What a snagging report is for
A snagging report is the written record of every defect and unfinished item found at inspection, handed to the people who have to fix them. It has two jobs: get each item fixed without a phone call, and prove later what was found, when, and when it was closed. Everything below serves one of those two jobs.
What to include
The cover or header
- Project name and address, including plot or flat numbers.
- Client and your own company details, ideally with your logo.
- Inspection date and who inspected.
- Report reference or revision — you'll issue more than one version as items close.
- A summary: total snags, how many open, how many closed, and how many are high priority.
Each snag
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Ref | #17 |
| Location | Flat 2, bathroom, bath |
| Description | Silicone missing along back edge of bath (approx. 600 mm). Seal full length in white. |
| Trade | Plumber |
| Priority | High |
| Photo | Close-up of the gap, plus a wider shot showing the bath |
| Status and dates | Open · raised 29/09/2026 |
Our free snag list template has exactly these columns if you're working on paper.
How to word each snag
The single biggest improvement to most snag lists is the description. A good one answers three questions: where exactly, what's wrong, and what does fixed look like?
A few rules that make the difference:
- One defect per snag. Different defects often mean different trades, and a snag can only be closed once.
- Measure it. Gaps, lengths and areas in millimetres or square metres. A number can be checked; "large" can't.
- Say what "done" means. "Repaint full wall", not just "paint poor", so nobody patches one spot and calls it fixed.
- Describe, don't blame. "Tile cracked" rather than "tiler damaged tile". The report may be read by the client.
- Use the same location names every time — the ones on the drawings, not "the small bedroom".
Photos that actually help
- Close-up and context. One shot close enough to see the defect, one wide enough to find it.
- Something for scale — a tape measure or pen in shot for gaps and cracks.
- Light it. Use the torch at a low angle across walls and ceilings; it shows up bumps and poor finishes that flat light hides.
- Keep the photo with the snag. A folder of 80 unlabelled photos sent separately is where snag lists go to die. An app that attaches the photo to the snag, like Site Snag Pro, fixes this for you.
Setting priorities
| Priority | Use it for | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| High | Safety, water, security, or anything that stops handover or occupation | Loose handrail, leak under sink, front door won't lock, missing smoke alarm |
| Medium | Something doesn't work properly | Door catching, drawer won't close, extractor not venting |
| Low | Cosmetic | Scratched socket plate, paint touch-ups, grout smears |
Be honest with "high". If half the list is high priority, the trades will treat none of it as urgent.
Issuing and closing out
- Issue promptly — the same day if you can. A report that arrives a week later has lost its urgency.
- Send each trade their items, or a full report they can filter. Make it obvious which snags are theirs.
- Agree a date for the fixes, especially the high-priority ones.
- Re-inspect rather than taking "done" on trust. Close each snag with the date and who checked it.
- Re-issue the report as a new revision showing what's still open. Repeat until the open count is zero.
- Keep the final version with the job file. It's your evidence if a defect is disputed later.
Doing it faster
Everything above can be done with a notebook, a camera and a spreadsheet; it just takes an evening of typing up. Site Snag Pro does the same thing on the walk-round: photo, location, description, trade and priority captured together, and a branded PDF with the summary, every snag and its photo, created in one tap. As items are fixed you tick them off, and the next PDF shows what's left. See how the app works.
Questions
What is the difference between a snag and a defect?
People use the words loosely. A snag usually means a minor, often cosmetic, issue or an unfinished item, like paint touch-ups or a misaligned door. A defect can be more serious, such as a leak or a structural problem. A snagging report normally records both, with priority showing which is which.
Who writes a snagging report?
On construction projects it's usually the site manager, clerk of works or project manager before handover, and sometimes the client's inspector. On new homes, buyers often write their own or pay a professional snagging inspector.
How long should a snagging report be?
As long as the list, and no longer. One line per snag with a photo is enough; skip general commentary. A summary at the top gives busy readers the numbers.
Should the report be a PDF?
Yes, for anything you send outside your own team. A PDF can't be edited by accident, looks the same on every device, and keeps photos next to their snags.