With so many people involved in constructions, mistakes are possible. Whether you are building a home or a high-storey building, an extra check-up of the entire property to look for cracks and damages is necessary to avoid accidents in the future. A newly built building does not mean it has no flaws or damages. One needs to be careful before deciding to buy a property.
Every new property has some little flaws called ‘snags’, which may be caused by the carelessness of the construction workers or faulty machines and methods. The term ‘snagging’ describes the process of looking for flaws and cracks in any construction site. In case you notice a flaw, you need to immediately contact the builders and make them aware of the faults or hire a company that offers snagging services. Read the article to know more about snagging meaning.
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See also: What is the CBR test, and where is it used in road construction?
Snagging: Meaning
Snagging is unofficially widely used in the construction industry. It means conducting a thorough inspection in and around the property built and listing down all the cracks and damages for further repair. Gas and smoke emissions also must be checked in the process. A snag can be as big as a gas pipe leak that appears while constructing or small problems like a broken window pane or a scratch in the freshly painted walls. Once the authorities notice all the problems, they must note all the problems down in detail. The list they create is called a ‘snagging list.’
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Snagging: Types of snags in construction
There are many reasons why a new property or building will have defects. Constructing a building is a tedious task and mistakes may happen. Some are made by humans, others by machines. The main snags that are often observed after construction are:
- Damages that occur in walls and floors naturally as time passes away, like paint chipping away, cracks in the plaster of the walls, etc.
- Badly done workmanship.
- Issues that arise due to faulty machines and equipment.
- Unsuitable construction design and wrong installation of materials.
- Steps that were missed or overlooked during the construction of a property.
Snagging: Process
The process of snagging requires a lot of expertise and carefulness. The first step of snagging is a thorough inspection of the property. For the construction of small buildings, the inspection can only be conducted after the project is finished and the building is ‘clean’, that is- ready to be operated. In the case of larger projects like multi-storey buildings, it is best to carry out the snagging process in sections. To save time and prevent further damage to the property due to these unseen flaws, one must start the inspecting process on one floor or compound of the building as soon as its construction is finished. Once the inspection is done, the authorities must mark the area as ‘checked’ and close it off to safeguard or mark it off for repair work, depending on its inspection results. Later, a final inspection can be done before the builders offer the key of the property to its rightful owners. The inspection process takes months before it can be completed. The authorities need to be very alert while preparing the snagging list that has a note of all the cracks and faults found around the property. The list will help the builders go back to that exact site and conduct repairs.
The snagging list can only be made by a professional architect, construction administrator or an inspecting agent hired by the property owner. The same goes for the person who conducts the inspection. For the method of inspection, there are specified rules and laws laid down by the respective country’s construction authorities. However, a person must also use their own experience and common sense while looking for snags. Multiple hands and pairs of eyes will get the job done quickly and more efficiently. It roughly takes an hour for the inspection of, say, a 100 square metre area. Whoever gets the job of inspection must compile a detailed and accurate snagging list and must also take photographs of the flaws as a piece of visual evidence. Much software has now been developed to make the work easy and keep track of all the damages.
Apart from the constructors, it is also the responsibility of the owners to make sure a proper snagging inspection has been conducted by the authorities before they move in. In case of an unsatisfactory result, the owners also have the right to complain to the Consumer Court.
Snagging: Importance
- Firstly, owners do not have more knowledge about snags and property flaws than the builder, so inspecting your property will ensure quick spotting of all the defects.
- Snagging is usually included in the contract signed between the builder and owners, so this is a part of their job to find all the damages and repair them for your safety without additional fees.
- Some defaults can be life-threatening, like a gas leak or fault floor work; snagging helps avoid major fatalities that may occur in the future.
- Snagging offers a sense of peace to the homeowner, who can live on the property without worrying about financial damages or any kind of distress due to their property.
- Leaving damage unattended will only expand its risk and will make you spend unnecessary extra money for its repair. Snagging helps spot these flaws in its early stages to ensure less repair cost.
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FAQs
Who generally performs the process of snagging?
Snagging is an important task that can only be conducted by builders and architects with proper certificates.
What is the perfect time for conducting a snagging?
Snagging must be done before residents move in. Therefore, at the early stages of construction and before the property receives the 'certificate of completion.'
What should be done after snagging?
Once a snag list is compiled, the next step for the builders is to repair and fix all the problems before handing the property to the owners. The owners then also conduct a final inspection.
| Got any questions or point of view on our article? We would love to hear from you.
Write to our Editor-in-Chief Jhumur Ghosh at jhumur.ghosh1@housing.com |
Housing News Desk is the news desk of leading online real estate portal, Housing.com. Housing News Desk focuses on a variety of topics such as real estate laws, taxes, current news, property trends, home loans, rentals, décor, green homes, home improvement, etc. The main objective of the news desk, is to cover the real estate sector from the perspective of providing information that is useful to the end-user.
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