What is a snag list and how do you use one?

How it works in Ireland

A snag is a small defect or incomplete item: a door that does not close, a cracked tile, paint missed behind a radiator, a socket not working. The list records each one with its room, a photograph and what needs doing. Walk the house in daylight with the contract and drawings to hand, go room by room, and test every window, door, tap, socket and light.

Agree the list with the builder in writing, with a date for each fix, and re-inspect rather than assume. Tie it to money: your contract’s retention and final payment are what make a snag list matter. A snag list does not automatically entitle you to hold every remaining payment, so follow the contract and take advice before withholding.

Snagging is physical defects. It is not the same as the certificate of compliance on completion, which is a statutory document. Collect both, and also the BER, warranties, manuals and commissioning certificates for the heating, ventilation and electrics.

Revisit the list during the defects period. Some problems only show through a winter, such as condensation, cracks as plaster dries, or heating that does not balance. Keep the dated lists and photographs: they are your evidence if there is a dispute.

A short list of what to check first can save time: roof and gutters for leaks after rain, windows and doors for operation and seals, the heating and hot water for balance and controls, ventilation for noise and flow, electrical sockets and the consumer unit, plumbing for drips under sinks, and paint, plaster and floors for finish. Take dated photographs of each defect, and ask for the manuals and commissioning certificates at the same visit so nothing is left until the builder has moved on to the next job.

A common mistake

Moving in first and snagging later. Once you are living in the house, items slip down the builder’s priorities and it gets harder to prove what was there on handover. Finish the first inspection before the final payment and before you take the keys.