The Portman Snagging: Balconies, Full-Height Windows and Kitchen Finishes
The Portman snagging checks Ellington's JVC apartments, from balcony drainage and full-height windows to kitchen cabinetry, bathroom waterproofing and AC.
Independent Pre-Handover Inspection
Property Snagging in Dubai
The Complete Guide for Off Plan and New Build Buyers: Inspections, Checklists, Costs, and Your Protection Window
Snagging is the independent inspection of a new Dubai home before you accept it, so every defect is fixed at the developer’s cost, not yours. Here I explain what to check, when to book, and what it costs.
9Snagging Guides
130Project Inspection Pages
28Dubai Communities
AED 800Inspections From (approx. USD 218)
Closest to Handover
Dubai Project Snagging Inspections
Every building has its own weak points. On each project page I set out what I would check first in that development, what an inspection there typically costs, and when to book it. These three are closest to handover.
The Farmhouses at DAMAC Hills 2 Snagging for Thirteen Country Estates
The Farmhouses at DAMAC Hills 2 is a cluster of thirteen G+1 villas in two typologies, 5 and 6 bedroom farmhouses.
Seagate at Rashid Yachts & Marina Snagging Before You Sign
Seagate at Rashid Yachts & Marina is a four-building Emaar Properties complex of 282 apartments on the promenade at Mina Rashid.
I have inspection pages for 58 developments so far. Find yours through its developer snagging hub or its community snagging hub below.
Not sure where your project sits? Tell me the name and I will tell you when to book.
Check My ProjectTwo Different Inspections
Snagging vs Developer Handover Inspection
These get confused constantly. One is run by the developer to get you to accept the unit. The other is run independently to protect you.
| Comparison Point | Independent Snagging Inspection | Developer Handover Inspection |
|---|---|---|
| Who Conducts It | An independent inspector appointed and paid by the buyer. | The developer or the developer’s handover team. |
| Primary Purpose | Identify defects, incomplete works, and quality issues before acceptance. | Prepare the unit for handover and obtain buyer acceptance. |
| Typical Outcome | A detailed snagging report requiring defects to be rectified. | Completion of handover procedures and unit acceptance documentation. |
Doing the developer’s walkthrough is not a substitute for an independent snag. The full distinction is in Snagging vs Handover Inspection.
Indicative Pricing
What Snagging Costs in Dubai
Snagging is priced by unit size and type, and the fee is modest against the repair bills it shifts onto the developer.
| Property Type | Typical Starting Cost | Approx. USD |
|---|---|---|
| Studio or 1 Bedroom Apartment | AED 800 to 1,500 | ≈ USD 218 to 408 |
| 2 to 4 Bedroom Apartments | AED 1,300 to 2,500 | ≈ USD 354 to 681 |
| Villas and Townhouses | AED 2,000 to 6,000+ | ≈ USD 545 to 1,634+ |
| Re-Inspection Visit | Often included, or AED 600 to 1,500 | ≈ USD 163 to 408 |
USD figures use an AED/USD rate of 3.6725. What is included at each level, and how to choose a reliable inspector, is covered in Snagging Services Dubai.
By Developer
Dubai Developer Snagging Inspections
Who built your home matters as much as where it stands. Finishes, handover routines, and how quickly defects get fixed differ from one developer to the next, so I keep a separate snagging hub for each. Start with the developer you bought from.
Emaar Snagging Inspections for Apartments, Villas and Townhouses in 10 Communities
Emaar hands homes over in large phases: every project grouped by community, with what to check first and when to book.
Developer Index
Dubai Developer Snagging Inspection Directory
All 6 developers I cover, with the number of projects under each and the communities they build in.
| Developer | Snagging Projects | Communities Covered | Explore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emaar Properties | 70 Projects | Mina Rashid, The Valley by Emaar, Dubai Creek Harbour, Emaar South Dubai, Downtown Dubai, Emaar Beachfront, Arabian Ranches 3, Dubai Marina, Dubai Hills Estate, The Oasis Emaar |
By Community
Dubai Community Snagging Inspections
Where a home sits shapes what goes wrong in it. A sea facing tower, a golf course villa, and a canal side high rise do not fail in the same places, so I also group my inspection pages by community.
The Valley Snagging: Townhouse Roofs, Gardens, Boundary Walls and Drainage
In The Valley, a townhouse has a roof, garden, boundary walls, water tank and external drainage for the snagging inspection.
Business Bay Snagging: Canal Side Towers and Branded Residences Before Handover
Business Bay snagging: what to check first in a canal side tower, what an inspection costs and when to book.
