What Is a Snagging Issue?
A snag is a small fault or loose end in otherwise finished work. Knowing a snag from a defect tells you how urgently to raise it, and how.
The short answer
A snag is a small loose end in finished work. Quick to spot, quick to put right.
A snagging issue, or snag, is a minor fault or unfinished detail in building work that is otherwise complete. Think of a paint splash on a window frame, a missing piece of trim, a door that catches, or a gap in the sealant around a new opening. Snags are usually cosmetic or quickly fixed, they don't stop anything working, and a good contractor expects to deal with a few at the end of any job.
What separates a snag from a defect is seriousness. A defect affects how the work performs: it lets water in, isn't safe, or is likely to get worse. The difference matters because snags can wait for a single, tidy list at the end, while defects should be raised straight away.
Telling them apart
Snag or defect?
Typically a snag
- Paint, mortar or sealant marks on surfaces
- A missing trim, cover plate or finishing piece
- A door or window that catches or needs adjusting
- Uneven sealant or a small gap in a finish
- Debris or offcuts left behind
Typically a defect
- Water coming in, even occasionally
- Cracking that grows or reopens
- Loose or slipped roof coverings
- Anything that feels unsafe or unstable
- Work that doesn't match what was agreed
A simple test
Four questions that sort one from the other
If you are unsure, ask yourself four things. Does it affect how anything works? A rooflight that won't close properly is more than a snag, even if it looks minor. Could it let water or weather in? Anything to do with keeping a building dry is worth treating as urgent. Is it a safety concern? Loose fixings, exposed edges or unstable structures come off the snagging list and go straight to the contractor. Is it likely to get worse? A crack that is widening, or a stain that grows after rain, needs looking at now.
If the answer to all four is no, you are probably looking at a snag. If any answer is yes, treat it as a defect and raise it the same day. Our guide to dealing with defective workmanship explains the next steps.
Raising snags
How to get snags put right
Wait until the work is finished
Snag once the contractor says the job is done, not while they are still part way through.
Walk round in good light
Inside and out, looking closely at every area the work touched. Photograph each point.
Send one written list
Specific and numbered, with photographs, sent in one go. What is a snagging list? shows how to write one that gets results.
Agree a return date
Small items are often dealt with in a single visit. Agree when, and how it links to the final payment. See final payment and snagging.
After completion
Snags that appear later
Some small issues only show up after the contractor has left: a hairline crack as new plaster dries, a door that starts to stick as timber settles, a seal that needs adjusting after the first cold spell. These are still worth reporting, in writing, with photographs. They usually fall under the contractor's workmanship warranty rather than the original snagging list.
Collect them together unless they are urgent, and send them as one list, noting when you first saw each one. Snagging after completion covers this stage in more depth.
Keeping it in proportion
Why the label matters less than the record
Contractors and homeowners sometimes disagree about whether something is a snag or a defect, especially near the final payment. In practice, the label matters less than two simple things: that the issue is written down with a date and a photograph, and that there is an agreed date for dealing with it.
If an item on your list turns out to be something you would now like done differently, rather than a fault, that is a change, and it is fair for the contractor to price it. Equally, if a small item turns out to be the visible sign of something bigger, such as a stain that keeps returning after rain, move it off the list and raise it as a defect. Keeping snags in proportion is one of the easiest ways to keep the end of a job friendly.
This is general information, not legal advice. Under consumer law, work is generally expected to be done with reasonable care and skill, whatever it is called on a list.
If you use Mortaro
Send us your list and we chase it
On a project Mortaro coordinates, send your snagging list and photographs to us. We pass it to your contractor, agree when they will come back, and follow it up until every point is done, so you are not left trying to pin down someone who has moved on to the next job.
Putting the work right is your contractor's job, backed by their workmanship warranty. Getting it done is ours to chase. Putting things right explains how.
Straight answers
Questions about snagging issues
Is it normal to have snags at the end of a job?
Yes. Almost any building job leaves a few. What tells you about a contractor is how readily they come back and deal with them.
Who pays to fix snags?
The contractor, as part of finishing the job properly. Who pays to put defects right? covers the bigger faults.
Do I need a professional to check for snags?
Not usually for a roof repair, rooflight or extension. You know how the house looked before, and you only need to look closely wherever the work touched. Paid snagging services tend to be used on new-build homes, where a whole house is being handed over at once.
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