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Snagging Survey

Snagging Survey in Oadby

Independent checks for new-build homes before, or soon after, completion

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Independent snagging checks for Oadby new builds

Oadby has several new-build schemes on the go, from Gartree Road to Windrush Drive. Our snagging inspectors walk the property, photograph every defect they find, and turn it into a report you can send straight to the developer. For a 1-2 bed home, prices start from £295, and pre-completion inspections cost the same as post-completion ones.

Stoughton Park on Gartree Road, LE2 2GH, is one of the names buyers keep seeing, alongside Cottage Farm and the proposed Oadby Grange off Florence Wragg Way and Pipistrelle Way. Bellway Homes, Bloor Homes, Mulberry Homes, and Churchill Living all feature in the local pipeline, so our team is used to the sort of finish issues volume builders leave behind. We normally find 100-250 snags in a new-build home, and many are small enough to miss at a viewing but still worth fixing before the builder's defects period starts ticking away.

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Oadby New-Build Snapshot

£273,000

Average House Price, homedata.co.uk

£427,000

Detached Average, homedata.co.uk

£273,000

Semi-detached Average, homedata.co.uk

£200,000

Terraced Average, homedata.co.uk

£119,000

Flats and Maisonettes Average, homedata.co.uk

180

12-month Sales, homedata.co.uk

-30.56%

12-month Change, homedata.co.uk

100-250

Average Snags Found

4 confirmed or proposed in Oadby

Named New-Build Schemes

Using listing data from home.co.uk and property data from homedata.co.uk

What a Snagging Inspection Catches

Paint lines on the ceiling at Stoughton Park, scratched windows, plaster trowel marks, sealant gaps around a bath, and doors that do not latch. These are the sort of issues our inspectors log in Oadby all the time, and they are exactly the problems a buyer's solicitor will not pick up. A clean handover sheet does not mean the finish is right, especially on a plot that has just come off a Bellway or Bloor Homes site team.

Functional snags matter just as much as cosmetic ones. We check sockets that are out of square, trickle vents, windows that do not seal, radiators that are poorly balanced, and taps that drip after the builder has said the plot is ready. On a new-build near The Parade or on Gartree Road, these defects can hide behind fresh decoration and a shiny kitchen door.

Then there are the deeper faults. Uneven floors, badly fitted kitchens, gaps in skirting, poor falls on external paving, missing fire stopping, and ventilation that is too weak for the room size all belong on the snag list. The report gives the developer a clear list to fix, with photos and location notes, so the site manager does not have to guess which room needs attention.

Cosmetic defects
Functional defects
Construction defects
Regulatory defects

Typical Snags by Property Size in Oadby

Flat or 1-2 bed 110 snags

3 bed 145 snags

4 bed 175 snags

5+ bed 210 snags

Based on Homemove inspections and the 100-250 snag benchmark.

Why You Need It Before Completion, Or Within 2 Years

The first 2 years after completion are the defects period under NHBC Buildmark, Premier Guarantee, and LABC New Home Warranty. During that time, the developer is normally responsible for fixing snagging items, from paint faults in a Bellway plot on LE2 2GH to a door set that will not close properly in a Bloor Homes house. After that, the warranty narrows to structural matters, which is why timing matters so much.

Pre-completion inspections give you more room to get things put right while the builder still controls the plot. If our report lands before legal completion, the site team can deal with the list while trades are still on site and access is simple. Once keys change hands, the same defect can still be raised, but the discussion usually takes longer and the builder may try to argue that some issues happened after move-in.

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Why You Need It Before Completion, Or Within 2 Years

Pre-Completion, First-Week, and End-of-2-Year Snags

Timing	Best used for	What it catches	Why it matters
Pre-completion	Before legal completion	Outstanding finishes, missing items, visible defects, access problems	The builder can still fix issues before the plot changes hands
First-week snag	After move-in, while faults are fresh	Doors, windows, heating, leaks, electrical points, finish defects	Useful if completion happened before an inspection could be booked
End-of-2-year snag	Before the defects period ends	Persistent issues, repeat leaks, settlement cracks, poor workmanship	Last chance before the warranty narrows to structural-only matters

How the process works

Quote

Tell us the postcode, plot type, and whether the home is pre-completion or already occupied. We confirm the price, from £295 for a 1-2 bed home, before you book.

Instruction

Once you appoint us, we confirm the visit and keep the paper trail clear. If you are buying at Stoughton Park, Cottage Farm, or the proposed Oadby Grange site, we note the development details too.

Access coordination

We arrange the inspection window with the builder, sales agent, or site office so the inspector can get in without delay.

Inspection

Our inspector spends around 3-6 hours on site checking rooms, loft spaces where safe, externals, kitchens, bathrooms, and shared areas on flats.

Report

You receive a full photo-illustrated snag report in 2-3 working days, ready to send to the developer or customer care team.

