Home→Snagging Guide
An 18-page PDF written by our builders — the same checklist we use on every professional inspection. Know what to look for, what to report, and what your developer is legally obligated to fix.
Not ready for a full inspection? This guide gives you the insider knowledge to walk through your new flat yourself and spot issues before you sign off.
"I bought this the day before my developer walkthrough. Found 9 things on the checklist that I would have completely missed. Worth 100x the £20."
— Rachel T., Canary Wharf
Want the professional version?
Our inspectors find 40–90 defects per flat that buyers miss. The guide is a great start — the full inspection is the full picture.
BluntSnag
Buyer's Guide · PDF
18 pages
one-time · instant download
A snagging checklist is a room-by-room guide to identifying defects in a new-build flat before you legally complete the purchase. It covers everything from the front door to the boiler — checking that the developer has handed over the property in the condition legally required. Our guide is written by builders who conduct professional inspections, not by a marketing team.
Yes. The guide is written specifically so that a buyer with no construction experience can walk through their new flat systematically and identify the most common and costly defects. It tells you what to look for, how to test it (including the A4 paper ventilation test most buyers miss), and what to document. For serious buyers or expensive properties, a professional inspection finds significantly more — but this guide is a powerful starting point.
From our inspections: ventilation failures (internal bathrooms not extracting), kitchen appliances not connected (especially dishwashers), flooring soft spots due to poor substrate preparation, silicone seal gaps around baths and showers, window seal failures causing draughts, and boiler pressure issues. The guide covers all of these with specific tests you can do yourself.
This £20 guide gives you the same room-by-room framework our inspectors use — but a professional inspection goes much further. Our inspectors typically find 40–90 defects per flat, including concealed issues that are invisible without specialist knowledge and equipment. The guide is ideal if you want to check the basics yourself or prepare before your developer walkthrough. The professional inspection is the full picture.
The guide costs £20, one-time payment, instant download. It is an 18-page PDF written by professional builders — the same checklist framework used on our paid inspections. There are no subscription fees, no account required, and no marketing emails.
Before your developer walkthrough or handover appointment — ideally 1–2 days before. Walk through the flat yourself first using this checklist, note every issue, then use the list during the official walkthrough to confirm the developer acknowledges each defect in writing. If you have a professional inspection booked, the guide helps you understand the report when it arrives.
Not sure which to choose?
The guide gives you the checklist. A professional inspection gives you 40–90 defects found, repair costs, and a report the developer has to respond to.