Plumbing snags
The category where a missed defect can get expensive fastest — small drips become real damage by month six.
What to check
- Leaks at every connectionUnder every sink, behind every panel you can access, around the toilet base, every isolator valve.
- Water pressureRun hot and cold simultaneously at the kitchen and bathroom. Sluggish flow can indicate a partially-closed valve or debris in the line.
- Drainage speedFill each basin and bath, then watch the empty time. Building debris commonly partially blocks new-build drains.
- Toilet flush and refillEvery WC fills cleanly within a minute, flushes fully, stops running. No phantom refilling.
- Hot water reaches every tapRun hot water at the furthest taps from the boiler. Hot should arrive in reasonable time — long waits suggest pipework issues.
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 →
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