What Is a Snagging List?
A written list of the small defects and loose ends at the end of a job, so the contractor can put them right. Simple to write, and very useful.
The short answer
A snagging list is the job's to-do list at the finish, written down so nothing is missed.
A snagging list is a written list of small defects and unfinished items that you notice at or near the end of a building job, which the contractor then puts right. A "snag" is a minor fault: a scuff, a mark, a missing piece of trim, something not quite finished. The list turns a vague sense that things aren't quite done into specific points that can be dealt with.
Snags are normal. Almost any building job leaves a few loose ends, and a good contractor expects to sort them. Writing them down is simply the clearest way to make sure it happens. It is also a useful record. If a point is still outstanding weeks later, the dated list shows exactly when it was first raised.
What belongs on it
Snags, and things that aren't
Typical snags
- Paint or mortar splashes on surfaces
- Scuffs or marks on plaster and woodwork
- A missing trim, cover or finishing piece
- Something that doesn't open or close smoothly
- Materials or debris left behind
- Making good that hasn't been done
Usually handled differently
- A leak or failure: a defect, raised straight away
- Work that differs from the quote
- Changes you would now like made
- Extra work that wasn't in the quote
How to write one
A snagging list that gets results
Wait until the work is finished
Snag once the contractor says the job is done, not while they are still mid-task.
Go room by room, or area by area
Walk round in daylight, inside and out, and look closely at every surface the work touched.
Be specific
"Paint mark on skirting, left of the door" is useful. "Tidy up the landing" is not.
Photograph each point
Number the photographs to match the list.
Send it in one go, and keep a copy
One complete list is easier to act on than a trickle of messages. Ask when the items will be done.
Timing
Snagging and the final payment
The natural time to agree the snagging list is before the final balance is paid, so both of you know what is outstanding. That does not mean withholding the whole balance over a paint mark. It means agreeing, in writing, what will be done and when. Final payment and snagging covers the balance between the two, and what does payment on completion mean? explains what counts as finished. Try to send the list within a few days of the contractor finishing, while the details are fresh.
Some things only show up later, such as a crack as new plaster dries. Those fall under the contractor's workmanship warranty rather than the snagging list. If something more serious comes up at the end, what if I am not happy at the end of the job? sets out the next steps.
Where to look
Where snags tend to appear
You don't need to know how the work is done to spot a snag. You just need to look wherever the work touched.
Roof work
Gutters and downpipes back in place, no debris left in gutters or the garden, and the loft or ceilings below checked for marks or dust.
Rooflights and skylights
The inside finish around the opening, any trims or covers, and the ceiling and walls nearby for scuffs or damage.
Extensions
Doors and windows opening and closing properly, finishes where old meets new, and the garden and driveway cleared.
With Mortaro
Send us the list, and we chase it
On a project Mortaro coordinates, send your snagging list to us with the photographs. We pass it to your contractor, agree when they will return, and follow it up until it is done, so you are not left ringing someone who is on another job.
We don't inspect the work ourselves; putting it right is your contractor's job, backed by their workmanship warranty. Getting it done is ours to chase. See putting things right.
Keeping it in proportion
Snags, changes and bigger problems
If a point on your list is really a change you would now like, rather than a fault, it is new work, and the contractor is entitled to price it. Variations and extra costs explains how to handle it. A leak, a failed seal or anything that lets water in is not something to save for a list. Raise it straight away.
On larger contracts, money is sometimes held back after completion to cover defects, known as retention. It is uncommon on home jobs. What is retention in building? explains how it works. The quotes and payments guide covers the rest of the final stage.
Straight answers
Questions about snagging
Do I need a professional to do my snagging?
For a typical home improvement job, no. A careful walk round with a notepad and a phone camera is enough. Independent snagging inspectors are more common on new-build homes.
What if a snag isn't fixed?
Follow up in writing, referring to your original list and its date. If it still isn't done, treat it as an unresolved complaint and keep your records together.
When should snags be put right?
Agree a date with the contractor when you send the list. Small items are often dealt with in a single return visit.
Start here
Tell us about the work you have in mind
We will confirm we cover your postcode, arrange a site visit with a contractor from our network and send you a written quotation. No charge, no obligation.