Congratulations! After months (or years), of searching, saving, and navigating what can feel like a mountain of paperwork, you’re almost there.
Almost ready to get your keys to your new home in Ireland.
It’s a massive achievement, especially for first-time buyers.
But before you start picking out your new curtains, planning the housewarming party, and deciding where the sofa will go, there’s one final (and crucial) step to take. To do the snagging.
Why?
To make sure your brand-new home is perfect.
If you’ve heard the term snagging list but aren’t sure what it means, we got you covered.
By the end of this guide you’ll know everything you need to know about what is snagging.
A snagging list is a detailed report that identifies any defects, flaws, or unfinished work in a brand-new home.
These issues are known as “snags.” They can be anything, like:
The easiest way to think about it is as a final “to-do list” you give to your builder.
It’s a formal quality check to make sure the home you’re about to receive is finished to the high standard you’ve paid for (and expect). While you might hear other terms like “punch list” or “deficiency list” (especially if international contractors are involved), snagging list is the standard and recognised term used across Ireland.
The inspection to create this list happens at a specific time. It’s right after the builder has finished construction and tells you the house is ready. And before you sign the final contracts and make the final payment. This timing is what gives the snag list ireland its power.
The builder is anxious to complete the sale and receive their final payment.
So they are highly motivated to fix the issues you’ve formally documented.
It’s your opportunity to make sure you get exactly what you paid for. And it represents your moment of maximum leverage to ensure every detail is put right.
Getting a professional snagging list might seem like a useless expense.
But it’s one of the smartest investments you can make when buying a new property:
Buying a home is one of the biggest financial commitments you’ll ever make.
A snag list is a vital tool to protect that investment. It identifies issues and get them fixed before it comes your problem (and expense).
It ensures the property you’re buying is worth every penny.
And it’s easier and more effective to get the builder to rectify problems before you complete the sale and move in.
Because once you’ve taken full ownership, you have little leverage. And it can become more difficult to get them to return for what they might consider “small jobs”.
The snag list provides clear, dated documentation that these defects were present before you took ownership, which is crucial evidence for any future disputes.
This is about more than just a perfect finish.
A professional snag list gives you peace of mind. It’s a thorough check that gives you confidence your new home is not only beautiful but, als safe for you and your family.
An expert inspection verifies the property complies with the latest Irish building regulations, covering critical areas that an untrained eye would never see.
This can include things like:
Knowing these have been checked and are correct allows you to turn a house you’ve just bought into a home you can relax in.
It’s important to remember that asking for a snag list is a completely normal and standard part of buying a new build property in Ireland. You shouldn’t feel that you are being “picky” or difficult by getting a professional inspection.
This is a standard business process that holds the builder accountable to their side of the contract—to deliver a home that is complete and built to a workmanlike standard. The process is respected by reputable builders, who understand it as the final step in quality control before handover. Having a formal, documented list also strengthens your legal position and provides a clear, indisputable record should any disagreements arise down the line.
So… What “snags” can an inspection uncover?
They fall into different categories. From small cosmetic details to more serious functional and compliance issues.
Here are some of the most common examples found in new homes across Ireland:
These are often the most numerous and visible snags. While they may not affect the function of the home, they do detract from the “brand new” feeling of a house.
Paint & Plaster: Uneven paintwork with visible brush or roller marks, paint drips and splatters on floors or fittings, rough plaster finishes, visible joints in plasterboard, and minor shrinkage cracks in ceilings or walls.
Woodwork & Joinery: Poorly fitted skirting boards and architraves (the frames around doors) with visible gaps at the corners or floor, doors that are scratched or dented, and door handles that are loose or marked.
Tiling & Flooring: Cracked, chipped, or loose tiles in kitchens and bathrooms, messy or incomplete grout work between tiles, scratched laminate or wooden flooring, and carpets that haven’t been laid flat or are snagging under doors.
These issues can affect the day-to-day use and enjoyment of your home.
Doors & Windows: Doors that stick, rattle in their frames, or don’t latch and lock correctly. Windows that are difficult to open and close, have faulty locks or safety latches, or have draughty gaps around the frames.
Plumbing: Dripping taps, slow-draining sinks or showers, leaks from pipes under sinks, poor water pressure, and toilets that don’t flush correctly or continue to run after flushing.
Electrics: Light switches, sockets, or light fittings that don’t work at all. Sockets that are loose from the wall, and a fuse board with missing or incorrect labels for the circuits.
This is where you need an expert. What might look like a small issue to you could be a sign of a bigger, underlying problem. A professional will investigate these areas thoroughly.
Insulation & Ventilation: Missing or poorly fitted insulation in the attic space. Ventilation tiles on the roof or extractor fans in bathrooms not connected to the ducts (this makes them useless).
Exterior & Roof: Missing, broken, or cracked roof tiles, blocked or improperly installed gutters and downpipes, and poor drainage in the garden that could cause water to pool against the house’s foundations.
