Buyer Guide
Snag List Inspection Guide
The handover snag list is the single most important quality-control moment in a new-development purchase. This is the room-by-room checklist Africa Estate uses on Gauteng handover inspections, with tips on what to test, what to photograph, and what to insist on.
Authored alongside Dewald Kleyn, Founding Member and Gauteng Manager.
Before the inspection
- Confirm the inspection time in writing 48 hours in advance.
- Bring: a phone with camera, a notepad, the floor plan, a tape measure, a torch, a powerbank or adapter, a printed snag template, and water (test taps and toilets).
- Allow at least two hours for a one-bedroom unit, three for a two-bedroom, four for a three-bedroom or larger.
- Schedule the inspection during daylight hours. You cannot inspect natural light, wall finish, or paint colour properly at night.
Entrance and general
- Front door alignment, lock function, key handover, deadbolt operation.
- Doorbell or intercom function.
- Threshold finish, mat well if applicable.
- Welcome floor: tile alignment, grout, any chips.
- Wall finish around the front door: paint coverage, corner alignment, plaster cracks.
Kitchen
- Cupboard alignment, hinge operation, drawer runners, handle finish.
- Counter top: chips, scratches, sealant around edges.
- Sink: drain test, leak under the sink, tap function on hot and cold.
- Mixer tap quality, swivel range, drip when off.
- Tile splashback: grout, sealant, alignment, any chips.
- Built-in appliances (oven, hob, hood): power up, fan, light, knob action.
- Electrical sockets: test every one with a phone charger or plug tester.
- Plumbing connection points for fridge and dishwasher.
- Floor: tile alignment, grout, edge skirting, transitions to other rooms.
Bedrooms
- Built-in cupboard alignment, hinges, drawer runners, hanging rails.
- Wall finish: paint coverage, plaster cracks, corner alignment.
- Floor: skirting, transitions, carpet or tile or laminate edge finishes.
- Windows: open and close test, locks, beading, glass clean and unscratched.
- Curtain rail or blind fittings if included.
- Sockets and switches: test every one.
- Ceiling: finish, plaster, light fitting function, smoke alarm if installed.
- Aircon point if included: power up, swing, temperature change.
Bathrooms
- Toilet: flush, fill, no continuous run, no leaks at base, seat alignment.
- Basin: drain, hot and cold tap, mixer action, drip when off, leak under basin.
- Bath or shower: drain, hot and cold flow, temperature mixing, leak around tray or bath edge.
- Tile work: grout, sealant in corners, any chips, alignment.
- Mirror, towel rail, toilet roll holder fitting.
- Extractor fan function.
- Floor drain test: pour water, watch flow direction.
- Geyser cupboard if visible: pressure reduction valve, drip tray, isolating valve.
Living areas
- Floor finish: carpet, tile, laminate. Check edge skirting and transitions.
- Wall finish, paint coverage, corner alignment, plaster cracks.
- Ceiling finish, cornice if applicable, light fitting function.
- Sliding door or stacker door: track operation, lock, beading, glass.
- Balcony or patio: floor finish, balustrade fixing, drain.
- Electrical sockets and switches.
- TV point, network point, satellite or fibre conduit.
Garaging and external
- Garage door operation, remote, manual override.
- Garage floor finish, drain, slope.
- Electrical connections in garage.
- External walls: paint, plaster, drip line, downpipes.
- Garden taps, irrigation point if included.
- External light fittings.
How to record the snag list
- Walk room by room with the developer representative.
- For every defect, note the room, the exact location, the defect, and take a photo.
- List the items in writing on the developer template or your own.
- Both parties sign the snag list at the end of the walk.
- You keep a copy. The developer keeps a copy. Email the photo set to the developer the same day.
- Confirm the snag-fix window in writing.
- Schedule the follow-up inspection at the end of the snag-fix window.
- Confirm fixes at the follow-up. Sign off only when satisfied.
Want Dewald at your snag inspection
Dewald Kleyn attends snag list inspections with buyers on Africa Estate transactions where requested. He brings the experienced eye to common new-build defects and documents the list with photographs.
Frequently asked questions
What is a snag list?
A snag list is the formal list of defects, workmanship issues, and incomplete items that a buyer records when a new-development unit is handed over. The developer then fixes every snag-listed item before the buyer takes final occupation. The snag list is the buyer single best opportunity to capture patent defects under the NHBRC three-month warranty.
When does the snag list inspection happen?
The snag list inspection is scheduled by the developer when the unit is structurally complete and ready for handover. It happens before the buyer takes occupation. The buyer walks the unit with a developer representative, lists every defect, and signs the snag list as the agreed record of items to be fixed. A second inspection confirms the fixes before final handover.
How long does the developer have to fix snags?
Most Gauteng new developments commit to fixing snag-listed items within two to six weeks of the inspection. The exact window is set in the sale agreement and the developer aftercare policy. Structural snags can take longer if specialist trades are needed. Patent defects (paint, tiles, hinges) are usually fixed within the standard window.
What if I find a defect after I take occupation?
The NHBRC three-month patent defect cover runs from the date of occupation. Anything visible that you missed at handover can still be reported under the three-month window. Report it in writing to the developer with photographs as soon as you spot it. Roof leaks are covered for one year and major structural defects are covered for five years, so any defect that falls under those longer covers can still be reported in the relevant period.
Can I take a professional inspector to the snag list inspection?
Yes, and many buyers do. Independent inspectors charge a once-off fee (typically R2,500 to R6,000 depending on unit size) and produce a detailed snag report. The buyer presents that report at the handover inspection. For buyers without inspection experience, the cost is easily justified by the items the inspector picks up that the buyer would miss.
Does Dewald attend snag list inspections?
On Africa Estate transactions where the buyer requests it, yes. Dewald attends the handover snag list inspection with the buyer, brings the experienced eye to common new-build defects, and documents the snag list with photographs alongside the developer record. The cost to the buyer is part of the standard Africa Estate service on new-development purchases.
What is the difference between a snag and a defect?
In SA new-development practice, the terms are used interchangeably in casual conversation. Strictly, a snag is an incomplete item or cosmetic workmanship issue noted at handover (paint touch-up, hinge alignment, tile chip). A defect is a fault that emerges in use (geyser failure, plumbing leak, electrical fault). Snags are listed at handover; defects are reported under the NHBRC warranty layer that applies to the defect type and timing.