Roof Inspections
New-Build Roof Snagging: What to Check Before You Move In (Naas, Lucan and Dublin)
Buying a new-build home in Naas, Lucan or Dublin? The roof, gutter and attic snags worth checking before closing, and how to raise them with the builder.
New housing estates are going up all around Naas, Lucan, Clondalkin, Swords, Balbriggan and the edges of South Dublin. A brand-new roof should be the last thing you worry about, and most are built well. But roofs on new homes are finished quickly, often by several trades in a row, and small mistakes are easy to miss when the scaffolding comes down.
The best time to spot them is before you close the sale, while the builder is still on site and fixing snags is part of the handover. This guide covers the roof, gutter and attic items worth adding to your snag list, and what to do if something turns up after you move in.
Safety first: none of these checks need you on a ladder or the roof. Do them from the ground, from upstairs windows and from the attic hatch. Leave anything higher to your snagging surveyor or a roofer.
Why roof snags matter on a new home
Roof problems on a new build rarely look dramatic on day one. A missing clip, a badly dressed flashing or a blocked vent can sit quietly through a dry summer and only show up in the first proper Atlantic storm or a cold, damp winter. By then the builder may have left the estate and the conversation is harder.
Irish new builds are also very airtight and well insulated, which is good for heating bills but means ventilation details in the roof and attic matter more than they did in older houses. Condensation from poor attic ventilation is one of the more common issues we see in newer homes.
Paperwork to ask for first
Before looking at the roof itself, it helps to know what has been certified.
- Certificate of Compliance on Completion (CCC). Under the Building Control Regulations, a new house needs a completion certificate signed by the builder and an assigned certifier. The Law Society notes that a building cannot be opened, occupied or used until the certificate is registered by the building control authority. Your solicitor will normally check this, and the register can be searched on the Building Control Management System.
- Structural warranty. Many new homes come with a latent defects warranty from a provider such as HomeBond or Premier Guarantee. Read the actual policy you are given: what is covered, for how long, and how quickly you must report a problem. Water ingress and structural cover can have different time limits, so do not assume everything is covered for the full term.
- Roof product details. Ask which roof tiles or slates, underlay, ridge system and roof windows were used. It makes matching a broken tile or finding a spare part far easier in ten years' time.
Outside checks from the ground
Stand back on the road or the green and look at each roof slope in good light. Binoculars or the zoom on your phone camera help.
| What to look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Straight, even rows of tiles or slates | Kinks or lifted tiles can mean poor fixing or a batten problem |
| Cracked, chipped or mismatched tiles | Often damaged by other trades walking on the roof |
| Ridge and hip tiles sitting evenly, with no gaps or loose caps | Dry ridge and dry verge systems must be fully clipped and capped |
| Neat verge finish at the gable ends | Missing dry verge units or loose mortar let wind and rain in |
| Lead or flashing at walls, chimneys and roof windows dressed tight | Gaps here are a classic source of early leaks |
| Solar panels sitting level with tidy cable entries | Panel brackets and cable routes must not lift or crack tiles |
| Fascia and soffit straight, with no gaps at corners | Gaps let birds in and can show rushed finishing |
If you see paint, mortar, cable offcuts or packaging on the roof or in the gutters, note it. Builders' debris often ends up blocking gutters and outlets.
Gutters and downpipes
Gutters on new homes are often fitted before the final landscaping and can get knocked or blocked during the last weeks of work.
- Gutters run with an even, slight fall towards the outlets, with no obvious dips
- Joints and corners are fully clipped and not dripping after rain
- Downpipes are fixed to the wall and connected into the gully or drain, not just resting on it
- Water from a higher roof is not dumped straight onto a lower roof without a spreader or shoe
- No staining or damp patches on the walls under gutter joints
If you can, visit the house during or just after heavy rain. Ten minutes watching how the water behaves will tell you more than any dry-day walkround.
Inside the attic
Many new homes have a ladder-free attic hatch, so you may only be able to look in from the opening with a torch. That is enough for most checks, and your snagging surveyor can go further. Do not walk on insulation or between joists.
- Insulation laid evenly and not pushed into the eaves, where it can block airflow
- Ventilation path clear at the eaves, with any eaves trays or vents visible
- Underlay or membrane intact, with no tears, gaps or daylight showing around pipes
- No damp patches or water marks on timbers, insulation or the back of the ceiling
- Extractor fan ducts run outside to a proper roof or wall vent, not left loose in the attic
- Water tank lagged and covered if there is one, and pipework insulated
- Attic hatch sealed and insulated so warm, moist air from the house does not leak into the attic
Bathroom and kitchen fans venting into the attic, rather than outside, is a snag we still find in newer houses. Over a winter it can soak the underside of the roof. We cover the signs in our guide to bathroom extractors venting into the attic.
Roof windows and flat-roof areas
If your new home has roof windows, a flat-roofed porch, bay or rear extension, give those a closer look.
- Roof windows should open and close smoothly, lock properly and have a tidy flashing kit around them. Check the inside lining for any water marks.
- Flat roofs should drain towards an outlet with no large standing puddles a day after rain.
- Check where a flat roof meets the house wall. The upstand and flashing should be neat and continuous.
How to raise roof snags with the builder
Most developers have a snag process with a deadline, so it pays to be organised.
- List everything in writing, with a photo and the location (for example, "rear slope, third row from ridge, cracked tile").
- Send it through the builder's official channel and keep a copy with the date.
- Ask for a fix date and check the work once it is done, ideally after rain.
- Keep records after you move in. If a leak or damp patch appears later, photograph it straight away and report it to the builder, and check your warranty policy for how to notify the provider.
A professional snagging surveyor is worth considering for the whole house. For the roof specifically, a roofer can carry out a closer check from a ladder or with a drone where access allows. We explain the pros and cons in drone roof inspection vs close inspection.
Already moved in and found a problem?
It is not too late. Small roof issues on newer homes, like a slipped ridge cap, a dripping gutter joint or a loose dry verge, are usually quick fixes. The important thing is to act early, before water gets into the insulation or ceilings.
If the house is still within the builder's snag period or warranty, report it to them first so you do not affect your cover. If the builder has finished on the estate or the issue falls outside what they will fix, we can inspect it, explain what we find in plain language and give you a written quote.
Need a second pair of eyes on a new roof?
We work on homes across Naas, Lucan, Dublin City, North Dublin, South Dublin, Bray, Wicklow and nearby areas, including newer estates. Send us a few photos of anything that worries you and we will tell you whether it looks like a snag worth raising, a quick repair, or nothing to worry about.
Contact us by WhatsApp, call 083 066 3462, or email hi@perfectroofing.ie.
Need a roofer to take a look?
Send a few photos on WhatsApp, email us, or tap the number to call. We cover Dublin City, North Dublin, South Dublin, Lucan, Bray, Wicklow, Naas, and nearby locations.
