New Build Snagging Surveys in Preston.

If you're buying new in Preston, you're in one of the more active new build markets in Lancashire - and that's exactly why it's worth getting an independent set of eyes on your home before you settle in. New build sales account for roughly 5% of all property transactions in the city, well above many neighbouring towns, so you've got real choice of developments - but that also means real variation in build quality between them.

Preston is also in the middle of a genuinely large wave of new development. North West Preston, taking in the Cottam area, is allocated for around 5,500 new homes by the mid-2030s, with major schemes already under construction from developers including Morris Homes, Wain Homes, Story Homes, and Breck - alongside further building on the Preston West strategic site, opened up by the new distributor road. If you're buying into one of these newer phases, you're often one of the first residents on a freshly-laid street, without years of neighbours' experience to draw on if something's not quite right. An independent inspection gives you that same reassurance from day one, rather than finding out the hard way.

What this means if you're buying new in Preston

• You're likely paying around a 20% premium (or more) over an equivalent existing home - worth confirming that premium reflects genuine quality.

• With several major developments building simultaneously across the city, build standards vary between sites and even between phases of the same site.

• Large-scale growth areas like Cottam and North West Preston mean many buyers are among the first residents on a brand-new street, without an established local track record to lean on.

• A high volume of active sales means plenty of choice - and plenty of reason to check before you commit to one.