Larchwood Finishing · Cliddesden, Hampshire
You priced the move to the UK down to the last pound — flights, visa, deposit. Nobody translated the one bill your new-build hands you after you've unpacked
That bill is for finishing work the builder left behind — a door that won't latch, skirting that stops halfway, paint that needs a second coat. Completely normal on a new-build, anywhere. What's harder when you've just relocated is pricing it: no neighbour to ask "is £400 fair for this", no uncle's mate who does joinery on the side, just a stranger's quote with no local number to check it against.
Larchwood Finishing — one published deposit per job, so you're not guessing what's fair in a country where you don't have a price reference yet. Up to 4 hours, from £320.00. See all 4 prices & book ↓
Builders move to the next plot once the certificate is signed, snag list or not — that part is the same for every buyer, local or not. The difference is what happens next: a long-time resident has a neighbour, a colleague, a parent who's had the same job done nearby and can say what it should cost. Relocating skips that step entirely. You're choosing a tradesperson blind, in a market you've been in for weeks, or not choosing at all and living with the door that doesn't latch.
What a finishing visit actually covers
Each category below is a flat deposit, not an estimate — it buys one visit of up to 4 hours against that specific job. See the price before you commit to anything.
Snagging & completion
The outstanding items a snag list leaves behind once the build is signed off.
£350.00
See price & pay ↓ · Get a quote instead
Joinery & second-fix
Doors, frames and skirting that were left "good enough" when the site closed.
£420.00
See price & pay ↓ · Get a quote instead
Wall & ceiling decoration
Preparation and paintwork so a room is actually ready to live in.
£380.00
See price & pay ↓ · Get a quote instead
Handover making-good
The last punch-list items before keys, a tenancy or sale photographs.
£320.00
See price & pay ↓ · Get a quote insteadWalk the rooms before you pay
Two minutes, no tools needed, before you book anything:
- Open and close every internal door — does any of them bind, drag, or fail to latch?
- Run your hand along skirting and architrave joints — any gaps, splits, or short-cut corners?
- Look at wall and ceiling paint under a side light — any patch repairs that were never recoated?
- Check your original snag sheet, if you still have it — how many lines are still unticked?
If you found more than two or three items, you're not imagining it, and it has nothing to do with where you've moved from — this is the normal state of a newly finished build. The only thing that differs by how long you've lived in the UK is whether you already knew that, or just assumed your new-build was unusually bad.
After you pay
- We confirm a visit date by email once we have your postcode and access details.
- On site, we work through your list for up to 4 hours in the category you paid for.
- If the list genuinely needs more time, you get a written price for the rest before anything extra is touched.
Who this is for — and who it isn't
This is for finishing and snagging items: doors, trim, paint, sealant, small punch-list repairs. It is not for structural work, anything needing building-control sign-off, or a warranty claim that should go back to the original builder under NHBC or similar cover. If your list turns out to be one of those once we see it, we'll tell you honestly rather than take a deposit for work we can't do.
Anyone who's bought a new-build can book this — you don't need to tell us why you're calling. It just tends to matter most if you've recently relocated to the UK, since the price is published up front and there's nothing to negotiate blind with someone you have no way of vetting locally yet.
Pay & book a visit
Not sure this is the right box? Every deposit below buys one visit of up to 4 hours against that job — if your job is bigger, request a quote instead and we will scope it properly before anything is charged.
Snagging & completion
£350.00
£350 for snagging & completion work at the UK address you supply. That pays for one visit of up to 4 hours against the items on your list, credited in full against that job.
Rough guide: from £4.00 per m² of floor area
A snag list is priced by how many items are open, not by floor area — treat this as a rough sizing guide, not a quote. For reference, a typical 2–3 bed home (around 70–100 m²) with an ordinary-length snag list usually fits inside the visit below. A long list or a larger property can run past 4 hours — ask for a quote first so we can scope it properly. This calculator gives a rough size check only — it is not a quote.
Joinery & second-fix
£420.00
£420 for joinery & second-fix work at the UK address you supply. That pays for one visit of up to 4 hours on doors, frames and timber edges, credited in full against that job.
Rough guide: from £18.00 per linear metre of skirting/architrave
Skirting and architrave work is priced by the linear metre, not by floor area — a long straight run goes faster than a room full of corners and doorways. As a reference, one room's run (roughly 12–16 linear metres, about £220–290) plus easing a door or two in the same room usually fits inside the visit below. Several rooms or a full second-fix pass will likely need more than 4 hours — ask for a quote first. This calculator gives a rough size check only — it is not a quote.
Wall & ceiling decoration
£380.00
£380 for wall & ceiling decoration at the UK address you supply. That pays for one visit of up to 4 hours of preparation and painting on the surfaces you describe, credited in full against that job.
Rough guide: from £16.00 per m²
Prepared wall/ceiling decoration (two coats, standard trade paint) is genuinely priced per m² — this is a fair unit for this job. As a reference, around 20–24 m² of wall (roughly one average room) tends to fit inside the visit below. A full redecoration of a house will need more than one visit — ask for a quote first. This calculator gives a rough size check only — it is not a quote.
Handover making-good
£320.00
£320 for handover making-good at the UK address you supply. That pays for one visit of up to 4 hours of punch-list work before keys, a tenancy start or sale photographs, credited in full against that job.
Rough guide: from £4.50 per m² of floor area
Handover punch-lists are priced by how many items are open, not floor area — treat this as a rough sizing guide, not a quote. As a reference, a typical 2–3 bed home usually fits inside the visit below. A longer list or a larger property can run past 4 hours — ask for a quote first. This calculator gives a rough size check only — it is not a quote.
Not ready to pay?
If you'd rather talk it through first, send the details below and we'll call or email back within one working day.
Get a quote instead
Questions before you book
- Is the deposit the full cost?
- For most ordinary snag lists and small finishing jobs, yes — the deposit covers up to 4 hours and is credited in full against the job. If more time is genuinely needed, we tell you the extra cost in writing first.
- When does the visit actually happen?
- We agree a visit date in writing after payment, once we know the postcode and access. Paying today reserves the job, not a clock time on a specific day.
- What if I change my mind?
- You can cancel within 14 days of payment for a full refund, as long as we haven't already fully completed the visit at your request — see Cancellation & refunds.
- Can I pay another way, not PayPal?
- PayPal is the only payment method on this site at the moment. If that doesn't work for you, send a quote request and we'll discuss alternatives directly.
- I don't have a UK bank account set up yet — can I still pay?
- Yes. PayPal accepts most international cards and existing PayPal balances, so a UK bank account isn't needed to book a visit.
- I'm not sure if my list is normal for a new-build here, or unusually bad
- Send us a few photos through the quote form below and we'll tell you honestly which category it falls into before you pay anything.
Advertisement. Larchwood Finishing is a trading name of BUILD IT DEVELOPMENT LIMITED, company number 07562253. Full company details.