Snag List

A snag list - also called a snagging list or, in North American construction, a punch list - is a document compiled at or near the end of a project that records outstanding defects, incomplete items, or minor failures that must be corrected before the job is formally handed over. Common in construction, AV installation, and commercial furniture fitting, the snag list bridges the gap between practical completion and final sign-off.

How a Snag List Works in Practice

A snag list is typically produced during a joint walkthrough between the contractor and the customer or their representative, conducted after the main body of work is complete. Every item identified - a paint finish not matching the specified color, a cabinet door that does not close cleanly, a display that intermittently loses signal - is logged with a description, location, and responsible party. The contractor works through the list, correcting each item and returning for sign-off when complete.

In construction, practical completion can be certified before a snag list is fully resolved, but the defects liability period - typically six to twelve months - runs from that date, and the retention withheld from the contractor's payments is only released once snagging is complete and signed off. For a fit-out contractor or AV integrator, the snag list directly controls when the final payment milestone is reached.

For AV installations and commercial furniture projects, the logic is the same: the final invoice or final payment is tied to snag sign-off, not just practical completion. Treating the snag list as a formal document rather than an informal conversation protects both parties. The customer gets written confirmation of what is still outstanding; the contractor gets a defined, agreed list rather than an open-ended series of requests that arrive over weeks.