How to set useful snag list priority levels
A priority label should explain what needs attention first. It becomes useful when the team agrees what the labels mean and records why an item received one. Use this method to organise work, alongside the site's separate safety and technical assessment processes.
By Blu Mint Digital. 4 minute read. Last reviewed .
Agree what the priority label is deciding
For a snag list, priority can help decide the order in which items need attention. It should be used with a short reason, a next action and a responsible contact. “High” alone does not explain whether the issue is time-sensitive, blocks another task or requires further assessment.
The framework below is a suggested workflow for organising a list. It is not a defect severity standard or a substitute for a site’s safety procedures. If a condition raises an immediate safety concern, use the relevant reporting and response process rather than relying on someone to notice a priority label in a later PDF.
Agree the meaning of the labels before a large inspection. Two people applying different definitions can make a combined list less useful even when every individual observation is accurate.
Define three levels with a practical response
High: needs prompt coordination or assessment
Use High for an item whose next action cannot reasonably wait in the ordinary sequence, based on the project context. Examples might include an unresolved condition blocking a planned activity or an issue that needs prompt specialist assessment. State why it needs attention and who should respond.
Medium: needs a planned action in the current work programme
Use Medium where the item is outstanding and needs a coordinated repair or review, but there is no identified reason to put it ahead of the urgent work. Add the agreed date or next coordination point so the label does not become a holding area for forgotten items.
Low: can be scheduled after more time-sensitive work
Use Low for work that can reasonably follow higher-priority items in the agreed sequence. Low does not mean accepted, optional or closed. The record should still say what response is needed and how the outcome will be checked.
Compare context, not just the defect name
The following examples are illustrative scheduling decisions. They do not classify every instance of these conditions:
- A missing non-safety-related cabinet handle: it may be Low when it can be fitted during a planned finishing visit. If it prevents an agreed inspection from proceeding, record the dependency and reconsider the timing.
- A visible mark on a finished wall: it may be scheduled after nearby work is complete to avoid repeating the repair. Record that reason rather than simply postponing it.
- A reported issue with uncertain cause: the urgent action may be assessment, not a guessed repair. Assign a contact to investigate and record what information is missing.
- Work in a room with restricted access: access may control the date even when the item has a high coordination priority. Keep both facts visible.
A useful note might read: “Medium. Complete during the agreed return visit after cabinet adjustment; decorating work depends on the final position.” That tells the coordinator more than changing the label repeatedly without explanation.
Keep priority separate from category, status and due date
Each field answers a different question. The defect category describes the type of work or element. The assigned company identifies the intended recipient. Priority expresses the current order of attention. Status describes progress. The due date records a date, where one has been agreed.
Do not use “electrical” as a priority or “urgent” as a status. Do not close an item merely because its due date has passed. If a date changes, keep a note explaining the new arrangement and the outstanding action.
Separating these fields also makes a spreadsheet export easier to sort. A coordinator can review one contractor’s High and Medium items without losing their individual statuses and dates.
Review priorities when the circumstances change
Revisit priorities when new evidence arrives, access changes, a dependency clears or the work programme moves. Keep a dated reason for a material change in the record. A priority is an operational decision based on the information available, not a permanent description of the photograph.
For example: “Reviewed 27 September: access now confirmed for next visit; coordinate the cabinet and decorating items together.” This note explains the next action without rewriting the original observation. Where the issue requires a qualified judgment, record whose assessment is being sought rather than presenting the priority choice as that judgment.
Use the labels consistently in Site Audit
Site Audit offers High, Medium and Low priority fields on an issue. Add the reasoning to the description and keep the assignment, status and due date up to date. Review the resulting PDF so the recipient sees a coherent set of instructions.
Choosing High does not automatically notify a contractor. Use the contractor reporting workflow to issue the relevant record and agree the response. At a return visit, check the work against the original observation using the reinspection checklist, then update the outcome and status.