New-build snagging checklist: what to check at handover

When to use a new-build snagging checklist

A snag list is a record of visible problems or unfinished work that you want to raise with your builder. You can use this checklist to prepare for an agreed pre-handover visit or to organise issues you notice after moving into your new house or flat.

Ask the developer when access is available, which areas you may inspect and how they want you to report issues. Check your own contract, warranty and reporting arrangements for applicable deadlines. This checklist does not set or extend those deadlines, and a completed checklist is not confirmation that a property is safe or defect-free.

You can read and print this guide without an account. If you want the prompts, photographs and follow-up record together, see SnagAction’s guided snagging app for homebuyers.

Before the visit: give yourself a simple route

Bring a charged phone, the agreed specification or drawings you have, and a list of rooms and areas included in the property. Arrange enough time and safe access with the builder.

Start at the entrance, move around each room in the same direction and finish with external areas you can access safely. If a room is locked, furniture hides a surface or an item cannot be operated, record that limitation. An unchecked area is not the same as an area with no issues.

For an assessment of construction quality, hidden defects or safety, arrange an appropriately qualified professional. A homeowner’s visual list has a different scope.

Room-by-room visual checklist

Want the prompts inside your inspection? Try the free guided room-check demo with sample data. It does not save real work. Paid property projects save your answers, link problems to photos and include unchecked items in your report.

The free boxes below are a temporary reminder and do not save progress. You can also print this page. Repeat relevant checks for each room, and keep a separate note of anything you could not check.

• Doors and windowsFrom safe, accessible positions, open and close normal handles and locks. Note sticking, visible damage, missing parts or gaps. Do not force anything.
• Walls and ceilingsLook in normal daylight for unfinished paint, visible cracks, stains and damaged edges. Record what you see without guessing the cause.
• Floors and tilesLook for chipped or cracked surfaces, missing grout and unfinished junctions. Photograph the room as well as the close-up so the builder can find the spot.
• Kitchen and storageCheck accessible doors and drawers using normal operation. Note damaged finishes, missing handles, incomplete panels and differences from the agreed specification.
• Bathrooms and plumbingLook for visible leakage, incomplete seals or damaged fittings. Ask the builder to demonstrate normal operation. Leave specialist testing to a qualified person.
• Electrical itemsRecord missing covers or visible damage without touching exposed parts. Ask for instructions and relevant professional checks. Do not remove faceplates or attempt electrical tests.
• Outside areasFrom safe areas, record visible damage and incomplete finishes. Do not climb, lean over barriers or carry out flooding tests. Include parking and storage in the agreed scope.
• Documents and accessRecord keys, access devices, manuals and documents received. Ask the developer which certificates and approvals apply to your property and have uncertainty checked locally.

For a flat, agree which balcony, parking, storage and shared areas are included in your visit. Record the exact location of a shared-area issue and ask the developer or building manager who should receive it. Do not assume that access to your flat includes access to every part of the building.

Record each issue so someone else can find it

Use one item per problem. Include the room, a precise position, the date, a wide photograph, a close-up and a factual note. Keep unrelated issues separate even if they are in the same room.

Bathroom · beside the shower · Item 01

“One wall tile has a visible crack at its lower corner. Please inspect the affected tile and confirm the repair to be carried out.”

That is more useful than “bathroom is bad” and avoids diagnosing something you cannot verify. If you do not know the technical remedy, ask the builder to confirm it. See the guide to sending your defect list for an example message.

After the visit: send, agree, then check

1. Review the photographs and notes while the visit is fresh in your mind.
2. Send a dated report through the agreed channel. Keep a copy and request acknowledgement.
3. Ask which items the builder agrees to address and what dates they propose. Keep disputed items clearly identified.
4. Return to each original reference after the repair. Add the outcome and a new photograph rather than replacing the original.

Completing the capture stage and verifying repairs are different steps. Do not mark the whole property finished simply because you have walked through every room. Use our repair-checking guide for the follow-up visit.

Common new-build snagging questions

Can I make my own snag list?

You can record visible issues and unfinished work yourself. Describe what you can see rather than diagnosing a cause or declaring that work breaches a standard. If you are uncertain, record the limitation and ask a qualified professional. Do not attempt specialist or unsafe tests.

Do I still need a professional inspection?

This checklist cannot assess structural performance, hidden defects, electrical or gas safety, or compliance with building requirements. A qualified inspector or relevant specialist can advise on a different scope of work. SnagAction provides guidance and record-keeping software, not an inspection service.

Is a free checklist enough?

It may be enough to organise a simple visual visit if you keep your own photos and notes separately. An app can help when you want each issue, its evidence and later repair outcome in one record. See the example snag report before deciding what you need.

Where can I find further homeowner guidance?

NHBC publishes homeowner guidance and a new-home checklist. Check your own developer and warranty provider’s information too. This is an independent SnagAction guide; it is not an NHBC checklist, approval or endorsement.