Snagging list: what to check, with a free checklist
A snagging list is a written record of the faults and unfinished work you find at the end of a building job or in a new-build home, so the builder or developer puts them right before you sign off and release the final payment. Do it before completion, in good daylight, and check every room methodically.
What is a snagging list?
A snag is any defect or unfinished detail: a chip in the paint, a door that catches, a tile that is not level, a radiator that stays cold. A snagging list collects them all in one written, photographed record so nothing gets forgotten and the builder has a clear list to work through. It applies just as much to a kitchen or extension as to a brand-new house.
When to do your snagging
Do your main snagging inspection before the job is signed off and before the final payment is released, while the builder is still on site and motivated to fix things. Check in good daylight, ideally before furniture goes in. For a new-build home you usually have a defects period (often up to two years) when the developer must fix faults, so report anything as early as you can.
Room-by-room snagging checklist
Work through every room the same way. Here is what to look at:
- Walls and ceilings: cracks, uneven plaster, full paint coverage, marks and scuffs
- Floors: level and solid, no squeaks or gaps, even tiles with neat grout
- Doors and windows: open, close and lock smoothly, even gaps, intact seals, no scratched glass
- Kitchen: units level and aligned, worktop joints neat, appliances working, sealant tidy
- Bathroom: silicone neat, tiles even, taps and shower running, water draining, toilet secure
- Electrics: every socket and switch works, light fittings secure, consumer unit labelled, certificate provided
- Heating and plumbing: radiators heat evenly, no leaks, boiler and controls working, decent water pressure
- Outside: render and brickwork, guttering and downpipes, drainage falls away from the house, paving level
- Paperwork: building control sign-off, gas and electrical certificates, guarantees and manuals
How to use the list
Number each item and photograph it. Share the list with your builder in writing, not just verbally, and agree a date for the fixes. Re-check each item once they say it is done, and hold back the final payment until the list is clear. Agreeing this retention in the contract up front makes the conversation easy.
What a professional snagging survey costs
You can do the list above yourself for nothing. On a new-build house many people pay for an independent inspection instead, because a surveyor finds things an owner walks past. Expect these ranges, and note they are ranges because almost every published snagging price is one firm's own tariff rather than a market average:
| Property | Typical UK cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Studio or 1-bed flat | £250 to £350 | The cheapest bracket, and where the £249 headline offers sit |
| 2-bed flat or small house | £300 to £420 | Houses cost more than flats of the same bedroom count |
| 3-bed house | £320 to £450 | The most common new-build survey |
| 4-bed house | £400 to £500 | |
| 5-bed or larger | £480 to £600 | Above roughly 2,500 sq ft most firms quote individually |
| Re-inspection after fixes | £290 to £370 | A second visit to check the developer actually did the work |
Independent snagging inspections, June 2026. London and the South East sit at the top of each band. A RICS-regulated inspector usually charges a premium over one who is not, which is worth paying only if you may need the report to carry weight in a dispute.
Two things are worth knowing before you decide. A survey that includes a re-inspection costs more up front, from around £549, but it is the version that actually gets snags fixed, because the developer knows someone is coming back. And the case for paying at all is not about cosmetics: the Home Builders Federation's own customer satisfaction survey for March 2025 found 93.7% of new-build buyers reported snags, with 26.2% reporting more than fifteen. On a £400 survey, finding one structural or drainage fault that the developer then fixes under warranty pays for itself several times over. Finding fifteen paint scuffs does not.
Common questions
Just before the job is signed off and the final payment is due, while the builder is still on site. For a new-build home, do an inspection soon after you move in and report snags within the developer's defects period.
Yes, and it is normal to retain the final payment until the snagging list is cleared. The cleanest way is to agree that retention in the written contract before work starts, so there is no dispute later.
For a new-build house a professional snagging inspection can be well worth it, as inspectors find things an owner would miss. For a smaller home-improvement job you can usually do it yourself with a checklist like this one.
Roughly £250 to £600 depending on the property. A studio or 1-bed flat is about £250 to £350, a 3-bed house £320 to £450, and a 5-bed or larger £480 to £600. A re-inspection after the developer has done the work is £290 to £370. London and the South East sit at the top of each band, and a RICS-regulated inspector normally charges a premium. Treat any single published figure with care: most of them are one firm's own price list rather than a market average, which is why the numbers here are ranges.
It depends on what it finds, not on the number of items. The Home Builders Federation's March 2025 customer satisfaction survey found 93.7% of new-build buyers reported snags and 26.2% reported more than fifteen, so a survey will almost certainly find something. On a £400 fee, one drainage or structural fault the developer then fixes under warranty pays for it several times over, while fifteen paint scuffs do not. If you want the report to carry weight in a dispute, pay the premium for a RICS-regulated inspector.
Usually yes, unless you bought a survey that includes it. A re-inspection is £290 to £370 on its own, and a package with one built in starts around £549. It is the version that tends to get snags actually fixed, because the developer knows someone is coming back to check.
These are independent guide prices based on typical UK jobs in 2026. Your actual cost depends on your property, spec, access and where you live. Always get at least three written quotes before committing.