Free template
Snagging list template
A snagging list records defects and incomplete work found on inspection, and its whole value is in how closely each item is written and how clearly it is closed out. It matters beyond the work itself: the second release of retention is conditional on defects being made good, and an open list nobody closed out is the standard reason that money is never released. This template numbers items, locates them, assigns a trade, and ends in the sign-off that makes release due.
Last reviewed by Estimark. This page states periods and rates set by statute or by standard contract terms. Those move, and this date is when somebody last read the page against its source rather than the day the site was built.
Snagging List
The inspection
Items
One row per defect, located closely enough that somebody who was not there can find it. “Kitchen” is not a location; “kitchen, left of the window reveal” is.
| # | Location | Defect | Trade | Target date | Completed | Signed off |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign-off
The second half of retention usually turns on this being signed. An open list nobody closed out is the standard reason it is never released.
What belongs on a snagging list?
Defects and incomplete work that fall short of the specification or of reasonable workmanship. Each item needs a location precise enough for somebody who was not at the inspection to find it, and a trade so it can be assigned.
- Photograph each item at the time, and photograph it again when it is made good. The second photo is what closes it.
- Number the items and keep the numbers stable. A renumbered list cannot be reconciled with the one that was agreed.
- Separate defects from variations. Work nobody asked for is not a snag and should not be closed out for free.
No statute defines a snag or prescribes a form for the list. What the list buys you is the agreement it records, so getting it signed matters more than getting it formatted.
How does the list affect retention?
Directly. The second release of retention is conditional on defects being made good, and an open list is the payer’s reason for not releasing it.
- Send the evidence for each item as it is finished rather than as a bundle at the end. A payer working through a bundle finds reasons to keep the list open.
- Get the sign-off dated. The date is what starts the argument about whether release is due.
- Diarise the release date at practical completion. A release nobody asks for is not usually refused, it is forgotten.
Who inspects, and when?
Usually the client or the contract administrator, at or just before practical completion, and again at the end of the rectification period.
- A pre-handover inspection by the contractor first is cheaper: the items you find yourself do not appear on the client’s list.
- Practical completion is not a defect-free state. A job can reach it with snags outstanding, which is exactly what the rectification period is for.
- The end-of-period inspection is the one that releases the balance of retention, so chase it rather than waiting for it.
Common questions
- What is a snagging list?
- A written record of defects and incomplete work identified on inspection, each located, assigned to a trade and tracked to sign-off. It is normally produced at or just before practical completion and worked through during the rectification period.
- Who is responsible for snagging?
- The client or contract administrator inspects and issues the list; the contractor puts the items right. A contractor who inspects their own work before handover keeps items off the client’s list, which is cheaper than closing them out afterwards.
- Can a job reach practical completion with snags outstanding?
- Yes. Practical completion is not a defect-free state; it is the point the works can be used for their intended purpose. Outstanding minor defects are dealt with during the rectification period, and dealing with them is what the period exists for.
- Why does an open snagging list hold up retention?
- Because the second release of retention is conditional on defects being made good. While items are open, the payer has a reason not to release the balance, and a list nobody closed out is the standard reason retention goes unpaid.
Snagging lists explained
What belongs on one, who signs it off, and why an open list holds up retention.
ReadWhat is practical completion?
The event that starts the rectification period and releases the first half of retention.
ReadRetention calculator
What is held on a valuation and the two dates it comes back.
ReadFor builders & contractors
Job costing, CIS, payment applications, site safety, plant and fleet.
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