SiteSnagChecklists
New build snagging checklist
Updated 19 October 2026
It’s the same checklist that’s built into the SiteSnag app, where an inspector marks each item on the phone while walking round and the results go into the PDF report alongside the snags and photos. A failed item can be turned into a snag with its own photos, so the report shows both what was checked and what was found.
How to use it
- Start outside while the light is good, then go in through the front door.
- Work through the house in the same order every time, either top to bottom or bottom to top, so no room gets missed.
- In each room, check the ceiling first, then the walls, windows and doors, the floor, and finally the fittings and services.
- Use the general internal list in every room, and the room’s own list as well where it has one.
- Photograph each snag and note which room it’s in, so the builder can find it without asking.
What to take with you
- A bright torch, for skimming walls and ceilings and looking under sinks and into the loft
- A spirit level and a tape measure
- A plug-in socket tester
- Your phone, charged, for photos
- Low-tack tape or small stickers to mark each snag on site
- The floor plans and specification from your sales pack, so you can check what was promised
New build snagging checklist
Property address: ______________________________ Date: ____________ Inspected by: ____________________
General internal
Go through this list in every room, not once for the whole house. Hold a torch flat against the walls and ceiling so the light skims across them, and nail pops and uneven plaster will cast a shadow.
Hall, stairs & landing
Measure the widest gap between spindles, since Approved Document K says a 100 mm sphere shouldn’t pass through, and walk the full flight up and down with a hand on the rail.
Kitchen
Run the hot and cold taps for a minute, then open the cupboard under the sink with a torch to look for drips. Open every door and drawer as you go.
Bathroom & en-suite
Fill the bath and basin before you pull the plugs so the wastes and overflows are tested with water in them, and let the shower run for a few minutes.
Bedrooms
Loft
Only go up if there’s a safe place to stand, and keep your weight on the joists. Turn your torch off once you’re in so any daylight through the roof shows up.
Garage
External
Walk round the outside first while the light is good. Look at the roof and gutters from the far side of the road or garden, where you can see the whole line.
Services, electrics, plumbing & heating
If you can’t find the stopcock, ask the site manager to show you. You’ll need to know where it is long after the inspection.
Notes
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Tick it on your phone instead
In SiteSnag you open this checklist on the survey and mark it as you go. When something fails, you raise a snag from it and add photos, with the wording picked from a library of 460+ UK defects. The snags are pinned on the floor plan, and the PDF report is built on the phone before you leave, with no signal needed. Browse the library on the common new build defects page.
On the day you collect the keys, use the new build handover checklist for documents, keys and meter readings. Landlords and letting agents can use the rental inventory checklist.
Questions
Can I download this checklist as a PDF?
Yes. Press "Print or save as PDF" above the checklist and choose Save as PDF as the printer. The site header, menus and these questions are left off, so you get the checklist with space for the address and notes.
When should a new build snagging inspection be done?
Ideally before you complete, if the developer lets you in, because snags are easier to get fixed while the site team is still there. If that isn’t possible, do it as soon as you can after moving in, before furniture hides the walls and floors.
Can I do my own snagging with this list?
You can, as it covers the same ground as the checklist inspectors use in the SiteSnag app. A professional snagging inspector adds experience of what builders tend to get wrong, along with a written report the developer can work through.
What do I do with the snags I find?
Send them to the developer’s customer care team in writing with a photo of each one, and keep a copy. Check each item again once the builder says it’s fixed, and record whether it was.