Kitchens are the highest-risk room in any snagging inspection. They combine joinery, stone or laminate worktops, plumbing, electrics, appliances, and tiling in a few square metres, and buyers judge the whole house by them. Work through these 25 points in order and you will catch what matters.
Units and joinery
1. Door and drawer fronts aligned, with even gaps across every run. 2. Soft-close hinges and drawer runners working on every unit, not just the display ones. 3. Handles secure and aligned, with no damaged or missing fixings. 4. Carcasses undamaged inside, with shelves level and properly supported. 5. Plinths, end panels, and cornices fitted flush with clean joints and no visible fixings. 6. Integrated appliance doors aligned with the units and opening without catching.
Worktops and sink
7. Worktop joints flush, tight, and sealed, with no visible adhesive squeeze-out. 8. Surface free of scratches, chips, and burns, checked in raking light along its length. 9. Upstands and splashbacks sealed where they meet the worktop. 10. Sink secure, with even silicone around the rim and no movement under pressure. 11. Tap runs hot and cold correctly, with good flow and no drips when off. 12. Trap and waste connections below dry after running the tap for a full minute.
Appliances
13. Every appliance powered and operational, not just fitted. 14. Hob or cooker tested on every zone or ring. 15. Oven heats and the light, fan, and timer work. 16. Extractor runs on all speeds and actually vents where it should. 17. Fridge, freezer, and dishwasher level, secured, and running quietly. 18. Appliance manuals and warranties present and handed over.
Tiling and decoration
19. Wall tiles free of cracks, chips, and lippage, with consistent grout lines. 20. Cut tiles around sockets and edges neat, not slivers or rough breaks. 21. Silicone lines continuous and smooth wherever tiling meets worktops or units. 22. Paintwork complete and clean, including inside any larder or utility cupboards.
Services and finishing
23. Every socket and switch tested, with faceplates flush and undamaged. 24. Lighting all working, including under-unit lighting, with consistent colour across fittings. 25. Floor finish undamaged at thresholds and kick lines, where trades often catch it late.
Three habits that make it stick
Photograph every defect as you find it, wide for context and close for detail. Record the exact location, because "kitchen drawer" means nothing in a house with twenty. And check the room again at re-inspection with the original list in hand, because kitchens attract follow-on damage from other trades finishing around them.
SnagCore lets you run this checklist on your phone, capturing photos against each point as you go, so the kitchen report is finished when you are. Start a free trial and take it into your next inspection.
Twenty-five points, ten minutes, and no expensive surprises after handover. That is what a checklist is for.