S SnagBoss
The follow-up is the job

How to manage your snag list — and keep your builder on it

Finding the snags is the easy half. Getting them all fixed takes months of follow-up — and the buyers who get everything sorted are the ones who send a clear, itemised update every week or month showing exactly what's still open. Here's the routine, and how SnagBoss makes it a ten-minute job.

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Why it works

Snags don't get fixed because you found them. They get fixed because you followed up.

Handing over a snag list on day one is a great start — but weeks later, half of it is done, half isn't, and nobody's quite sure which half is which. A regular update fixes that.

Silence reads as 'sorted'

Site teams juggle dozens of plots. If they haven't heard from you in a while, your snags drift to the bottom of the pile — not out of malice, just out of noise. A regular update keeps your list on their desk.

One list beats fifty messages

Snags reported in dribs and drabs — a WhatsApp here, a phone call there — are impossible for anyone to track, including you. One itemised list, re-sent on a schedule, gives both sides a single source of truth.

The remaining count is the pressure

“Still 14 open, 6 fixed since last month” is hard to argue with and easy to act on. Vague chasing (“any update on the snags?”) invites a vague answer.

A paper trail protects you

Your builder is responsible for defects for two years. Dated reports showing exactly what was outstanding, and when, are exactly what you'll want if you ever need to escalate to your warranty provider.

The routine

Your weekly (or monthly) snag update in four steps

1

Walk the house and update statuses

Once a week (or month), do a quick walk-round with your phone. Mark anything the builder has put right as fixed, add a photo of the finished work, and log any new snags you've spotted — each with its own photo and location.

2

Check what's still open

Your snag list shows at a glance what's outstanding, what's been fixed, and what the builder has refused. That open count is the headline number for your update.

3

Send the updated report

Generate a fresh professional PDF or re-share your private link with the site manager or customer care team. Every item is numbered, photographed and located — nothing to transcribe, nothing to dispute.

4

Add a short covering note

Two or three lines is plenty: what's been fixed since last time, how many remain, and when you'll send the next update. Polite, specific and predictable — that's what gets snags scheduled.

With every snag photographed and status-tracked in SnagBoss, steps 1–3 take minutes — the report rebuilds itself from your list, so you never retype a thing.

Weekly or monthly? Match the rhythm to the stage

There's no single right cadence — the trick is picking one, telling your builder, and sticking to it so the next update is always expected.

Stage Update rhythm Why
First 8 weeks after completion Weekly The site team is still on site and snags are cheapest to fix. Momentum matters most here.
Months 3–12 Fortnightly or monthly The list should be shrinking. A monthly update keeps the stragglers visible without souring the relationship.
Year two of your warranty Monthly, plus after anything new appears Settlement cracks and seasonal issues show up late. Log them as you find them and keep the dated record going.

What a good update looks like

Short, specific, and impossible to lose track of. Attach your fresh PDF or paste your private link, and let the numbered list do the talking.

Hi Sam,

Updated snag list for Plot 42 attached (and the live link below).

Since last month: 6 items fixed — thank you. 14 remain open, including the bathroom extractor (item 3) reported nine weeks ago.

Could you let me know which items are scheduled for the next visit? I'll send the next update on the 1st.

Thanks, Alex

The fixed count says thank you, the open count keeps the pressure on, and the named long-runner makes it awkward to ignore. Firm, fair — and five minutes' work.

Questions

How often should I chase my builder about snags? +
A regular, predictable rhythm works better than ad-hoc chasing: weekly while the site team is still on site, then monthly as the list shrinks. Each update should show what's been fixed and what remains — builders respond to a clear, numbered list far better than to vague reminders.
How does SnagBoss help me send these updates? +
Every snag has a photo, location and status. When it's time for your update, mark the fixed items as done, then generate a fresh PDF or re-share your private link — the report always reflects the current state of the list, so there's nothing to retype.
What if the builder says a snag isn't their problem? +
Record it as refused rather than deleting it, so your list stays an honest record. If you disagree, your dated report — with photos and the date you first raised it — is exactly the evidence your warranty provider (NHBC, LABC and similar) will ask for.
Do I have to nag? It feels awkward. +
A monthly itemised report isn't nagging — it's exactly the kind of communication site teams can act on. You're not phoning to complain; you're sending a clear list with photos, a count of what's left, and a date for your next update. Most builders prefer it.
How long can I keep sending updates? +
In the UK, builders are typically responsible for putting defects right for two years from completion. SnagBoss gives you lifetime access for your property with a one-off payment, so you can keep updating and re-sharing your list for the whole warranty period — and beyond.

Make your next update a ten-minute job

Capture every snag with a photo and status, then re-send a professional report as often as it takes — for your whole two-year warranty.

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