Snag List

A snag list (also called a punch list in North American practice) is a formal record of items that require attention before a construction project is considered complete. It is typically produced during a pre-completion inspection — often called a snagging inspection — carried out by the contractor, client, or independent surveyor shortly before or immediately after practical completion.

The items on a snag list range from minor cosmetic issues (paint runs, scratched ironmongery, misaligned tiles) to functional defects (doors that do not latch, windows that do not open fully, services that do not operate as specified). Some snag lists also include items that fall short of specification without being visible defects — tolerances on floor flatness, for example, or acoustic performance of partitions.

In UK construction contracts, practical completion is a defined milestone with significant legal consequences: it triggers the start of the defects liability period (typically 12 months), reduces the contractor's retention, and transfers risk to the client. A contractor who achieves practical completion is entitled to payment of the balance of the contract sum less retention. The snag list is the mechanism by which the client or employer's agent records items that must be remedied during the defects liability period.

Disputes about snag lists — what constitutes a snag, whether a particular defect was pre-existing, whether remediation has been carried out satisfactorily — are common in construction litigation. Thorough photographic documentation at each stage is the most effective way to prevent and resolve these disputes.

360° panoramic photography is increasingly used for snagging because it captures the full context of each defect location in a single image. A flat photograph of a scratched door leaf shows the scratch but not the door number, the room, or the floor. A 360° panorama from the same position shows the door, the room, the number, and the surrounding context — and when pinned to the floor plan, the spatial location is unambiguous. This level of documentation makes contractor responses to snag lists more efficient and dispute resolution considerably faster.