New builds and warranties
Finished ground on a new plot sits above the damp-proof course along one wall. What bridge is that ground, and what snag about a scratched door has not dealt with it?
That finished ground is a bridge over the damp-proof course along one wall. Soil or paving sits above the course, so moisture can pass the barrier the course was there to provide. A snag about a scratched door has not dealt with that bridge. A scratch is a mark on a door. It does not lower the ground and it does not uncover the course. The survey has recorded high ground on one wall and has not treated a door scratch as the remedy. NHBC describes Buildmark as a 10-year warranty and insurance product. This survey does not open a claim.
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?
A damp-proof course works when finished ground stays below it, so splash and soil moisture do not step over the barrier. When the plot is finished too high, paving, soil or turf covers the line and the course is bridged on that length. The survey saw this along one wall. It did not see it as a decorating item. A scratched door may already be on a snagging list the developer is discussing. That list item does not move the ground.
Tell the solicitor the ground bridges the course on one wall, and keep that separate from any scratched-door item. NHBC describes Buildmark as a 10-year warranty and insurance product. The home survey does not open a claim and does not decide that this bridge sits inside the cover. Ask the solicitor what the warranty route is, if you use one. Do not accept a painted or replaced door as the end of the ground-level note. The survey has not closed it.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Along which wall does finished ground sit above the damp-proof course?
- Did you record that high ground as a bridge, not as a door scratch?
- Has the scratched door been left out of any remedy for this ground?
What are the typical next steps?
- Treat the high ground as a bridge of the damp-proof course.
- Keep the scratched-door snag off that finding.
- Ask the solicitor about the warranty route. The survey does not open a claim.
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
If the inside plaster is unmarked, has the bridge ceased to matter?
Unmarked plaster on the day does not remove ground sitting above the course. The survey recorded a bridge on one wall and has not called the wall dry for good. A scratched door has still not dealt with the ground. NHBC describes Buildmark as a warranty and insurance product. This visit has not opened a claim and has not cleared the bridge.
Can the developer close this item by repainting the door?
No. Paint on a door does not lower finished ground and does not uncover the damp-proof course. The survey kept the bridge apart from the scratch. Closing the scratch leaves the bridge as it was. The report has not accepted decoration as the remedy, and it does not open a Buildmark claim.