Paintwork snags
The category that fills more lines on a snag list than any other — and the one that pays off most from a slow, careful look.
What to check
- Chips and knocksLook on door frames, skirting boards, corners and stair spindles where furniture and feet catch.
- Uneven coveragePatches where the wall colour shows through, edges that thin out, roller lines visible in low light.
- Brush marks and dripsCutting-in marks at the ceiling line, drips down skirtings and architraves, runs on doors.
- Splashes on woodworkWall-paint splashes on white woodwork — door frames, skirting, window boards. Easy to miss in direct light.
- Missed spotsTops of doors, behind radiators, inside cupboards, the side of architraves. Common painter oversights.
What’s normal vs. what’s a snag
See the full explanation of NHBC viewing distances, allowed tolerances and where to push back in our pillar guide: What “within tolerance” really means →
Related categories
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