Community Index
Dubai Community Snagging Inspection Directory
All 18 communities I cover, the developers building in each, and the construction updates that show how close handover is.
| Community | Snagging Projects | Developers | Explore |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Valley by Emaar | 9 Projects | Emaar Properties | |
| Business Bay | 7 Projects | Ellington, Select Group, DAMAC, Binghatti, OMNIYAT |
Your Advisor
Who Arranges Your Snagging Inspection
I am Tohid Fetrat, a Dubai luxury real estate advisor with an office at The Opus by Omniyat in Business Bay. For buyers approaching handover, I appoint an independent inspector on their behalf and review the completed report with them in detail, so every defect the developer is responsible for is identified, documented, and raised before the unit is accepted.
- 9+ years advising buyers across Dubai off plan and ultra luxury projects
- Inspections arranged for the buyer, never for the developer
- Every snag report reviewed with you before it goes to the developer
- Handover timing read from the construction updates tracked on this site
- Office at The Opus by Omniyat, Business Bay, Dubai
Emaar AwardDAMAC AwardDubai Properties AwardTilal Al Ghaf Award
Six Stages
The Dubai Snagging Process, Step by Step
From handover notice to final sign off, the process runs in six clear stages, with a re-inspection to confirm the fixes before you accept the unit.
Book the Inspection
Arrange the inspection once you receive the handover notice, before you sign acceptance and collect the keys.
Plan My Inspection TimingInspect Every Room and System
The inspector tests every room and system, documenting each defect with photos.
Receive the Snag Report
You receive a clear snag list, organised by room and severity.
Submit to the Developer
The list goes to the developer for rectification while the responsibility is still theirs.
Developer De-Snags
The developer works through the list. Ask for completion dates in writing, not verbal assurances.
Re-Inspect Before Sign Off
A follow up visit confirms the fixes before you sign off.
A professional brings tools you do not have at home, including moisture meters and thermal imaging that find leaks and cooling faults behind finished surfaces.
Room by Room
What a Dubai Snagging Inspection Covers
Dubai builds fast and at scale, and most buyers take handover of a home they have never physically seen. A proper inspection goes room by room and system by system, and measures what was delivered against what your sale agreement promised, while closing that gap is still the developer’s job.
- Walls, ceilings, paint, and finishes for cracks and uneven work
- Floors and tiling, including hollow or lifting tiles and grout
- Doors, windows, and glazing for alignment, seals, and operation
- Kitchens and bathrooms, including joinery, sealing, and water pressure
- Plumbing and drainage for leaks and slow or standing water
- Electrical points, switches, lighting, and the distribution board
- Air conditioning and ventilation, including cooling performance
- Safety items such as smoke detectors and balcony guarding
- The unit against your sale agreement, to catch missing or downgraded specs
Take the room by room version with you from the Snagging Checklist, see the faults that appear most often in Common Property Defects, and read the off plan angle in Off-Plan Pre-Handover Snagging.
Cost vs Risk
How Snagging Saves You Money
A snagging inspection is a small, fixed, known cost. The defects it catches are not, and after your protection window closes you pay for them yourself.
Shifted to the Developer
Defects raised before acceptance are fixed at the developer’s cost, while you still have the right to insist.
Resale and Rent Protected
Hidden faults caught early do not surface later as a price chip from a buyer or a complaint from a tenant.
Documented on Record
A dated, photographed snag list gives you leverage at the exact moment you have the most of it.
The inspection fee is known on day one. The repair bill for a missed leak is not.
The full cost versus risk argument, with typical defect costs, is in How Snagging Saves You Money.
Handover approaching on your unit?
Arrange My InspectionYour Rights
Your Protection Window: Defect Liability and Structural Warranty
After handover, the developer is obliged to fix defects for a set period. There is a clock, and it starts the day you accept the unit.
| Coverage Type | What It Protects | Typical Coverage Period |
|---|---|---|
| Defect Liability Period | General construction defects, finishes, fixtures, fittings, and building systems. | Commonly around 1 year from handover |
| Structural Warranty | Major structural components including foundations, columns, beams, and load bearing elements. | Several years beyond the defect liability period |
Confirm the exact periods for your project and sale agreement. Your rights, and how to escalate a slow developer, are covered in Defect Liability Period and Structural Warranty.
Walk In Prepared
Get the Printable Snagging Checklist and a Sample Report on WhatsApp
Handover coming up? I will send you a clean, printable version of the room by room checklist and a sample snagging report, free, so you know what a professional report looks like before you book one.
Send Me the ChecklistWhat You Will Receive
Sample Snag Report Format
- Master BathroomSealant gap at shower trayMajor
- Living RoomHollow floor tileMinor
- Bedroom 2Weak AC airflowMajor
- Printable room by room checklist for inspection day
- Sample report organised by room and severity
- A photo, a location, and a recommended action for every defect
Essential Reading
Essential Dubai Property Snagging Guides
These three answer the questions I am asked first: what to check, when to book, and whether the fee is worth it. Read them before your handover notice arrives.
