Snag list inspection for new builds in the Garden Route
A snag list is a list of the things in a new home that are unfinished or not right. House Truth walks through your new house or unit after the building work ends and before you accept it, and takes a photo of each problem. We have no link to the builder or developer.
What a snag list is
A snag is anything in a new home that is unfinished, damaged or not done properly. A snag list is the list of them.
A snag can be big or small. A paint smudge counts.
A snag list is made after the building work ends and before you accept the house. You hand the list to the builder or developer, so they can see what is not right.
What we look at
We walk through the house or unit room by room and then outside, and we write down and photograph everything we can see that is not right:
- Tiling: tiles that are cracked, chipped, uneven or badly lined up, and grout that is missing, patchy or messy
- Painting: smudges, drips, missed spots and paint on frames, fittings and floors
- Plaster: rough, uneven or cracked walls and ceilings
- Doors and windows that do not fit properly, and handles, locks and catches that are loose or damaged
- Cupboards, shelves and fixtures that are badly fitted, crooked, loose or damaged
- Floors, skirtings and ceilings: gaps, scratches, stains and uneven joins
- Outside: paving, walls, gutters and downpipes that are not finished or not done properly
- Anything else that is not finished or is faulty and that we can see
What you get
- The snag list. A photo of every problem we found, room by room and outside.
- The full checklist. Everything we looked at, and what we could not check and why.
- A list to hand over. Both documents are written so that you can give them to the builder or developer as they are.
We can come back to check the fixes.
Who does it and why that matters
The snag list is independent. We are not the builder, the developer or their agent, and we do not work for them. We have no link to the builder or developer, and nobody who built or sold the house has a say in what goes on the list.
We work for the buyer.
What this is not
- A snag list is not an NHBRC inspection and it is not a certificate.
- We write down what we see on the day. Things that are hidden or covered up cannot be seen, and we do not open walls or lift floors.
- We do not test the electrics, plumbing or gas. An electrician, plumber or gas installer does that and issues the certificates.
- It is not a report by an engineer, and it does not say that nothing else is wrong.
- We list the problems. We do not quote for repairs and we do not tell you who to hire. What the builder or developer has to do about the list is a question for your attorney.
Where we work
We work in George, Mossel Bay and Oudtshoorn, and the areas around them.
The furthest we go is Wilderness on one side, and Gouritz and Albertinia on the other.
We cannot take bookings outside this area.
Read more about George, Mossel Bay and Oudtshoorn.
Questions and answers
What is a snag list inspection?
It is a walk through a new house or unit after the building work ends and before you accept it. We photograph and list everything that is unfinished or not right in the finishes and workmanship, big or small.
How small a problem do you list?
Big or small. A paint smudge counts. Each problem on the list comes with its own photo.
Why does it matter that you have no link to the builder or developer?
We are not the builder, the developer or their agent, and we do not work for them. Nobody who built or sold the house has a say in what goes on the list.
Is a snag list a certificate?
No. A snag list is not an NHBRC inspection and it is not a certificate. It is a list of what we saw on the day, with photos.
Can you check that the problems were fixed?
We can come back to check the fixes. Ask us when you book.
How do I book?
Send us an email with the address of the new house or unit, the town and the date you need, or call us. We work in the Garden Route and cannot take bookings outside this area.
How to book
Email us with the address of the new house or unit, the town and the date you need. Or call us on 078 625 2645.
Read the Privacy policy and the Terms and disclaimer before you book.