Most Common Snagging Issues Found in Irish New Builds

After hundreds of inspections across Dublin, Meath and Louth, the same defects appear over and over. These are the most common snagging issues we find in Irish new builds — ranked by how often they show up. They turn up on almost every new build snagging Ireland inspection we carry out.

1. Paint and Finish Defects

Roller marks, drips, missed cut-ins around skirting, paint overspray on hinges and switches. Found on virtually every inspection. Individually trivial, collectively significant.

2. Sealant Gaps

Around bath aprons, shower trays, basins, kitchen sinks, window reveals. Sealant failures are the single most common cause of avoidable water damage in new homes.

3. Internal Door Alignment

Doors that don't latch cleanly, scrape the frame, or sit unevenly. Often seen on multiple doors per property as the structure dries and settles. Doors are one of many interior items checked during snagging.

4. Sockets, Switches and Alarms

Faulty or loose sockets, switches that don't function, smoke and CO alarms not commissioned, consumer unit circuits unlabelled.

5. Insulation Gaps in the Attic

Insulation displaced near hatches, water tanks and pipework. Usually invisible without going up there — and one of the issues with the largest long-term energy cost, which is why it heads our builder defects list.

6. Render and External Finishes

Hairline cracks at openings, lipping at brick / dash junctions, gutter alignment causing drips. More frequent on exposed sites, and covered in full under exterior checks during snagging.

7. Drainage Falls

Driveways and paths sloping toward the house, gully positions causing pooling, shower trays draining slowly.

All of the above appear in our top-25 Dublin defects list with more granular detail.