How to organise a commercial fit-out snag list

Define what the walk covers

Record the fit-out area, visit date, people attending and the scope of the walk. Identify rooms that are unavailable, occupied or still under active work. A snag record of visible observations is not a substitute for commissioning records, specialist testing or contractual acceptance decisions.

Bring the agreed room names and current layout reference. Use them to locate findings consistently. If the room name on site differs from the drawing, record both until the team agrees the final convention. Avoid assuming that every trade calls a meeting room by the same informal nickname.

Walk and record by zone

Divide the visit into manageable zones such as reception, meeting rooms, open office, amenities and circulation. Within each zone, record distinct items separately so different contractors can receive and close their own work. One issue called “finish reception” is too broad to track a damaged panel, missing trim and paint touch-up independently.

• Finishes: record the surface, exact position and visible condition.
• Joinery: identify the unit or door and the observed issue.
• Incomplete work: describe what is absent or unfinished without inventing a completion date.
• Access limitations: identify what could not be observed and why.
• Specialist questions: record the query and route it to the appropriate person.

This is a record structure, not a complete technical inspection checklist. The project requirements and competent people responsible for each discipline determine the inspections and tests needed.

Record trade dependencies explicitly

Some visible defects cannot be addressed in isolation. A wall patch may need completing before the painter returns. A joinery adjustment may need access to an area currently occupied by another trade. Add the dependency to the description or coordination note, and agree who confirms that the area is ready.

For example: reception, wall behind desk, local finish damage beside newly installed panel. The nominated contractor is asked to assess the repair; painting is to follow after the base repair is ready. Keep separate records if the actions require different owners or independent verification. This is an illustrative coordination example, not a prescribed repair method.

Issue focused contractor reports

In Site Audit, use the assigned-company field consistently for each responsible contractor. Before exporting, check for blank assignments and spelling variants. With Pro, select the contractor filter in Generate Report and inspect the resulting PDF before sharing it.

A filtered report should contain enough context for someone arriving without the original inspector: zone, room, precise location, captioned photos and requested response. Explain the planned access window and dependency in the accompanying message. Use the return-visit checklist to prepare access rather than expecting the photo report to act as a booking system.

Retain a full project report as well as the issued contractor copies. If you export a CSV for a coordination meeting, identify its issue date and remember that later app updates will not automatically update that spreadsheet.

Close out observations with evidence

At the return walk, compare the same item with its original description and photos. Record whether it was checked, remains incomplete or could not be accessed. If a contractor says work is complete but you have not inspected it, preserve that distinction in the notes.

Keep the report sequence clear as the project changes. A newer photo does not by itself tell the reader which earlier instruction it replaces. Use dated captions and retain issued files through the report version workflow. The person authorised under the project arrangements decides acceptance; closing an app item simply records your stated outcome.

The joinery checklist helps turn a broad fit-out observation into a precisely located component record.

Prepare the current document references before the visit so finish comparisons have a clear basis.