An independent inspection of your new home before you take the keys, so that what is unfinished, badly executed or different from what you were sold is on paper while the builder still has to deal with it.
A snagging inspection is not a condition survey. Nothing in a new build is worn out yet. It answers three different questions, and it answers them before you sign.
Once you accept the property, a defect becomes yours to prove was there beforehand. Before handover it is the developer's problem. That difference is the whole point of the timing.
Addressing issues before handover means the developer, not you, is responsible for putting them right.
Technical review of the property documents you provide
Qualified architects and civil engineers
Bilingual report, English and Portuguese, within 48 hours
We work for you, never for the developer
A pre-purchase inspection asks what condition a property is in. A snagging inspection asks something else entirely.
What has not been installed, connected or completed. On a real job that has meant no smoke detectors fitted, a balcony downpipe left unconnected, an unlabelled consumer unit and an EV charging point that was never installed.
Where the work is done but not done well. Doors that bind and will not latch, balcony falls draining back towards the sliding door, hollow tiles, silicone with gaps at both ends.
We read your specification documents and check what was actually installed against them. On one apartment that caught a substituted oven, a manual blind where an electric one was specified, and a worktop that could not be confirmed as the material named in the contract.
The status is a summary. The detail sits in the observation beside it, written so that someone who was not there can understand exactly what was found.
Inspected, and no defect or shortfall observed on the day.
Not finished, not connected, or not yet installed. Common close to handover, and the easiest category to get put right before you sign.
Installed, but defective, damaged or poorly executed. Workmanship you are entitled to expect better of.
What is installed does not match the documents you supplied. Recorded as an observation of fact. Whether a difference is permitted under your contract is a question for your lawyer, and we do not answer it.
Could not be checked on the day, with the reason always stated. Most often because water or electricity was not connected.
An item that could not be tested is never recorded as acceptable. Cannot verify means exactly that, and those items are listed for a follow-up visit rather than quietly passed.
Nine areas, worked through in order. The technical review of your documents comes first, then your own concerns. The number of individual items depends on the property, because the checklist is built from your specification documents rather than from a fixed template.
Send these at least three Portuguese business days beforehand. Your inspector reads them and builds the checklist around what you were actually promised, which is what makes the specification comparison possible at all.
Please ask the developer to have both on for the day. New builds are often disconnected before the deed, and if they are off we simply inspect everything that can be inspected. Anything we could not check is recorded as Cannot verify, with the reason stated, so you can see exactly what is still outstanding. Those items can be covered on a follow-up visit.
Even brand-new properties in Portugal regularly have defects. These are the ones our inspectors find most often before handover.
Uneven finishes, gaps in tiling, incorrectly fitted fixtures, and render applied badly, all of which should be corrected before handover.
Items in the specification that have not been installed or finished, from landscaping and fittings to whole technical systems.
Materials, fittings or finishes that do not match what your purchase contract promised. Cheaper substitutions, downgrades or the wrong model, which the developer should correct before you sign off.
Flat roofs, terraces and balconies that do not drain correctly or have failed waterproofing. Very common in new builds, and expensive once you own it.
Electrical systems without proper RCDs, missing smoke detectors, or ventilation that does not meet Portuguese standards.
Air conditioning, hot water or plumbing that has not been properly commissioned or tested before handover, and sometimes has never been run at all.
Portuguese construction has its own regulations, certifications and developer practices. Our inspections are built for the realities of that market, and for buyers who are often abroad while it is happening.
Portuguese law provides a defects-liability framework for construction. A photograph-supported snag report at handover gives you a clear record of conditions on the day. For questions about your rights, consult a Portuguese lawyer.
We confirm whether the Licença de Utilização and the Energy Performance Certificate are present on file at the time of inspection. We do not certify or audit these documents. Their validity is a legal matter for your lawyer.
Portuguese building regulations set minimum railing heights and guardrail spacing for child safety. Where we observe potential deficiencies on balconies, stairs or terraces, they are reported for the developer's attention.
Portuguese law requires a current periodic inspection certificate for lifts in residential buildings. Where access is permitted we photograph the displayed certificate and report missing or expired documentation.
From booking to a report you can hand straight to your developer.
Book at least three Portuguese business days before the inspection and send us whatever specification documents you hold. Tell us what you already want looked at, and ask the developer to have water and electricity switched on.
Your inspector works through the checklist built from your own documents, starting with the items you raised. Every finding is photographed with a scale reference, and every item is given one of the five statuses on the day.
A full report in English and Portuguese, with a summary of findings, a priority actions table listing everything that was not acceptable, room measurements, and the photographic record. Ready to send to your developer.
The same structure on every job, so it reads clearly to you, to your lawyer and to the developer.
“PIDS inspected my new-build apartment before handover and found 14 snags the developer had missed - including a leaking pipe behind the kitchen wall. They fixed everything before I took the keys.”
Get your independent pre-handover inspection before you sign. Qualified Portuguese architects and civil engineers, bilingual report in 48 hours. From €700.
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