timing is the key point in Hungerford. Before legal completion, the developer still holds the cards, and that gives our snagging inspectors the best chance of getting defects agreed while access is straightforward. Once keys are handed over, the conversation changes, and the site team is less likely to treat each item as part of the handover.
Under NHBC Buildmark, Premier Guarantee, and LABC New Home Warranty, the first 2 years are the defects period. That is the window where snagging finds the problems a new owner can ask the developer to put right, from a badly fitted door on a new plot in RG17 to settlement cracks around a window reveal. After 2 years, the warranty narrows to structural issues, so the ordinary snag list becomes much less useful.
Tell us the property type, the postcode, and whether completion is still pending. A 3 bed house in Hungerford, for example, is priced from £375, while a 1 to 2 bed flat or house starts from £295.
Once you approve the quote, we book the inspection and confirm the handover timing. For a home near the River Kennet or on an edge-of-town plot in RG17, we plan the visit around site access and the developer's availability.
We coordinate with the builder or site manager so the inspector can get in without delay. That matters on smaller Hungerford schemes, where one access slot may cover more than one plot.
Our inspector spends around 3 to 6 hours on site, checking finishes, fittings, floors, windows, drainage, and external works. Bigger homes, such as 4 bed and 5+ bed plots, take longer because there is simply more to test.
You receive a full photo-illustrated report within 2 to 3 working days. It is written so the developer can see each item, each location, and what needs fixing before the 2-year defects period moves on.
In Hungerford, once completion happens, your leverage drops sharply. If the developer still owns the handover, pre-completion snags can be agreed while the site team is in control of the plot, which is far easier than trying to reopen the discussion after moving day near the High Street or off the A4.
Hungerford is not a place where new development is happening in a single big wave. Local data points to a 12-dwelling allocation in the draft Neighbourhood Plan, which passed referendum on 27 November 2025, plus the Chestnut Walk planning application, reference 26/00555/REG3. Search results also surface nearby schemes in Speen and Newbury, including Lapwing Green by David Wilson Homes, Knights Grove by Cala Homes, and Woodlark Place by Charles Church, but those sit outside the Hungerford boundary and should not be treated as local plots in RG17.
That distinction matters for snagging. In a small town like Hungerford, one site can be traditional brick and tile, another may be a conversion, and a nearby development in Speen may be marketed to the same pool of buyers even though it is not in the parish. Our inspectors look at the build type in front of us, not the sales brochure, so a new house with render, a flat above converted space, or a timber-frame plot gets the right level of scrutiny.
The ground conditions also deserve attention. To the north and south of Hungerford there are extensive cretaceous chalk areas, while the valley bottom is largely alluvial with some gravel and London clay. The town has a severe flood risk score of 82, the River Kennet, River Dun, and River Shalbourne are designated flood warning areas, and older flood points around Charnham Street and Bridge Street still shape how people think about drainage and finished levels.
We write the snag list in a format the developer can use straight away. Each defect is tied to a room, a photo, and a short description, so a site manager on a Hungerford plot can work through it without guessing what has been seen. That saves time, and it cuts down on the back-and-forth that often follows a vague email.
If the builder drags its feet, the warranty route depends on the provider and the defect. NHBC, Premier Guarantee, and LABC all have resolution paths, and those are more useful when you have dated photographs and a report that names the issue clearly. On a new home near the River Kennet or the A4, that paper trail matters if drainage, sealing, or ventilation problems need escalation.
Before legal completion is best, especially if your new home is one of the 12 dwellings proposed in the draft Hungerford Neighbourhood Plan or a plot in RG17 near the High Street. If completion has already happened, book as soon as possible within the 2-year defects period so the developer is still responsible for putting things right.
Most Hungerford inspections take around 3 to 6 hours, depending on the size of the home and how much external work is finished. A 4 bed house on a local edge-of-town site will usually take longer than a compact flat, because there are more windows, more fittings, and more surfaces to test.
Anything from poor paint and plaster to doors that do not latch, windows that do not seal, and sockets that sit unevenly. Severe defects matter too, so we also flag fire-stopping, ventilation, drainage falls, and cracks that look beyond normal shrinkage, which is especially important in a town with flood warnings around the River Kennet and River Dun.
The buyer pays, not the developer. Homemove's snagging fees start from £295 for a 1 to 2 bed flat or house, £375 for a 3 bed house, £450 for a 4 bed house, and £550 for a 5+ bed house, whether the visit happens before completion or shortly after moving into a Hungerford home.
They can challenge an item, but they should not ignore a valid defect within the 2-year warranty period. In practice, a clear report with photos gives the site manager a better chance of agreeing the issue quickly, whether the home is on a small Hungerford plot or part of a larger nearby scheme in Newbury.
The builder is normally the first point of responsibility for defects in the first 2 years. NHBC Buildmark, Premier Guarantee, and LABC New Home Warranty sit behind that as the warranty route, and they matter more if the builder does not respond or if the issue needs escalation after repeated chasing.
You can still have a snagging inspection done, and many owners do, especially if they notice sticking doors, leaks, or poor finishes after settling in near Charnham Street or the River Kennet. The main limit is time, because after the 2-year defects period the warranty narrows to structural matters, so a first-year report is far easier to use.
From £400
For second-hand homes in Hungerford, including older High Street properties and houses with non-standard repairs.
From £95
Check energy performance before buying or letting a home in RG17, including newer plots and converted stock.
From £795
Legal support for a Hungerford purchase, from initial checks to completion.
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Independent defect reports for new-build homes in RG17
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Homemove is a trading name of HM Haus Group Ltd (Company No. 13873779, registered in England & Wales). Homemove Mortgages Ltd (Company No. 15947693) is an Appointed Representative of TMG Direct Limited, trading as TMG Mortgage Network, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 786245). Homemove Mortgages Ltd is entered on the FCA Register as an Appointed Representative (FRN 1022429). You can check registrations at NewRegister or by calling 0800 111 6768.
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