Full Guide Index
Dubai Property Snagging Guide Directory
All 9 of my snagging guides, in the order a purchase actually unfolds: first research, inspection day, then the defect liability period after handover.
| Guide | What It Answers | Best Moment | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| What Is Property Snagging? | The basics, and the cosmetic, functional, and technical snags an inspection looks for. | First Research | |
| Off-Plan Pre-Handover Snagging | How off plan buyers, including those buying from abroad, inspect a home they have never seen. | Buying Off Plan | |
| When To Book Snagging | How to time the inspection around the handover notice and key collection. | Handover Notice | |
| Snagging Checklist | A room by room list of every finish, fitting, and system to test on the day. | Inspection Day | |
| Common Property Defects | The faults found most often in Dubai handovers, and which ones cost the most to miss. | Inspection Day | |
| Snagging vs Handover Inspection | Why the developer walkthrough and your independent snag serve opposite sides. | Before the Walkthrough | |
| Snagging Services Dubai | What a professional inspection includes, what it costs, and how to choose an inspector. | Choosing an Inspector | |
| How Snagging Saves You Money | The cost versus risk argument for inspecting before you accept. | Deciding to Inspect | |
| Defect Liability Period and Structural Warranty | How long the developer must fix defects after handover, and how to escalate. | After Handover |
Around Handover
Connected Guides for the Weeks Around Handover
Snagging is one step in a longer sequence. These three cover what happens before it and after it.
Handover Timing
I track construction progress project by project, so your inspection is booked for the right weeks, not guessed.
Dubai Construction UpdatesAsk About TimingThe Handover Process
Project completion, final payment, key collection, and title deed registration, in the order they happen.
Ask About HandoverThe Full Buying Journey
From selecting a property and signing the SPA to Oqood registration and the final title deed.
Ask About BuyingFAQs
Property Snagging in Dubai Frequently Asked Questions
What is property snagging?
Snagging is an independent inspection of a new property to find and document defects before you accept it, so the developer fixes them at their cost rather than yours. The basics and the types of snags are explained in What Is Property Snagging.
When should I snag my property in Dubai?
After the developer issues the handover notice and before you sign acceptance and take the keys. That is when your inspection has the most leverage. The full timing guidance is in When To Book Snagging.
Is snagging really necessary for off plan property?
For off plan it is especially important, because you are accepting a unit you have often never seen, and the inspection confirms it matches what you were promised before your protection window starts. The off plan angle is covered in Off-Plan Pre-Handover Snagging.
Does the developer not already inspect the property?
The developer runs its own walkthrough to get you to accept the unit. That is not the same as an independent snag carried out to protect you. The two are compared in Snagging vs Handover Inspection.
How long do I have to report defects after handover?
There is a defect liability window after handover, commonly around one year for general defects, plus a longer structural warranty on major structural elements. Confirm the exact periods for your project and sale agreement. Your rights are set out in Defect Liability Period and Structural Warranty.
How much does snagging cost in Dubai?
Snagging is priced by unit size and type. Typical starting costs are AED 800 to 1,500 (≈ USD 218 to 408) for a studio or 1 bedroom apartment, AED 1,300 to 2,500 (≈ USD 354 to 681) for 2 to 4 bedroom apartments, and AED 2,000 to 6,000 or more (≈ USD 545 to 1,634) for villas and townhouses. A re-inspection visit is often included or charged at AED 600 to 1,500 (≈ USD 163 to 408). What each tier includes is explained in Snagging Services Dubai.
Can I do snagging myself?
You can, and the Dubai snagging checklist lets you do a thorough first pass. A professional inspection uses tools such as moisture meters and thermal imaging that find hidden leaks and cooling faults, and brings the experience to know what the developer can be made to rectify.
Which Dubai communities and developers have project snagging pages?
Project snagging inspection pages on this site currently cover 58 developments, grouped into 18 community snagging hubs, led by Dubai Hills Estate, DAMAC Hills 2, Downtown Dubai, Dubai Creek Harbour, Palm Jebel Ali, Palm Jumeirah, and 6 developer snagging hubs: Emaar Properties, DAMAC Properties, Nakheel, OMNIYAT, Select Group, Binghatti. Each hub lists every project page inside it, and handover timing for each development is tracked in the Dubai construction updates hub.
What is the difference between this snagging pillar, the snagging hubs, and the project snagging pages?
This pillar explains the inspection for any new Dubai home. The developer and community snagging hubs group the project pages and describe how handover and defects behave for that developer or in that community. Each project snagging inspection page then applies it to one development, with its unit types, characteristic defect profile, indicative costs, and handover timing. The wider buying process is documented in my Dubai real estate guide library.
Tohid Fetrat
Handover approaching? Message me before you accept the keys.
Step 1You message me your project and handover date on WhatsApp
Step 2I arrange an independent inspection and review the report with you
Step 3You accept the keys once the fixes are confirmed