Snag List
A snag list is a written list of small defects found at the end of a job, agreed with the client before you leave. Working through it closes the job — it isn’t the start of a dispute.
What it means
A snag list turns “a few things aren’t quite right” into a specific, agreed set of items — a scuffed skirting board, a door that doesn’t latch, a light switch fitted the wrong way round. Walking the job with the client at the end and writing each one down, rather than leaving it to memory, is what actually gets the job signed off.
It’s a normal, expected part of finishing — not a sign the job went badly. A short snag list on a big job is routine. What matters is agreeing it in writing at handover, working through it on one visit, and confirming it’s cleared, so “a few small things” never quietly turns into an open-ended list months later.
At the end of a kitchen fit, you walk the room with the client and note four items: a chipped tile, a cupboard door out of alignment, a socket cover missing, and a mark on the floor. You fix all four on one return visit and get the client to confirm the list is clear.
Leaving the job without walking it together and writing anything down — so every small thing the client notices over the next few weeks turns into its own separate callback, instead of one visit that clears a known, agreed list.
See also
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