What's normal in a new build: cracks, nail pops and condensation

New homes move as they dry out. Some things that look like defects are expected, and knowing them makes your list more credible.

A new house contains a great deal of water from plaster, concrete and mortar. Over the first year or so, it dries out and timbers shrink slightly. That causes some small, predictable changes. They're still worth noting, and many developers fix them in a single visit once the house has settled, but they aren't usually treated as defects.

Usually expected in a new home

Cracks up to 2mm wide where walls meet ceilings and floors.
Screw or nail heads showing through plasterboard as timbers dry.
Gaps opening up between skirting and floor, and at skirting joints.
Some tooling marks in plaster.
Minor squeaks in timber floors and stairs as they dry.
Condensation on windows in the first months. Keep trickle vents open, use extractor fans, and heat the home steadily.
Your Building Control completion certificate can take several weeks to arrive. Ask when to expect it.
White salt bloom on new brickwork (efflorescence) is common and fades over time.
Some colour and texture variation between bricks is expected and often intentional.
Hairline cracks in render can occur and don't always affect performance.
Uncoated timber cladding weathers to a silver-grey, and not always evenly.
Some temporary standing water within the size and depth limits is acceptable.
New turf and planting may need watering by you once you've moved in. Check your handover pack for who's responsible.
A crack up to 4mm where the stair string meets the wall is normal shrinkage.
Small cracks in walls that run past floor levels on staircases can occur.
No exact gap measurement is set for cupboard doors and drawers: they're judged by eye for evenness.
Small height differences where worktops meet can be unavoidable; a significant step is not acceptable.
Silicone sealant can shrink back slightly as a new bath settles. Report gaps, but expect some resealing as normal maintenance later on.
Boiler pressure can drop slightly in the first weeks as air works out of a new system. Your manual explains how to top it up.
Some condensation on the underside of the roof membrane is common in a new home's first winter while the building dries out. Persistent dripping isn't.
Unsealed concrete garage floors can give off dust.
Garage floors are sometimes built with a fall for drainage or fire separation.

When "normal" isn't normal

Report it anyway if a crack is wider than the limit, keeps growing, runs diagonally from a window or door corner, or reappears after repair. Report damp, mould or water staining in all cases.

How to check

Finish

Cracks

How to check: Check where walls meet ceilings and floors, around door frames, and above windows. Measure the widest point with a gap gauge. Note any crack that runs diagonally from the corner of a window or door.
What good looks like: Cracks up to 2mm wide at wall, floor and ceiling junctions are normal drying shrinkage. Wider cracks, diagonal cracks from openings, or cracks that keep growing should be reported.

NHBC 9.1.3.3

Function

Damp, mould or water staining

How to check: Check external wall corners, around windows, behind where furniture will go, and ceilings under bathrooms.
What good looks like: None visible.

Approved Document C

Regulations

Trickle vents

How to check: Look along the top of each window frame for slot vents. Open and close each one.
What good looks like: Where your home relies on trickle vents, they should be fitted, working, not painted shut, and high in the room (typically at least 1.7m above the floor). Homes with whole-house heat recovery ventilation (MVHR) normally have none: check your handover pack.

Approved Document F Vol 1 (2021)

Rugby Snagging Co. isn't connected with or endorsed by NHBC, the New Homes Quality Board or the New Homes Ombudsman Service.