Do not hand over the keys before the snag list is agreed

Once possession changes hands in Oadby, the builder can argue that some marks or damage happened after move-in. That is why pre-completion is the better moment if you can manage it. If the site manager signs off the list before completion, your position is cleaner, the record is clearer, and there is less room for delay once the home at Gartree Road or Windrush Drive is yours.

Local New-Build Considerations in Oadby

The local pipeline is not small. Bellway Homes is building at Stoughton Park on Gartree Road, LE2 2GH, while Bloor Homes is active at Cottage Farm. Oadby Grange is proposed off Windrush Drive, reached via Florence Wragg Way and Pipistrelle Way, and Churchill Living has a scheme near Ellis Park and The Parade. That mix means we see houses, maisonettes, and apartments, each with slightly different snag patterns, even when the frontage looks finished from the road.

Ground conditions matter here. Much of Oadby sits on Oadby Member Glacial Till over the Blisworth Limestone Formation, with medium to high plasticity ground that can shrink and swell as moisture changes. On sites like these we pay close attention to foundation detail, cracks that go beyond normal shrinkage, drainage falls, and whether external levels have been set so water runs away from the building rather than towards it.

Flooding has also left its mark. On 22 June 2023, intense rainfall caused internal flooding in 24 residential properties and 1 business property across five locations in Oadby, with Wash Brook part of the picture. There are no flood warnings or alerts as of 16 May 2026, but the local history still justifies a close look at surface water drainage, soakaways, and paving levels. Oadby & Wigston Borough Council also has planning guidance for conservation areas and listed buildings, so plot boundaries, drainage runs, and external finishes need to match what was approved.

Our inspectors also know the recurring issues seen on Bellway, Barratt Homes, David Wilson Homes, and Bloor Homes plots in and around Oadby. It is usually the same trade-level miss list, paint and plaster, doors that do not close cleanly, windows that do not seal, missing sealant, and garden levels that are not finished to spec. Nothing exotic. Just enough to annoy a buyer, and enough to leave behind if nobody walks the home room by room.

Using Your Snag List With the Developer

We format the report so it is easy to send to the site manager or customer care team. Each defect is grouped by room, marked with a photo, and written in plain English, so the builder can see exactly what needs fixing at Stoughton Park or at a plot off Windrush Drive. Serious items such as fire stopping, ventilation, drainage falls, and structural cracks are separated from cosmetic matters, which helps the right trade get called in first.

If the developer drags its feet, the warranty route depends on the provider. NHBC, Premier Guarantee, and LABC all have resolution processes, and a clean snag list with dates, photos, and location notes makes those conversations easier. We tell buyers to keep copies of every email, note every site visit, and escalate once the defects period deadline starts to matter.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When should I book a snagging inspection in Oadby?

Before legal completion is best. That gives the developer a chance to deal with the list while access is still simple, especially on sites like Stoughton Park on Gartree Road or the proposed Oadby Grange off Windrush Drive. If completion has already happened, book as soon as you can and stay inside the 2-year defects period.

How long does the inspection take?

Most Oadby new builds take 3-6 hours, depending on size, plot type, and whether there are external areas to check. A 1-2 bed flat near The Parade is usually quicker than a 5-bedroom detached house with gardens, roof spaces, and multiple elevations. The report then follows in 2-3 working days.

What counts as snaggable, and what is just wear and tear?

Fresh paint drips, cracked mastic, doors that do not latch, windows that do not seal, missing grout, and uneven flooring are all snaggable. So are missing items, poor finishes, and faults with ventilation, drainage falls, or fire stopping. Normal wear and tear matters more after move-in, but a defect that was there on day one is still a defect.

Who pays for the inspection?

The buyer pays Homemove, not the developer. That is standard across Oadby and the rest of the UK, because the inspection is your evidence pack, not the builder's service. The fee starts from £295 for a 1-2 bed home, with larger homes priced from £375, £450, and £550 depending on size.

Can the developer refuse to fix items on the list?

They can disagree with individual items, especially if they claim something is cosmetic or caused after completion. Our report gives them photos, room references, and a clear defect list, which makes a refusal harder to defend when the item is genuine workmanship or warranty-related. If the builder still will not act, the warranty provider's resolution route may come next.

Is the builder, NHBC, or the warranty company responsible?

In the first 2 years, the builder is usually the main contact for defects. NHBC, Premier Guarantee, or LABC underwrite the warranty, so they step in if the developer does not deal with a genuine issue or if a matter sits outside normal customer care. We separate cosmetic snagging from structural concerns so the right party gets the right part of the report.

I have already moved in. Is it too late?

No. You can still book a snagging survey after completion, and many Oadby buyers do exactly that after noticing a door that sticks or a window that will not seal. The job is easier if we inspect before handover, because the builder cannot argue that the fault was caused by occupancy.

What if my home is on a larger site with shared areas?

We can still inspect the plot itself and note any communal issues we can access, such as corridors, entrance lobbies, or external landscaping around apartments. On developments near Ellis Park or The Parade, that matters because shared finishes often lag behind the show home standard. The report makes it clear which items sit with the plot and which need wider site attention.