Snagging a new home in Ireland, before you close

When the snag happens

The usual moment is after the builder or developer notifies you that the home is ready, and before closing. That window is short and it is the point of greatest leverage: once the sale has closed, you are asking for repairs rather than agreeing what finished means.

The contract documents changed recently. From 1 February 2026 the Law Society’s new Combined Building Agreement and Contract for Sale is required for new homes in residential estates, replacing the 2001 building agreement. Among other changes it ties the date of practical completion to the Certificate of Compliance on Completion. Ask your solicitor which agreement your purchase uses, and what it says about snags, before you book anyone.

Some older contracts have contained clauses that let the builder close without dealing with the snag list. If you see anything like that, raise it with your solicitor early.

Who does the snagging

Many buyers hire a professional: typically an engineer, chartered surveyor or architect, or a specialist snagging company. A re-inspection after the repairs is usually charged as a separate visit, so ask for both prices when you book. You can also snag the house yourself, especially if you are confident with a methodical room by room walk. The guide to snagging a new build yourself covers the approach. Whoever does it, agree beforehand what is in scope: a visual snag of finishes and fittings is a different job from assessing structure, fire safety or building services.

Documents worth asking about

Two schemes come up on almost every Irish new home, and your solicitor will deal with both. It helps to know what they are.

• Certificate of Compliance on Completion. Under the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations, in force since 1 March 2014, the owner appoints an Assigned Certifier, who must be an architect, chartered engineer or building surveyor. The certificate has a part signed by the builder and a part signed by the Assigned Certifier, and a building may not be opened, occupied or used until it has been filed and registered. Buyers’ solicitors require a copy.
• Structural and latent defects cover. Many new homes carry HomeBond Latent Defects Insurance. HomeBond’s published cover has separate sections for loss of deposit, defects such as water ingress and fire safety, mechanical and electrical equipment, and structural damage, with periods of 5, 10 or 12 years depending on the section and policy chosen, starting from substantial completion. Check the policy that applies to your home. Do not assume it works like the UK’s NHBC two year builder period: it is a different product with its own terms and excess.

You may also hear about CIRI, the Construction Industry Register Ireland. It was put on a statutory footing by the Regulation of Providers of Building Works Act 2022, but as of late 2026 mandatory registration has not yet commenced. Treat registration as a useful signal rather than a guarantee.

What to check

Work in one direction through the house, ceiling to floor in each room, and finish each room with doors, windows and anything that should operate. Ask for daylight, power and water so that fittings can be tested.

The full new build snagging checklist goes room by room and applies just as well to an Irish house.

Writing the snag list

The list goes from you, through your solicitor, to the builder. It may be forwarded again to a site foreman and then to individual trades, so it has to make sense to someone who was not with you on the day. Every item needs:

• A number that never changes, so the re-snag can refer to it.
• The room and the exact location: “Bedroom 2, wall left of window, 1.2 m above floor”.
• A short factual description of what you saw, not a guess at the cause.
• A wide photo that shows where it is and a close photo that shows what it is.

Send it as one dated PDF rather than a collection of photos and messages, and keep your own copy of exactly what was sent. The guide to writing a snagging report has worked examples of good and weak entries.

The re-snag and closing

Once the builder says the items are done, go back with the same list and check each one. Mark it fixed, still open or partly done, add a photo, and send the updated list. New items found on the re-snag get new numbers at the end of the list rather than being mixed in.

Whether money is held back at closing until snags are complete is a matter for your solicitor and the contract. It is sometimes arranged, but there is no standard amount. Do not agree to close, or refuse to, on the strength of the snag list alone without that advice.

After you move in

Keep the issued snag lists, the re-snag and the photographs with your purchase documents. Things that only show in use, such as cracking as the house dries out, a drip under a sink or a door that starts to bind, should be reported to the builder in writing with the same kind of record. If a problem may fall under a latent defects policy, read the policy’s claims process before arranging repairs yourself.

If you are snagging on an Android phone, Site Audit lists in the Irish Play Store as Snagging Report & Snag List. One complete project, including the PDF, is free, which covers one house and its re-snag. See the snagging app page for what it does.