Thermal snagging for new builds
Find missing insulation, leaks and thermal bridging in your new home, with no invasive work.
Available Files: Thermal Imagery & Thermographer Reports
IR
Radiometric Imagery
None
Invasive Works
Level 2
Thermographer
0
Days of Scaffold
Thermal Snagging Surveys
A new build home should be warm, dry and energy efficient, but some of the most expensive snags are hidden inside the walls, floors and roof. Missing insulation, leaks and thermal bridging can be almost impossible to spot on a standard snagging walk-round.
A thermal snagging survey uses infrared imaging to show them clearly. We combine an internal thermal inspection with an external drone survey of the whole building envelope, so anomalies can be confirmed from both sides.
Our BINDT Level 2 qualified thermographers analyse the images and produce a written report you can take to your housebuilder, giving you clear evidence of what needs putting right.
Example Image Quality
Click each image to view example image quality
What Your Thermal Snagging Survey Includes
Every snagging survey is delivered digitally, ready to share with your housebuilder or warranty provider.
| Deliverable | What it is | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Internal thermal inspection | Room-by-room thermal images of walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors. | Standard |
| External drone thermal survey | Thermal images of every elevation and the roof, captured by drone after dark. | Standard |
| Matching 4K imagery | Visual images alongside the thermal ones, so every anomaly can be located. | Standard |
| Thermographer’s report | Written findings from our BINDT Level 2 qualified thermographer, ready to share with your builder. | Standard |
| Digital delivery | A secure download link for all images and reports. | Standard |
| Thermal reinspection | A follow-up survey after repairs, to confirm the work has been done properly. | Optional |
| Chimney and solar checks | Thermal inspection of any chimney or solar panels fitted to the property. | Optional |
Thermal surveys need at least a 10°C difference between inside and outside, so we’ll ask you to turn the heating up beforehand, and we usually survey after dark.
At a Glance
Capture
Thermal + 4K
Inspection
Inside & out
Best time
After dark
Analysed by
Thermographer
Scaffold needed
None
Coverage
Mainland UK
Get a Quote
Send us an address. We will come back the same working day with a price and a scope.
What Thermal Snagging Can Find
Thermal imaging shows defects that a standard snagging inspection can easily miss, including:
Under most new home warranties, the builder is responsible for putting defects right in the first two years, so finding problems early matters. A thermal survey gives you clear evidence, without any invasive work on your new home.
The result?
Clear, independent evidence of hidden defects, so your builder can put them right while your home is still under warranty.
Before completion
Pre-completion thermal checks
Under the New Homes Quality Code, buyers of homes from registered developers have the right to a pre-completion inspection before they legally complete.
A thermal survey can sit alongside that inspection or your snagging list, picking up hidden insulation and moisture problems that a visual check can’t. Once repairs have been made, a thermal reinspection confirms the work has been done properly.
Get hidden defects on record early, while your builder is still responsible for fixing them.
CAA
CAA Operational Authorisation 11363
Fully insured, with £10m public liability and specialist UAV cover
Why drones
Why use a drone for thermal snagging?
From the ground you can’t properly see the roof, the upper storeys or the tops of walls. A drone captures the whole building envelope from the right angle, so nothing is missed.
- No one at height. The roof and upper storeys are captured without ladders or scaffolding.
- Inside and out. External drone images confirm anomalies found during the internal inspection.
- Nothing invasive. There’s no need to lift floors, open walls or drill test holes.
- Clear evidence. Images and a written report you can share with your housebuilder.
- Any housebuilder, any size. From a single new home to a whole development.
Heat loss mapped across the whole home, with no invasive work.
Sectors We Cover
Thermal snagging for buyers, investors & housebuilders
We survey new homes for buyers and property investors, and work with housebuilders who want evidence that their homes meet the standards they set. We can survey homes from any UK housebuilder.
Our service is suitable for
- ›Offices and commercial premises
- ›Warehouses, factories and industrial buildings
- ›Retail units, shopping centres and retail parks
- ›Residential apartment blocks and housing developments
- ›Housing association and social housing properties
- ›Schools, colleges, universities and education estates
- ›Hospitals, clinics and other healthcare buildings
- ›Local authority and public-sector buildings
- ›Historic, heritage and listed buildings
- ›Hotels, leisure centres and hospitality properties
- ›Care homes and assisted-living facilities
- ›Distribution centres and logistics hubs
- ›Churches and places of worship
- ›Agricultural and rural buildings
- ›MOD, defence and secure estate buildings
- ›Prisons and custodial facilities
- ›Construction sites and newly completed developments
- ›Multi-site commercial and residential property portfolios
For clients with assets spread over large areas, we build a consistent visual library of the external envelope of every asset, helping teams compare condition and prioritise maintenance.