Fire Safety & Building Compliance: Missing fire seals in the party wall (the wall between you and your neighbour in a semi-detached house) in the attic. Size requirement for bedroom windows to be used as a fire escape, as mandated by building regulations.
To help you get a better sense of the scope of an inspection, here is a quick checklist of what a professional looks for in each area of a new home.
| Area | Key Things to Check |
|---|---|
| Kitchen | Test all appliances are installed and working. Check for leaks under the sink and around the dishwasher. Inspect worktop joins and sealant for a clean finish. Ensure all cabinet doors and drawers align and close properly. |
| Bathrooms | Test taps and showers for leaks, water pressure, and correct hot/cold connections. Check toilets flush correctly. Inspect all sealant around baths, showers, and sinks. Ensure tiling and grout are complete and neat. |
| Living Areas & Bedrooms | Inspect walls and ceilings for plaster/paint finish. Check flooring for scratches or damage. Test all electrical sockets and light switches. Ensure windows and doors open, close, and lock correctly. |
| Hall & Stairs | Check for any creaks in the stairs. Ensure the handrail is secure and stable. Check for adequate headroom and that spindles are evenly spaced (less than 100mm apart for safety). |
| Exterior & Garden | Inspect brickwork and render for cracks or poor finish. Check roof for missing or damaged tiles. Ensure gutters and downpipes are secure and clear. Verify paths and driveways have even surfaces and proper drainage. |
| Attic | Check for adequate and evenly distributed insulation. Ensure any ventilation pipes (from bathrooms etc.) are properly connected to outside vents. Look for any signs of water ingress or leaks from the roof structure. |
Fair question.
Especially when every euro counts..
The short answer is: yes.
It’s easy enough to spot obvious cosmetic issues, like a paint smudge on a light switch, a deep scratch on a countertop, or a door that sticks.
But a professional snagging expert brings something extra.
They have the experience and the tools to find hidden issues.
Hiring a pro means you get a trained eye that sees what you can’t. And catches problems you didn’t even know were there.
It’s like hiring a plumber. You don’t hire one to fix the leak. You hire one because they know exactly where to tighten the pipe.
Small investment like this will save you money and headaches down the road.
A Trained, Experienced Eye: Professional snagging inspectors have surveyed hundreds, if not thousands, of new homes. They know the common shortcuts some builders take. And exactly where to look for hidden problems.
Specialist Tools to See the Invisible: A professional doesn’t just rely on their eyes. They use specialist equipment to find problems that are literally invisible. For example, they can use thermal imaging camera to clearly show heat loss on a wall, proving there might be something wrong with the insulation. Other tools include moisture meters to detect hidden leaks behind walls, socket testers to confirm that the wiring is working (and it’s safe).
Knowledge of Building Regulations: A professional inspector knows the Irish building regulations inside out. They can identify if a safety feature is missing or if something has been built in a non-compliant way.
A Report That Carries Weight: A formal, detailed report from an independent, qualified surveyor or engineer is taken far more seriously by a builder than a handwritten list from a buyer. It professionalises the communication and demonstrates that you are serious about having the issues resolved to a professional standard.
The idea of another inspection can sound daunting, but the process of getting a professional snag list is actually very straightforward and designed to be stress-free for you. Here’s how it typically works, step by step:
Once your builder gives you a completion date for your new build, you can start looking for a local snagging company.
You book them for an inspection on a date that is ideally a week or so before your final handover. This gives the builder time to carry out the repairs.
The snagging expert will visit the property to conduct their inspection. This is a comprehensive process that typically takes between 3 to 5 hours, depending on the size and property type.
They will check hundreds of individual points, covering everything from the roof and exterior right down to the finish on the skirting boards. You can be present for the inspection, but it’s not a requirement.
Within 24 to 48 hours of the inspection, you will receive a comprehensive report by email.
A good report is easy to understand (even for a non-expert). It’ll contain a list of all the snags, each with a clear description, its precise location, and a dated photograph.
This level of detail removes any ambiguity. And makes it clear for the builder what needs to be fixed.
Easiest part. You just forward the PDF report you received to the builder’s site manager or the sales representative you’ve been dealing with.
This report now becomes their official “to-do list” of items that need to be fixed before you complete the sale.
Once the builder informs you that they’ve fixed all items on the list, it’s time for a re-inspection.
This is a crucial step. The snagging expert (or yourself) will revisit the property to verify every item was fixed properly. They also make sure no new issues were created during the repair work (for example, a painter scratching a floor while touching up a wall).
This final check gives you complete peace of mind. And confirms your new home is now at the standard it should have been at initially. Most companies offer this follow-up visit at a reduced rate.
You’re in front of your house.
You open the front door.
The site manager is there. You sign some paper. And then… finally, after months of anxious nights, you get the keys to your new home.
Don’t let hidden snags destroy this moment. Hire a snagging company.
Next steps (done in 60 seconds):
Then unpack. Relax. And celebrate a flawless new home.
