When you picture your new build home, you probably imagine the kitchen, the bathrooms, perhaps the master bedroom. But what about the driveway? The garden? The paths that lead to your front door?

These external areas are often an afterthought for buyers, yet they must meet specific standards set out by the NHBC. Understanding these requirements can help you spot potential problems and hold your developer accountable for delivering your home to the expected standard.

Why External Areas Matter

The drives, paths and landscaping around your property are not just about aesthetics. Poor drainage on a driveway can lead to standing water and ice hazards in winter. Inadequate ground preparation in your garden can result in waterlogging, failed plants and long-term drainage issues. Retaining walls that have not been properly designed could become unstable over time.

The NHBC Standards 2026 Chapter 10.2 sets out detailed requirements covering everything from the materials used in your driveway to the minimum depth of topsoil in your garden. These standards exist to ensure that the external areas of your new home are built to last.

Key Areas Covered by the Standards

The chapter covers a surprisingly broad range of requirements. For driveways and parking areas, there are specific construction specifications depending on the expected vehicle use, with private roads needing more robust construction than a simple private driveway used only by cars. The standards also set maximum gradients of 1:6 for drives and require transition zones where steep gradients change, preventing vehicles from grounding.

Drainage is another critical area. All paved surfaces should fall away from your home and must not be flatter than 1:40 to ensure water drains properly. If you have noticed ponding on your driveway after rain, this could indicate that the required falls have not been achieved.

Safety requirements are also specified in detail. Where there are level changes of more than 600mm, guarding at least 1,100mm high must be provided. External steps have maximum rise and minimum going dimensions, and handrails are required in certain circumstances.

Garden areas are covered too. Within 3m of your home, the ground must not be waterlogged. Where gardens are intended for cultivation, old foundations and debris must be removed from within 450mm of the surface, and a minimum of 100mm of suitable topsoil should be provided where turf or seeding is specified.

What This Means for New Build Buyers

As a buyer, you are entitled to expect that your developer has followed these standards. However, defects in external areas are common on new build properties. Drives with inadequate falls, poorly prepared gardens, missing edge restraints on block paving, and substandard finishes are issues we regularly identify during snagging inspections.

The challenge is that many of these problems are not immediately obvious to the untrained eye. You might notice a puddle on your drive but not realise it indicates a fundamental problem with how the surface was laid. You might accept a bumpy lawn without knowing that the ground beneath was never properly decompacted after construction.

Learn More in Our Full Guide

We have published a comprehensive knowledgebase article that breaks down each section of NHBC Standards Chapter 10.2 in detail. The guide explains the requirements for compliance, ground stability, retaining structures, guarding and steps, drainage, construction specifications, materials, garden preparation, decking and landscaping.

Whether you are preparing for completion on a new build, have recently moved in, or are experiencing issues with your external areas, understanding these standards can help you communicate more effectively with your developer about what needs to be rectified.

Read our full guide to NHBC Standards Chapter 10.2 – Drives, Paths and Landscaping

How a Snagging Inspection Can Help

During a snagging inspection, our inspectors assess the visible condition of your external areas alongside the interior of your home. We can identify defects such as uneven surfaces, poor drainage falls, cracked paving, inadequate guarding heights and problems with garden preparation.

Whilst a snagging inspection is not a structural survey and cannot verify hidden elements like sub-base depths, it provides valuable evidence of visible defects that your developer should address. Having a professional snagging list gives you the documentation you need to ensure your external areas are finished to the standard you deserve.

If you would like to book a snagging inspection for your new build home, please get in touch with our team. We carry out inspections throughout the UK and deliver detailed reports within two working days.