Buying Guide
The snagging list to bring to every handover inspection
Ordered by how expensive each item is to fix after you sign
Snagging is the last moment your leverage is worth anything. Before you sign, an outstanding defect is the developer's problem. After you sign it is a favour you are asking for.
Expensive to fix later
Damp patches at skirting level, particularly on walls shared with a bathroom.
Doors and windows that bind, which usually means the frame moved rather than the hinge.
Falls on balconies and wet rooms running towards the building rather than the drain.
Soil stack noise audible in a bedroom.
Distribution board unlabelled, or circuits that do not match the label.
Cheap to fix, easy to forget
Sealant lines around baths and worktops.
Missing or mismatched ironmongery.
Sockets set at inconsistent heights.
Paint coverage in the back of cupboards and above door heads.
How to walk it
Twice, on different days, and at least once after dark so you see the lighting as installed rather than the daylight flattering it. Run every tap at once and watch the pressure. Flush every WC twice in succession. Open and close every door fully. Take a photograph of each defect with something in frame for scale, and number them to match your list.
Sign the handover with the snag list attached and referenced in the document, or the list has no status at all.
Agree a date for the fixes in the same document. A list with no date is a wish.