Snagging List Template: The Complete Checklist Before Your Builder Leaves

Your builder says the job is done. You want to believe them. But handing over final payment without a proper snagging inspection is one of the most expensive mistakes a homeowner can make.

A snagging list is your written record of every defect, unfinished item, and piece of work that doesn't meet the agreed standard. Your builder must fix everything on it before you pay them a penny more. Once that final payment leaves your account, your leverage is gone.

This guide walks you through exactly what to check, room by room, with a printable checklist you can use on the day.

What Is Snagging?

Snagging is the process of identifying defects and incomplete items in newly built or recently renovated work. The word comes from the construction industry and refers to anything that "snags" — catches your attention as wrong.

It's standard practice at the end of any building project, from new-build homes to single-storey extensions. No build is ever finished to perfection on the first pass. Paint misses. Grout is uneven. Doors don't hang true. Sockets are left untested. These are the snags.

A properly executed snagging process protects you because:

• The builder is contractually obliged to fix everything before final payment
• It creates a written record in case of future disputes
• It forces both parties to agree on what "finished" actually looks like

When to Do Your Snagging Inspection

Do it before final payment. This sounds obvious, but many homeowners feel pressure to "just get it done" and pay up. That's the moment your bargaining position evaporates.

The right time is when the builder says the work is complete and the site has been cleared. Not during the build — that's a different conversation. Not after you've paid — that's too late for leverage.

Book the inspection when you and your builder are both present. Go through everything together. Items you both agree are snags get written on the list and signed off by both parties, along with a realistic date by which each item will be fixed.

How to Handle the Snagging Process

Step 1: Prepare before you walk around

Pull out your original specification or scope of work. This is the document that says exactly what was agreed — materials, brands, dimensions, finishes. If something doesn't match what was specified, that's a snag regardless of whether it looks fine.

If you don't have a written specification (a common problem on smaller jobs), use your quotes, any emails or messages where finishes were discussed, and your own memory. Write down your expectations before you walk into the building.

Step 2: Walk through every room systematically

Don't try to spot snags at random. Use the checklist below and work through each room in a consistent order. You'll miss things if you're not systematic.

Take photographs of everything you record on the list — timestamp them. "The wall by the window has bubbling paint" with a photo is much harder to dispute than a verbal description.

Step 3: Test everything that can be tested

Open and close every door and window. Turn on every tap and flush every toilet. Flip every light switch. Test every socket with a phone charger. Run the shower. Check the heating. Test extractor fans. These are the things most likely to have been connected but not properly finished.

Step 4: Create the formal list

Write the snag list clearly: description of the issue, location, and a space for the agreed completion date. Both you and the builder sign it. Keep a copy each. This document is your agreement.

Step 5: Agree a retention or phased final payment

For significant snagging work, consider withholding a retention — typically 2.5–5% of the contract value — until all snags are resolved. This is standard practice on formal contracts. For smaller jobs, withhold the full final payment until everything is fixed and re-inspected.

The Snagging Checklist

Use this room-by-room checklist. Print it out and work through it methodically on the day of your inspection.

After the Snagging Inspection

Once you've walked through everything:

1. Compile the list formally. Write up all items clearly. Description, location, agreed fix, and target date. Both parties sign it.
2. Agree the retention. Withhold a proportionate amount of the final payment until all items are resolved. For a major snag list (20+ items), withhold the full final payment. For minor items only, a retention of 2.5–5% may be appropriate.
3. Photograph everything. Before the builder comes back to fix items, re-photograph all snags. This documents the before state.
4. Re-inspect when fixed. Don't just take their word for it. Walk through again for each batch of fixes, check each item against the list, and mark it as resolved only when you're satisfied.
5. Release payment in stages. Pay for completed snag fixes progressively if it's a long list. Keep the final portion until the last item is resolved and you have all documentation.

What if the Builder Refuses to Fix Snags?

If a builder refuses to address legitimate defects, you have several options:

1. Formal written notice

Send a letter by recorded post listing the snags, confirming they were agreed, and giving a 14-day deadline to fix them. Keep a copy. This starts the paper trail.

2. Deduct from outstanding payment

If there's any money still to be paid, deduct the reasonable cost of getting the work done by someone else. Write to the builder confirming this and why. Don't just disappear — document it.

3. Get quotes for remedial work

Obtain two or three quotes from other tradespeople for fixing the defects. This gives you a documented, reasonable cost to claim back.

4. Small claims court

For amounts under £10,000 in England and Wales (£5,000 in Scotland), the small claims court is straightforward to use without a lawyer. Your signed snagging list and photographic evidence are powerful documentation.

Track every snag in Ted

Use Ted's task feature to log every snag with photos, assign it to your builder, and track when it's resolved. Your complete record is always in one place.

How Many Snags Is Normal?

More than you'd expect. On a typical house extension, a thorough snagging inspection will usually find 20–50 items — a mix of minor (paint misses, silicone gaps) and moderate (doors not hanging straight, tiles hollow). That doesn't mean the work is bad; it means building is inherently imperfect and snagging is the mechanism for catching and fixing those imperfections.

On a new-build house, professional snagging inspectors routinely find 100–200 items. The inspection exists precisely because this is normal.

A short snag list (fewer than 10 items on a large project) often means the snagging wasn't thorough enough rather than the build being flawless.

Summary: The Snagging Golden Rules

• Do it before final payment. Once they're paid, they're gone.
• Do it in good natural light. Morning is best.
• Test everything that moves, flows or lights up.
• Compare against the original specification — not against "good enough."
• Photograph everything.
• Get it signed by both parties.
• Retain payment until every item is resolved.
• Collect all certificates and documentation before releasing final payment.