What is snagging?

What a snagging inspection covers

The word comes from the building trade, where a “snag” is any small fault that needs putting right before a job is signed off. Most people come across snagging when they buy a new build house or flat from a developer.

A snagging inspection covers the whole property. Inside, that means walls and ceilings, doors and joinery, windows, the kitchen, bathrooms, heating, electrics and decoration. Outside, it covers brickwork, pointing, the roof as far as it can be seen, gutters, drainage, paving and the garden. The inspector tests things as well as looking at them, so every door is opened and closed, every tap is run and every socket is checked.

What is a snag list?

As well as the room, description and photo, a good snag list says which trade should do the work and how serious each fault is. The buyer or their inspector sends it to the developer’s customer care team, who arrange for the trades to come back.

Here are three entries from the SiteSnag defect library, worded the way a snagging inspector writes them:

• Door not latching. Door does not latch when closed. Adjust keep/latch. (Carpenter, minor)
• Blocked weep vent. Weep vent blocked or missing. Clear/fit vent. (Bricklayer, moderate)
• Window restrictor missing. Window restrictor missing or not working. Fit/adjust restrictor. (Glazier, safety)

If you want to write your own, our free printable snag list template has the columns already set out and a filled-in example to copy.

Snags and defects: is there a difference?

In everyday use the two words mean much the same thing, and most snag lists use both. Where people draw a line, a snag is a cosmetic or minor fault that is quick to fix, such as paint on a light switch or a cabinet door that sits out of line. A defect is something that doesn’t meet the building standards or affects how the house performs, such as a leaking threshold, a roof tile that has slipped or a fire door that won’t close on its own.

The distinction matters when you deal with the builder, because a fault that falls short of a published standard is harder to dismiss as a matter of taste. That is why professional reports quote a reference where one applies, for example a chapter of the NHBC Standards or an Approved Document under the Building Regulations. Our list of common new build defects shows the standard that applies to each one.

When should you snag a new build?

Before completion

The best time is before you complete, if the developer will let you or your inspector into the property once it is finished. Faults found before you own the home can be fixed before you move in, and there’s no question about whether they were caused by you or your removal firm. Some developers allow a pre-completion inspection and some don’t, so ask your sales adviser early. The new build handover checklist covers what else to check and collect on handover day.

After you move in

Snagging after completion is just as common, and it has one advantage, because you’ll notice things that only show up once you live there. A radiator that never gets warm or an extractor fan that doesn’t run on after you leave the bathroom won’t always show up on a quick visit to an empty house. A full snag soon after moving in, followed by a running list of anything new, covers both.

The two-year builder warranty period

Most new homes in the UK come with a ten-year warranty from NHBC or another provider. Under NHBC’s Buildmark and most other policies, the builder is responsible for the first two years for putting right defects that don’t meet the provider’s standards, and you report them to the builder directly. The later years mainly cover specific problems such as structural faults, and you claim through the warranty provider.

That makes the first two years the window for getting snags fixed at the builder’s cost. Send your list in writing, keep copies of the photos and note the date. A second check shortly before the two-year point means nothing is left unreported. Your own warranty document sets out what’s covered and for how long, so read it alongside the snag list.

Who does the snagging?

Doing it yourself

You can snag your own home with a checklist, a torch, a phone and a free afternoon. Work room by room in the same order each time and photograph every fault with something in the frame that shows where it is. Our room-by-room new build snagging checklist lists what to look at in each room. DIY snagging costs nothing, but it’s easy to miss faults you don’t know to look for, and harder to describe them in terms a site manager will accept.

Hiring a professional snagging inspector

A professional snagging inspector does this every day. They bring a ladder for the loft, a moisture meter, a spirit level and a thermal camera in some cases, and they know how far a crack or an uneven floor can go before it falls outside the standards. Their report quotes the relevant standard for each item and is laid out so the builder can hand it straight to the trades. Some residential surveyors offer snagging as part of their service.

How many snags does a new build have?

There is no standard number, because it depends on the size of the house, the builder and how much care went into finishing it. Most of what turns up is cosmetic work like paint splashes, unfilled gaps at skirtings and cracked tiles. A smaller number of items are more serious, such as missing cavity tray stop ends, sockets with no power or fire doors that don’t close. Inspectors tend to find more than buyers do because they check places most people never look, like the loft and the underside of the boiler.

How a snagging app helps

A paper snag list works, but it means writing up the notes, matching photos to items and typing a report in the evening. A snagging app records everything on the phone during the walk-round and produces the report on the spot.

SiteSnag is a snagging app for UK inspectors and surveyors on iPhone, iPad and Android. You take a photo, tap Create and the snag is saved, then the camera is ready for the next one. Typing a title suggests matching defects from a built-in library of 460+ UK defects, and picking one fills in the description, severity, trade and standard for you. Snags are pinned to a floor plan and can carry as many photos as you need, with arrows, circles and measurements drawn on them.

When you’ve finished, the app produces a branded PDF report with your logo, a cover page, a summary, the floor plan and signatures. It works offline and doesn’t need an account. To see what a finished report contains, look at the snagging report example, or compare plans on the pricing section.

Frequently asked questions