Scottish Borders · Scotland
New-build mastic & snagging in Smailholm, Scottish Borders
Specialist new build mastic for Smailholm: careful preparation, the right product and tidy work. Ask us for a quick quote.
- Sealant applied over dusty or wet surfaces
- Leaking shower tray seals in a new home
- Cracked sealant around new window and door frames
New build mastic in Smailholm
Our new-build work comes in two parts: plot mastic for developers, and putting right failed sealant for people who’ve bought a new home. Both get the same care over preparation, because that’s what rushed new-build sealant generally lacks. Typical jobs include gaps opening as the house dries out and settles and skirting joints opening in the first winter, on bathrooms & en suites, plot handovers and skirting & floors.
Timber frame is common in newer Scottish homes, and it settles over the first years, which shows as gaps at skirtings and floor joints. In older homes, timber floors move through the year too.
The work is covered for a year after we finish. If there’s a problem with it, please send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk.
- Place
- Smailholm (TD5)
- Region
- Scottish Borders
- Cover
- A year, on every job
- Price
- Quoted before any work starts
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Updated
- 26 October 2026
Do you need new build mastic in Smailholm?
New homes are full of moisture from plaster, screed and concrete, and it dries out over the first couple of years. Drying timber shrinks and pulls joints apart, and sealant that cannot keep up splits.
If you can see any of these, it’s time to have the joints looked at:
- Gaps opening as the house dries out and settles
- Frame joints opening as the plaster dries
- Plot mastic for developers ahead of handover
- New-build shower sealant that has already split
For jobs in and around Smailholm, choosing the right material for each joint is as important as a tidy finish.
What to look for in a quote
- Whether VAT is included
- The length of the guarantee
- How long to leave it before use
- Whether all the old sealant comes out first
New homes and floors in Smailholm
Many new homes in Scotland are timber-framed, and as the frame dries and settles, skirting and sealant joints can open up.
Around Smailholm, as everywhere, new build mastic is only as good as the preparation behind it.
Smailholm is about 10 miles east of Galashiels, in the Scottish Borders. Every kind of property in Smailholm can book us for new build mastic, old or new, large or small. Every job comes with our 12-month guarantee. Smailholm is one of 89 places in the Scottish Borders where we work for new build mastic. For nearby work, see our Edinburgh page, about 34 miles away.
We work across TD5 for new build mastic and the streets around it. If you’re just outside Smailholm, we cover Gordon (4 miles north), Stichill (4 miles east), Maxton (5 miles south-west), St Boswells (5 miles south-west) and Earlston (5 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Galashiels (10 miles west), Kelso (5 miles east), Selkirk (12 miles south-west), Jedburgh (10 miles south), Duns (14 miles north-east) and Melrose (7 miles west).
Local landmarks in Smailholm
Nearby you will also find Mellerstain House (1.6 miles north) and Kelso Hospital (4.9 miles east). Not far away are Brotherstone Hill and Bemersyde Moss.
Can I do it myself?
A careful DIYer can reseal a simple joint, such as a straightforward joint indoors. The common mistakes are sealing over old sealant, sealing a damp joint and using far too much.
If you’ve already had a go yourself, that’s fine. We remove it and do the joint properly, so just mention it when you contact us.
How we quote for new build mastic
Some jobs are bigger than they look, and some smaller. The main factors:
- The product the joint needs
- How many areas need sealing
- How much old sealant there is and how hard it is to remove
- When we can work, for business premises
Every job is a little different, so we quote each one individually. Size, access and the product the joint needs all play a part.
Helping us quote
To help us quote quickly, please include:
- How we’d reach the joints
- Whether it’s a home or a business
- If someone has resealed it before
- What’s wrong with the joints now
Call for a quick quote, or send an email if you’d rather. Tell us about the joints that need doing and we will explain what’s involved before giving you a price.
How to look after the new joints
After the cure time, these simple habits help:
- Avoid running a DIY bead over the old one
- Report sealant problems to your builder during the snagging period
- Keep water off fresh sealant until it has cured
- Clean sealant with mild detergent, not abrasives
Photograph failed sealant before it’s redone and keep the builder’s replies. It’s useful if you need to raise other issues later.
Leave a failed new-build seal and water can reach the floor and the ceiling below. Catching it early keeps the fix to the sealant.
Your questions about new build mastic in Smailholm
Is Smailholm in your area for new build mastic?
Yes. We work across all of Scotland, and Smailholm is part of that. You can send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk and let us know what needs doing, and we’ll give you a clear price.
Is there a guarantee on new build mastic in Smailholm?
All our work, in Smailholm and everywhere else, comes with a 12-month guarantee. We are also fully insured and ARBOMaster approved.
Should I go to my builder first?
If you’re still within the builder’s snagging or warranty period, report it to them first. If they’re slow or the fix does not last, we can help.
Why does sealant fail so quickly in new builds?
Cracking in the first couple of years is common as timber and plaster dry out. Poor preparation at handover adds to it.
What should I tell you?
Only a few details: the address or postcode, what’s wrong and any access issues. Then drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk.
Do you hold any approvals?
Yes. Mr Mastic is an ARBOMaster approved applicator, and we are fully insured.
Does someone need to be in?
If the work is inside, we need someone to let us in. Once we have agreed the job, you don’t need to watch us work.
Do you have insurance?
Yes. Mr Mastic is fully insured.
For landlords and businesses
In hotels, rooms out of use cost money, so the work can be planned room by room. We have worked in hotels as well as homes and businesses.
We work for letting agents and landlords as well as householders. Sealant work between tenants is a simple way to keep a property in good order before the next move-in.
Why act early in Smailholm
Sealant done properly at handover means fewer callbacks. Every return visit for a failed seal takes time and most come down to preparation. In a place like Smailholm, small leaks are easy to put off, but water behind a failed seal does the most damage when nobody’s watching.
Doing several joints on one visit usually makes better use of the time than several visits, so it’s worth mentioning everything you’d like done. We will send you a clear quote for the lot.
What you get with us
- We agree the colour with you first
- Every job guaranteed for a year
- We are fully insured
- Anti-fungal sanitary silicone in wet areas
Take a look at our cost guide and what customers say.
What we do, step by step
When we get to you, we check the joints match what you told us. If anything is different, we explain it before carrying on. After that, the work takes a few hours for most snagging lists, longer for a run of plots. Somewhere like Smailholm may be a longer drive, and the journey is planned ahead. Tell us about tracks, gates, a ferry crossing or anything unusual about getting there.
- We go through the snagging list or plot schedule and agree the joints to do.
- The old bead comes out in full, with no layer left behind.
- Surfaces are cleaned of building dust and primed where needed.
- We apply a sealant that suits each joint and tool it to a neat finish.
- Each area is checked and left with its cure time.
Preparing for the visit
- Try not to wet indoor joints just before the visit
- Let us know about earlier repairs to the joints
- Mention any parking rules near the property
Ask for a quote
For new build mastic in Smailholm, drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk. Tell us what the problem is and where, and you will get a clear quote before any work starts.