Screw pops already present before moved into new build

[sunca]

We moved into a new build last week and had a snagger round at the weekend. He noted various relatively minor things including a large number of screw pops - every wall/ceiling has numerous. Not super visible unless looking for them, we'd only noticed a couple ourselves. We've talked to the builder about the snagging list and they're mostly fine to fix stuff, but they're saying the screw pops will only be fixed if they are very visible (from 2m) and there's an excessive number in one area. Our house had sat for a few months after being built and the builder is saying this is why there are screw pops - due to normal settling. The snagger has said that is unacceptable and that moving into a new build the house should be made perfect, the fact that it sat for a while is the builder's problem not ours. Is the snagger right? We can see the builder's point of view that they only fix screw pops if they are very visible so why would the they have fixed ones that are not obvious during their snagging prior to us moving in, if they would not be fixed under normal snagging after we've lived there a while. We just want to make sure we're not being fobbed off so want to know if we can/should argue for them to fix all screw pops regardless of how obvious they are.

Note we don't want/expect them to fix for another year or so just want them to confirm they'll fix them all, regardless of how obvious/how many there are.

[Kelvin]

Firstly call them defects not snags. The important question to ask yourself is do you want them fixed or not? If they don’t fix them what will you do: leave them? Fix them yourself? Pay someone to fix them? Answering that question will determine what you do next. Personally I’d want them fixed although in reality I’d do it myself. 
 

Post up some pictures. 

[ProDave]

I think it is a myth that buildings "settle"  Yes timber will shrink and warp.

 

Screw pops are usually the result of poor workmanship.  Plasterboard needs to be flat onto what it is screwed to.  If the joists are not level then some boards will not be touching the joist and the screw will be trying to bend the plasterboard to touch, and it's just wound up like a spring and screws will pop.

 

But most definitely the builders problem to fix. 

 

Hint:  any that are not visible from 2M just give the loose plaster / filler / paint that is covering it a little encouragement to fall off so it is visible from 2M.

[ToughButterCup]

As Dave says - things might need a bit of encouragement.

[saveasteading]

7 hours ago, ProDave said:

I think it is a myth that buildings "settle"  Yes timber will shrink and warp.

 

Agreed (mostly) . I'm in a 100 year old bungalow made of timber stud on 300mm footings (at most, and not all concrete) on clay. It moves seasonally but only enough to make the front door  door stick, and a few plaster  pops.

 

There are several tiled floors, some big, and there has never been any cracking.

 

ie the timber twists here and there but the floor stays put.

 

If a building settles it will be by 2 or 3mm and in the first few months, probably during construction. I've built about 300 buildings and have had no suggestion of settlement in any. That's because we work out the maximum load, and spread it over the required area of ground according to its strength , and allow a safety factor. It should not budge. I'd think the only reason for settlement would be that the builder had over-dug or  roughed up the footing and bodged it back in.  (I have seen that).

7 hours ago, ProDave said:

most definitely the builders problem to fix. 

yes. and with  indistiguishable overpainting.