Snagging: How to Inspect Your Build and Create a Snagging List

Timing matters. The snagging inspection should be carried out:

• **Before practical completion is declared** (the formal point at which the contractor hands the property back to the client):
• •The contractor will typically request a practical completion meeting or issue a practical completion certificate — this is your opportunity to identify any outstanding or defective items
• •After practical completion is signed off, the contractual position changes: the building is formally 'complete' and any defects become post-completion matters under the Defects Liability Period (DLP)
• •If the contractor has used a JCT contract, practical completion triggers the release of half the retention (typically 2.5% of the contract sum) — so getting the snagging done before this point is in your interest

• **Before the decorator finishes** (for large renovations):
• •Some defects — gaps in joinery, hairline cracks in plasterwork, uneven surfaces — are much easier to see on undecorated surfaces
• •Ask the contractor to agree a pre-decoration inspection before final finishing begins

• **After a drying period** (for new plasterwork):
• •Hairline shrinkage cracks in new plasterwork are normal and typically appear after 4–8 weeks as the plaster dries fully
• •These are cosmetic, not structural, but they are snagging items that should be filled and redecorated — typically addressed during the defects liability period inspection rather than at practical completion

A thorough snagging inspection works room by room and from ceiling to floor. Key areas to check:

• **Structure and fabric**:
• •Cracks in walls, ceilings, or floors — distinguish hairline shrinkage cracks (normal, cosmetic) from wider stepped cracks (potential structural issue; requires investigation)
• •Visible gaps between walls and ceilings, between architraves and walls, or between skirtings and floors — indicate poor joinery fitting
• •Check that all new windows and doors open, close, latch, and lock correctly — adjustments are standard within 6 months
• •Check window and door seals — visible gaps around frames indicate inadequate sealing (thermal and acoustic loss)
• •Roof: check from the loft space for any daylight visible through the roof covering; check for any visible water marks indicating a leak

• **Plastering and decoration**:
• •Skim coat: check for rough spots, ridges, trowel marks, or uneven areas — particularly visible under raking light (a torch held at a low angle across the wall surface)
• •Beads and angles: metal angle beads at corners should be straight and flush; any bent or poorly fixed beads will be visible as uneven corners
• •Decoration: check for missed areas, runs, drips, cutting-in errors at ceiling/wall junctions, and for any cracking in fresh paintwork (indicates painting too soon on damp plaster)

• **Plumbing and M&E**:
• •Run all taps to check for leaks at joints under the sink, at the stop cock, and at any new pipe runs exposed or visible
• •Flush all toilets; check cisterns fill and stop correctly
• •Check all drainage — does water run away without standing in sinks, showers, or baths?
• •Check all new light fittings function; check all new socket outlets are live (use a plug-in socket tester — £5–£10 from any hardware store)
• •Check the consumer unit: all new circuits should be properly labelled; RCD protection in place
• •Boiler: check the new or relocated boiler fires correctly; check all radiators heat up and can be balanced

• **Joinery and finishes**:
• •Kitchen: open and close all drawers and cupboard doors — check soft-close mechanisms function; check all hinges are correctly adjusted (doors should be co-planar and have consistent gaps)
• •Tiling: check for cracked, chipped, or loose tiles; check grout is consistent in width and colour with no voids; check all tile edges are properly capped
• •Flooring: check for squeaks, loose boards, or visible gaps between boards; check transitions between different floor types are neat and level
• •Skirtings and architraves: check all joints are tight; any visible gaps at external corners should be filled and sanded before decoration

• **External**:
• •Check all external drainage: gutters clear and fall correctly; downpipes connected; none leaking at joints
• •Check external rendering or pointing for gaps, cracks, or uneven application
• •Check all external doors open and lock correctly from both inside and outside
• •Check any new paving or driveway: level, no ponding, adequate drainage falls; block paving with fully filled joints
• •Check scaffolding tie holes are properly made good (common area of missed items)

• **Building Regulations and documentation**:
• •Confirm you have received (or have a firm date for receiving) the Building Regulations completion certificate — this is the legal document proving the build complies with approved plans
• •Check that all required commissioning records are provided: Gas Safe certificate for any gas works; Part P electrical installation certificate or Building Control certificate for electrical works; Hetas certificate for solid fuel appliances; FENSA/BFRC certificate for replacement windows
• •Confirm that any planning conditions (materials approval, landscaping) have been discharged

• **Presenting the snagging list**:
• •Produce the snagging list in writing — itemised, with location, description, and if possible a photograph of each defect
• •Present it to the contractor formally (email is fine) with a request for a programme of remediation within an agreed timescale (typically 2–4 weeks)
• •This creates a clear record — what was found, when it was reported, and what was agreed

• **Agreeing what is a snag vs. what is normal**:
• •Hairline shrinkage cracks in new plasterwork: normal — addressed during defects liability period, not at practical completion
• •Minor gaps at skirting/wall junction that will be caulked during decoration: typically a decorator's finishing item, not a snag per se
• •A door that doesn't close properly, a tile that sounds hollow, a radiator that doesn't heat: genuine snags — require remediation before retention release

• **Retention**:
• If a retention is in place (typically 5% of the contract sum), the retention schedule is:
• •50% of retention released at practical completion (after agreeing and signing off the practical completion certificate)
• •Remaining 50% retained until end of defects liability period (typically 6–12 months) — released after a final inspection confirms all post-completion defects have been addressed

**Do not release retention until defects are remedied**: The retention is your primary commercial lever. Once you release it, your leverage disappears. A contractor who presses for early release of the full retention before the defects liability period has expired is asking you to give up your protection — politely but firmly decline.

**Using a professional snagging inspector**: For high-value projects (typically above £100,000), or for new-build homes, a professional snagging inspector (structural surveyor or specialist snagging company) can provide a more systematic and technically rigorous inspection than a homeowner can carry out alone. Cost: £300–£800 for a domestic extension or flat; £500–£1,500 for a full house renovation. The cost is almost always recovered through better-identified snags and stronger negotiating position at practical completion.