Use this checklist to snag your own new build, or alongside a professional report. Tick each item as you check it, and photograph anything wrong with something in the shot for scale.
Before You Start
- Inspect in daylight. The NHQB Pre-Completion Inspection Checklist asks for internal walls to be viewed in natural daylight from at least two metres away, not with a light shone across the surface. Marks you can only see that way usually won't count.
- Take a phone charger or plug-in socket tester, a spirit level, masking tape to mark snags, and a notebook.
- Work in the same order in every room: ceiling, walls, windows, doors, floor, fittings.
Outside
- Brickwork clean, with no cracked or chipped bricks and no mortar smears
- Pointing complete and even, with no gaps
- Render free of cracks and hollow-sounding patches
- Roof line straight, with no slipped, cracked or missing tiles (look from the street)
- Gutters and downpipes secure, joined and draining into gullies
- Paths and patios fall away from the house, not towards it
- Damp-proof course visible and not bridged: soil and paving should normally sit at least 150 mm below it
- Airbricks clear and not covered by soil or paving
- Manhole and gully covers level, undamaged and not rocking
- Fences, gates and boundary walls complete, with gates that latch
- Outside taps, lights and sockets working
Doors and Windows
- Front and back doors open, close and lock without force, with even gaps around the frame
- Thresholds sealed, with level access where it was specified
- Every window opens, closes and locks, with keys provided
- Seals intact, glass unscratched, and no condensation between the panes
- Trickle vents present and working where fitted
- Frames sealed to the wall inside and out
Every Room
- Ceilings: no cracks, nail pops or uneven patches
- Walls: even finish, with no missed paint, runs or damaged plaster
- Internal doors close and latch without catching, and handles are secure
- Skirting and architrave fitted tight, with joints filled and painted
- Floors: no squeaks, bounce or obvious slope, and flooring finished at the edges
- Every socket and light switch works (test sockets with a charger)
- Radiators get hot, valves turn, and there are no leaks at the joints
- Smoke and heat alarms fitted and working
Kitchen
- Units level and aligned, with doors and drawers that close evenly
- Worktop joints tight, with sealant along the wall and around the sink
- Taps: hot and cold the right way round, good flow, no drips
- Sink drains quickly, with no leaks under the unit
- Appliances installed and working, with manuals
- Extractor works and vents outside where it's meant to
Bathrooms and En-suites
- Sealant complete around the bath, shower tray and basin
- Tiles level and fully grouted, with none cracked or hollow
- Toilet flushes, refills properly and is fixed firmly
- Bath, shower and basin drain quickly, with no leaks
- Shower has good pressure and temperature, and the screen is sealed
- Extractor fan works, and runs on after the light where designed to
Stairs and Landing
- Handrail and balustrade firm, with no loose spindles
- Treads don't creak or move
- Smoke alarm fitted on each floor
Loft
- Insulation laid evenly across the whole loft, with no gaps at the edges or around the hatch
- Pipes and water tanks insulated
- Ventilation at the eaves not blocked by insulation
- Hatch closes, and is insulated and sealed
- No daylight through the roof and no water staining
Heating, Electrics and Services
- Boiler or heat pump works, with controls set up and explained
- Consumer unit circuits labelled
- Meters accessible, with readings noted on the day you complete
- Gaps where pipes and cables pass through walls are sealed
Paperwork to Ask For
- Warranty certificate (NHBC, LABC Warranty, Premier Guarantee or another provider)
- Building control completion certificate
- Energy Performance Certificate
- Electrical installation certificate, and gas or heat pump commissioning records
- Appliance and boiler manuals and guarantees
- All keys, including window keys and meter cupboard keys
What a DIY Check Usually Misses
Most buyers can find cosmetic snags. The expensive ones are harder: loft insulation that looks complete but isn't, drainage falls, missing cavity trays over openings, poorly sealed service penetrations, and anything that's out of tolerance but looks fine. A professional report also names the standard for each defect, which makes it harder for the developer to dismiss.
Our inspectors work to the NHQB checklist where the New Homes Quality Code applies, and every report is checked by our lead engineer. Get an instant price or see what a report looks like.