snagging - electricity / gas connections required?

House is ready for snagging - on time - early even! Have someone to do the snagging with me.

Do I need to set up an electricity account or anything to do the snagging or do the builders have a temporary one that is used for the purpose of snagging?

Likewise, do I need a gas connection to make sure the heating is working etc.

Any info appreciated.

Thanks

I don't think the surveyor snagging your house checks whether the electrics work, bought 2 newly built homes and don't remember this ever being part of the snag list. I don't think the surveyor even checks things like whether all the sockets, phone points etc are where the should be and unless you specifically tell them about problems with the electrics they won't be on the snag list. I could be wrong but I think the surveyor mainly checks for the quality of the structural work and the finish.

If you contact the builder or his solicitor you should be able to set up ESB and gas account in your name. If not the builder should be able to arrange connections in his name, then when it comes to closing house sale he takes meter readings and you arrange to have account names changed. There is a small admin charge for changing account names (this is fairly new) so this may be why builder has not set up accounts in his/ company name. A good surveyer/ snagger should check for basic problems with elecs/ heating/ plumbing etc but the electrics will have been tested and certified by a RECI registered electrician before ESB will provide connection anyway. No such cert exists for heating systems (unless for gas boiler) so any potential problems may not become apparent until you take possession, but you have a 12 month warranty in any case.

I found my snag list for my new house to be tiny, but have discovered a few problems since (blocked drain, small leak in ensuite, etc) and the builders have been superb, very responsive to calls/requests. You can be lucky, my previous encounters with a builder were disasterous.

The gas and electricity were already connected under an account in the builder's name when we did the snag list. I think this is fairly standard. Contact the builder and ask whether the gas and electricity are connected. You don't want the account to be transferred into your name until you move in. You really need electricty to the house while snagging so that you can turn lights on and get a good look. Remember to take a light bulb with you. We did have a problem with an outside light that we didn't pick up with the snag, but the builder sorted it out with no questions. Initially thought it was just a blown bulb, but it had a loose wire. It's a good idea if possible to check all the lights.

Thanks for the info.

I'm not bringing a surveyor with me, but a relative in the building trade.

I thought it would be standard to turn on the radiators, and make sure each wall socket, light socket is working etc. That's good to know that the electrics had to be certified before cxn by ESB.
This is a 2 bed house so it won't take that much time to check these things.

Anyone know how long does it take to set up an electricity account or to transfer an account before I move in?
Same for gas - couple days, wk?

Thanks.

Don't forget to bring a stepladder so that you can get into the attic to check water tank, insulation etc. Flush toilets, run bath to see what effect it has on the tank and maybe highlight any potential problems.

Only takes a phonecall as far as I know, it's all done on computer obviously, they just need the full address, meter readings, etc.....

Good thinking about the ladder...will root one out...there's a few comprehensive lists on this website of things to check also that I'll look up.

Thanks Carpenter...think I'll ring the site agent and check if they will have temporary connections in place. And if not I'll go about organising it.

I am having a new house in a development snagged at the moment. When my snagger went to the house on Saturday neither the gas nor electricity were on and the finishing foreman is saying it is up to me to get the meters installed. Reading this and other threads it seems to me that while this is not the norm they are within their rights to do this, they have given me 14 days notice to close which I think however is a bit tight if I am to arrange electric and gas connections so we can snag properly.

However what concerns me more is that they are saying they will not be commissioning the gas boiler until the purchase has closed. I would have thought this should be done prior to closing so I can have the heating and hot water systems tested as part of the snag?

dam099 said:

However what concerns me more is that they are saying they will not be commissioning the gas boiler until the purchase has closed. I would have thought this should be done prior to closing so I can have the heating and hot water systems tested as part of the snag?

Click to expand...

I arranged a time to do the snag and requested that the oil tank be hooked up so that I could test the heating system. They agreed but when it came time to do the snag, this hadnt been done. I told them I hadnt completed the snag and would not be submitting a list till I checked the heating.

Will be interesting to see what sort of feedback you get on the gas/electric query. If they (the builders) are covered legally, supplying you a house without the meters installed doesnt sound too ethical to me..

Hi AKA / Dam009

As others have said, the builder will have the electricty / gas in his name for testing and will take a meter reading when you sign and transfer to you.

Dam009 - you should insist that the boiler is comissioned before signing.

If the builder is asking you to submit a snaglist, you can submit a preliminary snag list while you wait for everything to be turned on. But make it very clear on the report that it is preliminary and list exactly what you are waiting for before a final snaglist is submmitted.

Regards testing

You are looking for the following
All sockets work
All switches turn on the correct light
Heating works
All radiators work (check radiator is hot all the way through) and that there are no leaks.

Make sure to bring some spare light bulbs and a torch.

Regards

Fintan
www.HomeSnag.ie

If I remember correctly I snagged without testing electricity and gas even though I had signed up for both connections in my name. Both electricity and gas are certified by ESB and Bord Gais respectively.

Easier than transferring from builder and I did make sure to note that only a few units of gas and electricity had been used when I moved in.

When I moved in one of the radiators wasn't heating but that was fixed by the builder's plumber by turning off all all the radiators and letting the last one heat. No manual for boiler but I'm not too concerned.

Another thing. I got 4 bills when I moved in 2x esb and 2x gas because it was some months between snag and completion. There is a standing monthly charge for esb and gas. So if you think it's going to be a long time before completion you should consider this.