What a Snagging List Actually Is
A snagging list (or “snag list”) is a documented record of defects, unfinished items and quality issues identified at the end of a construction project. “Snags” are usually minor — a paint run, a misaligned cupboard door, a gap in the silicone — but left unrecorded they have a habit of never getting fixed.
The list exists for one reason: to make sure the finished work meets the standard you agreed and paid for, before you release the final payment. It turns a vague feeling that “something is not quite right” into a clear, agreed set of actions with owners and dates.
What to Check, Room by Room
Work through every area methodically. Here is what to look for in each:
Walls and ceilings
Cracks, uneven plaster, poor paint coverage, visible joints, nail pops, sloping or wavy surfaces.
Floors
Squeaks, lifting boards, uneven levels, gaps at skirtings, scratches, and lippage between tiles.
Doors and windows
Doors that bind or do not latch, uneven gaps, draughts, scratched glass, faulty locks and handles, and failed seals.
Kitchen and bathrooms
Misaligned units, gaps in worktops, silicone finish, leaks under sinks, slow drainage, loose tiles and chipped sanitaryware.
Electrics
Sockets and switches that do not work, crooked faceplates, missing blanking plates, lights that flicker, and a missing electrical certificate.
Plumbing and heating
Radiators not heating evenly, dripping taps, low pressure, noisy pipes, and boiler commissioning paperwork.
External works
Pointing, render cracks, guttering falls, leaking downpipes, paving levels, and making-good around the new structure.
Finish and decoration
Paint runs, missed patches, overspray, mastic lines, dust and debris left behind, and protective film not removed.
When to Carry Out a Snagging Inspection
Snagging is not a single event — it happens at several points:
Pre-completion snag
Carried out as the work nears completion, before you make final payment. This is your main opportunity — the contractor is still on site and motivated to put things right.
Handover snag
A formal walk-through at handover, list in hand, agreeing every item with the contractor and a target date for each to be resolved.
After living in it
Some defects only show once the space is used and the building has dried out — hairline cracks as plaster settles, doors that move with humidity. Note these and raise them within the defects period.
End of defects period
Many contracts include a defects liability period (often 6–12 months). A final inspection near the end lets you raise anything that has emerged before the period closes.
How to Snag Properly
A good snagging inspection is methodical, not rushed. Use these principles:
- Inspect in good daylight — defects hide in poor light
- Take your time and work room by room in a fixed order
- Use low-angle light (a torch held flat to a wall) to reveal uneven surfaces
- Test everything that moves or switches — every door, tap, socket and window
- Photograph each defect and number it to match your written list
- Be specific: "scratch on left pane of rear bedroom window" beats "window damaged"
- Mark small defects with low-tack tape so they are easy to find again
- Agree the list in writing with the contractor, with a target date for each item
Red Flags Around Snagging
These behaviours suggest snagging will not be taken seriously — address them before the work finishes:
RCB Finishes the Job Properly
On every RCB project we walk the completed work with you, agree a snagging list together, and resolve each item before sign-off — backed by a defects period after handover. A project is not done until it is right.
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