The Ultimate Snagging Checklist

Use binoculars or a phone camera to check ridge tiles, hip tiles, and lead flashing around chimneys and abutments. Look for cracked, slipped, or missing tiles.

Run a hose on the roof or wait for rain. Check every joint for drips and make sure downpipes discharge into a drain, not onto the ground.

Pour water down each drain and check for slow drainage. Look for standing water near foundations — this can indicate a grading or drainage problem.

Check mortar joints are consistent, render has no bulges or hollow patches (tap with your knuckle), and there are no cracks above window or door lintels.

Check external sealant around every window and door frame. Push gently on each window to check it's secure. Open and close every one to confirm they latch properly.

Test every lock, handle, and hinge. Doors should sit squarely in their frames with even gaps all round. Check weather seals are intact at the threshold.

Walk every external surface. Check for rocking paving slabs, uneven tarmac, and proper falls away from the building for rainwater drainage.

Hold a spirit level against walls in each room. Sight along the wall from one end — any bowing or leaning is easier to spot this way.

Place a marble on hard floors — it shouldn't roll. Walk across every floor feeling for soft spots, creaks, or areas that bounce underfoot.

Cracks radiating from the corners of openings can indicate lintel issues or settlement. Hairline cracks in fresh plaster are normal; wider cracks are not.

Current Building Regulations require 270mm of mineral wool or equivalent. Check it's evenly distributed and not compressed or blocking eaves ventilation.

Check for staining, musty smells, or peeling paint — especially at the base of external walls, around windows, and in corners. Use a moisture meter if you have one.

View walls and ceilings at an angle to the light to spot uneven coverage. Check corners, edges above skirting, and areas around switches and sockets.

Run your finger along every joint and mitre. Gaps should be filled and caulked. Check that skirting sits flush against the wall with no visible gaps at the top edge.

Check every tiled surface for missing grout, uneven joints, or cracked tiles. Grout should be smooth, consistent in colour, and fully filling each joint.

Inspect where tiles meet baths, showers, sinks, and worktops. Silicone should form a smooth, even bead with no gaps, bubbles, or smearing on adjacent surfaces.

Check door handles, hinges, window glass, radiators, and floor surfaces for stray paint. These are common oversights that suggest a rushed finish.

Every internal door should swing freely without catching on carpet or the frame. Handles should be level and latches should click securely into the strike plate.

Run every tap for at least two minutes. Check flow rate and that hot water reaches temperature within a reasonable time. Test multiple taps simultaneously to check pressure drop.

Run each tap for two minutes, then check underneath with a torch and dry tissue. Even a slow drip will cause damage over time. Check waste pipe connections too.

Turn the heating on and let it run for 30 minutes. Feel every radiator — cold spots at the top suggest trapped air. Check each radiator valve opens and closes smoothly.

Flush each toilet twice in quick succession. Listen for the cistern refilling and stopping cleanly — a running cistern wastes water and indicates a faulty valve.

Run the hot tap at the furthest point from the boiler and time how long it takes. Check the water is hot (not lukewarm) and that the thermostat is controlling temperature correctly.

Turn on outside taps and check for leaks around the wall penetration. In winter, confirm that an isolation valve is fitted inside so you can turn them off to prevent frost damage.

Plug a phone charger or lamp into every socket and confirm it powers on. Check that sockets are level, sit flush against the wall, and have no scorch marks.

Test every switch, including two-way and dimmer switches. Check that landing lights, porch lights, and any three-way circuits all work from every switch position.

Press the test button on every detector. Current regulations require interlinked detectors on every floor — triggering one should sound them all.

Test all external lights including sensor-triggered ones. Check that fittings have the correct IP rating for their location and that cable entries are sealed.

Every circuit should be clearly labelled — lights, sockets, cooker, shower, etc. Test each RCD by pressing its test button; it should trip immediately and reset cleanly.

Open and close every door. They should all hang level, close with a soft click (if soft-close hinges are fitted), and sit flush with adjacent doors. Adjust hinges if gaps are uneven.

Pull every drawer to its full extension. It should glide smoothly without catching and return gently when pushed closed. Check that drawer runners are properly secured.

Run your hand across every worktop joint — you should barely feel it. Joints should be sealed with colour-matched compound and there should be no lippage between sections.

Check the seal between the splashback and the worktop and between the splashback and the wall. Gaps here will let water behind the units and cause damp.

Test the oven, hob, extractor fan, dishwasher, and any integrated fridge/freezer. Run a short cycle on the dishwasher and check for leaks underneath.

Check the kickboards at the base of every unit. They should clip in securely, sit straight, and have no gaps at corners or where they meet the floor.

Run the shower at full power for five minutes. Check pressure is acceptable, temperature is controllable, and the tray or wetroom floor drains completely within a minute of turning off.

Hold a tissue against the fan grille with the fan running — it should cling. Check that the ducting vents to outside (not into the loft) and that any timer run-on works correctly.

Tap tiles with your knuckle — a hollow sound indicates the tile isn't properly bonded. Check grout is consistent and that there are no cracked or chipped tiles.

Splash water on the bathroom floor around the shower area. It should drain or be contained without pooling. Persistent puddles suggest a fall issue.

Gently pull each wall-mounted item to check it's firmly fixed. Towel rails, toilet roll holders, and shower shelves should all feel solid with no movement.

Check the bath panel sits straight and flush. It should be removable (not siliconed shut) to allow future access to pipework and the trap underneath.

This confirms the work complies with Building Regulations. You'll need it when you sell. If it hasn't arrived yet, confirm the final inspection has been booked.

Legally required for all gas appliance installations. The Gas Safe engineer should provide this directly — don't rely on the builder to pass it along.

Required for notifiable electrical work. The certificate should reference BS 7671 and be signed by a qualified electrician. Keep it with your property documents.

Gather guarantees for boilers (typically 5–10 years), windows (10+ years), roofing materials, kitchen appliances, and any insurance-backed guarantee (IBG) from a trade body.

Collect manuals for every fitted appliance — boiler, extractor, hob, oven, shower unit. You'll need these for maintenance and to maintain warranty cover.

Ask your builder to leave spare tiles, a tin of each paint colour (labelled by room), and any offcuts of flooring or worktop. Matching materials later can be impossible if the batch changes.