Independent snagging and handover inspections in Dubai

Property snagging is a professional inspection of a newly built or newly handed-over home that identifies defects, incomplete work and safety issues before you accept the keys. A qualified inspector checks every room, system and finish against UAE building standards and the developer's specification, then documents each fault — a 'snag' — in a written snag list you can send to the developer for rectification.

In the UAE the terms overlap. A home inspection is an independent, room-by-room check of a property's finishes, electrics, plumbing, air-conditioning, doors, windows and safety features. Snagging is the name used for that inspection on a new-build home before or just after handover. ProSnagging carries out UAE home inspections for new-build handovers, end-of-defect-liability checks and second-hand purchases, all to the same written standard.

A handover inspection is the snagging inspection carried out when a developer hands a completed property to its buyer. The inspector records every defect before you sign the handover documents, so the developer fixes them under its own obligations rather than you paying later. ProSnagging inspects before handover wherever the developer allows access, and immediately after handover where it does not.

Yes. A new home is finished by many trades under time pressure, and cosmetic touch-ups can hide poor workmanship. Across more than 10,000 inspections, ProSnagging has found defects in almost every new property — commonly uneven tiling, poorly sealed wet areas, misaligned doors, faulty sockets and air-conditioning that does not cool evenly. Finding them before you sign puts the cost of fixing them on the developer.

The developer's handover team works for the developer. An independent snagging company works only for you, has no incentive to overlook defects and produces a report you can rely on in a dispute. ProSnagging does not take referral fees from developers or contractors, so its findings are not softened to keep anyone else happy.

An apartment snagging inspection covers every room and system in the unit: wall, floor and ceiling finishes, doors and windows, joinery and kitchens, electrical points and the distribution board, plumbing and drainage, air-conditioning, balconies and safety features. Each defect is photographed, rated by severity and logged in a room-by-room snag list.

Villas have far more to inspect than apartments — multiple floors, roofs, external walls, gardens and boundary walls, private pools, garages and standalone mechanical and electrical systems. A villa snagging inspection in Dubai checks all of these, with thermal imaging and moisture readings where needed, so waterproofing, structural and finishing defects are caught before you accept handover.

Yes. Townhouse snagging sits between an apartment and a villa: there are several floors, a roof or terrace, external walls, a garden and usually a garage, plus shared party walls that need checking for sound and fire separation. ProSnagging prices townhouses by bedroom count and inspects the external areas as thoroughly as the interior.

Access to an off-plan unit is controlled by the developer, so the first opportunity is normally the handover appointment or a pre-handover viewing. ProSnagging books around that appointment: we inspect during the viewing where the developer allows it, or on the first day you hold the keys, and we advise you not to sign a defect-free handover form before the inspection.

Yes. A pre-purchase home inspection on a resale apartment or villa in the UAE looks for the same categories of defect as snagging, plus wear, previous water damage, ageing air-conditioning and unauthorised alterations. The report gives you a factual basis for negotiating the price or asking the seller to repair items before transfer.

Book your snagging inspection for the handover window, before you sign to accept the property. In Dubai, developers give buyers a defect liability period (typically 12 months) to report defects, but it is far easier to have faults fixed while the unit is still under the developer's control at handover. Booking early gives you a documented snag list to raise before you take the keys.

An inspection before handover is a snagging inspection carried out at the developer's pre-handover viewing or handover appointment, before you sign the completion documents. Most UAE developers allow buyers to bring an inspector to this appointment; some limit the time available. ProSnagging can work within a short viewing and complete the remaining rooms once you hold the keys, so nothing is skipped.

No. Defects reported within the defect liability period set out in your sale and purchase agreement are normally the developer's to fix, and most UAE developers give 12 months from handover. A post-handover snagging inspection produces the same photographed, room-by-room snag list; you submit it to the developer's customer-care team and ProSnagging re-inspects once the work is done.

Before the defect liability period ends — usually 12 months after handover — a final inspection records any defects that have appeared since you moved in, such as cracking, leaks, air-conditioning faults or failed sealant, so they are logged with the developer before its obligation to rectify them ends. Structural elements are generally covered by a longer ten-year liability under UAE civil law; your sale and purchase agreement sets out how it applies to your property.

Most apartment snagging inspections take one to three hours; townhouses and villas take longer, depending on size and condition. ProSnagging inspectors work methodically through every room, checking finishes, electrics, plumbing, air-conditioning and safety systems, and you receive the completed report the same day.

You receive a detailed digital report the same day, with every defect photographed, categorised by severity and located room by room. You send it to your developer or contractor to fix the snags. Once they confirm the work is done, ProSnagging returns for a free re-inspection to verify each item was properly rectified before you close out the handover.

A ProSnagging report is a room-by-room record of what was inspected and what was found. Every defect has a photograph, a location, a severity rating and a plain-language note on what it means. Rooms and categories with no issues are recorded as checked, so the developer can see the scope, and a link to the online report can be shared directly with the developer's customer-care team.

In Dubai, developers are generally responsible for rectifying genuine construction and finishing defects reported within the defect liability period in your sale and purchase agreement, within a market regulated by RERA and the DLD. A clear, professional snag list with photographs and severity ratings gives you documented evidence to hold the developer accountable and makes refusals far harder to justify.

No. Many ProSnagging clients live overseas or are at work. With your permission and the developer's access arrangements, the inspector attends alone, keeps you updated with photographs during the visit and delivers the report the same day. Our International Concierge option handles the developer access on your behalf.

Snagging inspection prices in Dubai depend on the size and type of property — a studio or one-bedroom apartment costs less than a large villa. ProSnagging publishes fixed, transparent pricing per property size with no hidden fees, and every inspection includes a same-day report and a free re-inspection once the developer completes the fixes. See our pricing page for current rates.

Compare four things: whether the company is independent of developers and contractors, whether its inspectors are qualified engineers, whether the report is photographed room by room with severity ratings, and whether a re-inspection is included. Fixed published prices and a sample report you can read before booking are good signs. ProSnagging meets all of these and has completed more than 10,000 inspections across the UAE.

In almost every case the value of defects found far exceeds the inspection fee. Rectification the developer carries out at its own cost during the defect liability period would otherwise be paid for by you after it ends — retiling a bathroom or repairing a hidden leak costs many times a snagging inspection.

ProSnagging is based in Dubai and inspects across the emirate — Dubai Marina, Downtown, Dubai Hills, Arabian Ranches, Damac Hills, Dubai South, Jumeirah Village, Business Bay, Palm Jumeirah, Emaar Beachfront, Tilal Al Ghaf and every other community — and travels to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah by appointment. Travel within Dubai is included in the published price; ask us about other emirates when you book.

Yes. ProSnagging inspects properties developed by Emaar, DAMAC, Nakheel, Meraas, Sobha, Dubai Properties, Aldar and every other UAE developer, and works with each developer's own snagging and customer-care procedures. Being independent of all of them is what makes the report worth relying on.