What is the difference between a snag list and a punch list?

Both terms describe a list of items to correct before a project is accepted. Ask your contractor which term their paperwork uses, so you search the right document.

Can I add items after I have signed the list?

Agree this before the project starts. Ask the contractor how items found after the list is signed are handled, and test every fixture before you sign.

Should I do the snagging myself?

You can, using the checklist above. Some owners ask an independent person to inspect with them. Either way, record every item in writing and with photos.

Is the snag list part of the contract?

It should be. Ask any contractor to state in the quotation or contract that a documented snag list is cleared before handover.

Snag list for a renovation in Dubai: what it is and how to use it

A snag list is a written record of every defect or unfinished item found when a renovation is nearly complete. The contractor fixes the items on it, and the work is not accepted until they are cleared.

Snagging is the last check before handover, when you can still see the whole job with fresh eyes. A good list is specific: it says what is wrong, where, and how serious it is.

When does snagging happen, and who signs it off?

Snagging happens near the end of the works, once the main trades have finished and before you take the keys. NovaPlex's apartment renovation page lists "Snag list and handover" as the closing stage and describes a "documented snag list cleared before sign-off" (source: novaplex.ae/services/apartment-renovation-dubai, read 9 November 2026). Its villa page describes the same step: "documented snag list before handover" (source: novaplex.ae/services/villa-renovation-dubai, read 9 November 2026).

Who signs off is something to agree in writing at the start of any project. A sensible rule is that the owner, or someone the owner names, walks the property with the contractor's project manager, and the project is only closed once the owner accepts that the listed items are done. Ask any contractor how this works for them.

What should be on a room-by-room checklist?

Copy this list and adapt it. Take a torch, a tape measure and your phone.

Every room

Walls and ceilings: paint coverage, patches, cracks, uneven finish in side light.
Floors: loose, hollow or chipped tiles, uneven joints, scratches on timber or stone.
Skirting and trims: gaps, misaligned joints, unpainted edges.
Doors and windows: open, close and lock smoothly; no rubbing; handles tight.
Sockets, switches and lights: all work, all covers fitted, none loose.
Air conditioning: runs, cools, drains, and the vents are clean.

Kitchen and joinery

Doors and drawers: aligned, even gaps, soft-close working.
Worktops: joints neat, no chips, silicone clean.
Wardrobes and built-ins: shelves level, hinges and rails working, interiors finished.

Bathrooms

Silicone joints: continuous and tidy around the bath, shower, basin and floor edges.
Tiles: level, grout complete, no cracks.
Taps, shower and toilet: no leaks, good pressure, correct drainage.
Extraction fan: runs and vents.

Outside, for a villa

Render, paint and cladding: even finish, no cracks.
Paving and boundary walls: level and sound.
Lighting and gates: working.

For comparison, NovaPlex's fit-out page says it checks alignment, finishes, silicone joints and services before handover (source: novaplex.ae/services/fit-out-dubai, read 9 November 2026).

How do I record a defect?

Record each item the same way so the contractor can find it and you can check it later.

Location: the property, floor, room and wall or fixture, for example "master bathroom, left of shower".
Photo: one wide shot for context and one close-up of the problem.
Description: one plain sentence saying what is wrong.
Severity: whether it affects safety or use (a leak, a lock that fails), or is cosmetic (a paint mark). Agree the categories with the contractor first.
Status: open, fixed or accepted, with a date and a name against each change.

A shared spreadsheet or a numbered document works. Keep one master copy, so there is never a question about which list is current.

How does NovaPlex handle handover?

NovaPlex's published service pages describe one accountable team from first drawing to final snag, and a documented snag list that is worked through and cleared before handover (sources: novaplex.ae/services/villa-renovation-dubai and novaplex.ae/services/apartment-renovation-dubai, read 9 November 2026). Typical on-site durations NovaPlex publishes are 4 to 9 months for a full villa renovation and 8 to 14 weeks for a full apartment (source: novaplex.ae/services/renovation-company-dubai, read 9 November 2026).

To see how this looks on a finished job, the published work is at novaplex.ae/projects. To ask about a specific property, write to info@novaplex.ae or use the contact page. Our guide to choosing a villa renovation company lists other questions to ask before you sign.