New builds and warranties
What should you ask if the sales brochure does not match the boiler or the windows on the plot?
Ask the solicitor to compare the specification in the contract with what is installed, and ask the surveyor only what they could see. A brochure is marketing. A home survey is not a specification audit. NHBC Buildmark does not promote the kitchen in the brochure to a warranted item just because the photograph was nicer.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
Typical mismatches are the boiler model, the glazing, the hob, and the floor finish. The surveyor can say what is on the wall. They cannot say what the contract promised unless you gave them the contract and they agreed to look. RICS home surveys are about condition. A brand-new boiler of the “wrong” brand may be in perfect condition and still be a contract dispute.
Do not ask for a price cut from a condition rating if the issue is the specification. Do not ignore a leaking joint because the boiler brand is correct. There is no RICS price for a swapped appliance. Put the contract schedule next to the photo.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- What appliance and windows did you actually see?
- Were you given a specification to check against?
- Are any of those items defective, or merely different?
What are the typical next steps?
- Give the contract specification to your solicitor.
- Do not use a rating to win a brand argument.
- If something is both different and defective, say both.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Is an EPC the specification?
No. An EPC is an energy model. It is not the brochure and not the survey.
Does a show-home upgrade transfer?
Only if the contract says so. The survey of the plot cannot import the show home.