Why choose us
Why choose Drone Site Surveys?
Drone Site Surveys specialises in professional survey and inspection data capture rather than general aerial photography.
Our pilots work specifically across commercial and domestic properties, as well as building, construction and land surveying environments. With experience in roof and façade inspections, they understand how to capture clear, relevant imagery that supports practical condition assessment, defect identification and informed decision-making.
Clients choose Drone Site Surveys for our specialist experience, professional standards and independent approach:
How it works
Our thermal snagging survey process
From first enquiry to secure delivery, every survey follows the same six steps, so you always know what happens next and when.
Tell us about the property
Email us the address with postcode, your completion or move-in date, and what you need. We’ll come back with the options available.
Planning and quote
We carry out a desktop assessment of the property and the surrounding airspace, check the survey against current UK drone regulations, and prepare your quote. You receive it by email with no obligation, along with the airspace map for your site and an example delivery so you can see exactly what you’ll be getting.
Booking your date
Once you’re happy with the quote we add your job to the schedule and start monitoring the Met Office forecast. In the meantime we prepare the pre-flight paperwork, including our risk assessment and method statement (RAMS), which we can send over for your records. As soon as we have a clear weather window and pilot availability, we confirm your attendance date. You don’t normally need to be on site.
The survey
Our BINDT Level 2 thermographer inspects the home inside, and our CAA approved pilot captures the outside in thermal and UHD 4K, usually after dark.
Processing
Every image is checked and organised into colour-coded folders. Any thermal analysis or reporting you’ve asked for is completed at this stage.
Delivery
We email you a link to our secure online portal, where your imagery, reports and any other agreed outputs are ready to view, download and share with your team or contractors. Alongside the deliverables you’ll find a folder containing the pre-flight paperwork, a copy of the drone airspace map for your site and any other relevant documents, so everything from the survey is in one place.
Request a Quote
Request a thermal snagging survey quote
Whether your home is nearing completion or you’ve already moved in, we can tailor the survey to your property and your requirements.
Send us the address and a brief description of what you need, and we will come back with clear pricing and deliverable options.
Prefer to Speak to Us?
If you’d rather speak to one of the team, that’s no problem. Simply call the number below and one of our team will be more than happy to help.
Get a Quote
In The Know
Frequently Asked
Questions
Answers to the questions we are asked most often about thermal snagging surveys. If yours is not covered here, give us a call.
What is a thermal snagging survey?
A thermal snagging survey uses infrared imaging to find hidden defects in a new build home, such as missing insulation, thermal bridging, air leakage and leaks. We combine an internal inspection with an external drone survey of the whole building.
When should I have a thermal snagging survey?
As soon as possible after you move in, while your builder is still responsible for fixing defects. Most warranties expect the builder to fix defects in the first two years, but every policy is different, so check yours.
What conditions are needed?
Following BS EN 13187, there needs to be at least a 10°C difference between inside and outside temperatures. We’ll ask you to turn the heating up beforehand, and the survey is usually carried out after dark, when surfaces are dry and it isn’t too windy.
Do I need to be at home?
Yes, for the internal part of the survey. We’ll also ask you to move furniture away from external walls beforehand, so the wall temperature can settle.
Can I use the report with my housebuilder?
Yes. Our reports are written by a BINDT Level 2 qualified thermographer and give clear evidence of any defects, which you can share with your housebuilder or warranty provider.
Does it replace a standard snagging inspection?
No. A standard snagging inspection looks for visible defects like poor finishes and faulty fittings. A thermal snagging survey finds hidden defects behind walls and ceilings, such as missing insulation and air leaks. Many buyers have both.
Do you offer reinspections?
Yes. Once repairs have been made, a thermal reinspection confirms the work has been done properly. We offer 25% off all thermal reinspections.
Which housebuilders do you work with?
We can survey homes built by any UK housebuilder, and have surveyed homes from many of the largest national builders.
Do you use a drone for snagging?
Yes, for the roof and upper walls, which are hard to see from the ground. The rest of the survey is carried out with a thermal camera inside and around the home.