The Kitchen Snag Checklist for New-Build Homes

Why the Kitchen Needs Its Own Checklist

The kitchen has more fittings, services, and finishes packed into one room than anywhere else in a new home. Worktops, units, sinks, taps, appliances, extractors, and a dense run of electrics all have to be finished to a high standard — and the tight installation schedule means defects are common. A dedicated kitchen checklist keeps you from missing the things hidden behind units or under the sink.

Work through this checklist alongside the full new build snagging checklist and the related plumbing and electrical checklists.

How to Inspect a New Kitchen

Inspect in a fixed order so nothing is missed: worktops and surfaces first, then units and doors, then the sink and plumbing, then appliances, then electrics and extractors. Use a side light across worktops and units — raking light reveals chips, scratches, and uneven joints that overhead light hides. Open and close every door and drawer; the feel tells you more than the look.

What to Look For

Worktops and surfaces

• Chips or scratches along edges and cut-outs (hob, sink).
• Joints between sections — should be flush with no step or visible gap.
• Sealing where the worktop meets the wall — no gaps that could let water behind.
• Heat or scorch marks near the hob.

Units, doors and drawers

• Doors and drawers open and close freely without catching or rubbing.
• Handles are straight and secure.
• Gaps between doors are even; no doors sit proud of their neighbours.
• Hinges are adjusted so doors hang level.
• Drawers run on their rails fully and soft-close works where fitted.

Sink, taps and plumbing

• Tap operates smoothly, hot and cold are the correct way round.
• No drips from the spout or beneath the sink after running water.
• Waste traps are tight — check the cupboard below for damp.
• Sink is sealed to the worktop with no gaps.

Appliances and electrics

• Every socket works — test with a phone charger.
• Switches for appliances (cooker, hob isolator) are labelled and accessible.
• Integrated appliances are fitted squarely and secured.
• Extractor works on all speeds and recirculates or vents as specified.

Common Kitchen Defects

The defects that turn up most often in new kitchens are: chipped worktop edges, unit doors out of alignment, gaps in worktop seals, loose or dripping tap connections, and sockets that have not been connected. Most are quick to fix if caught now and expensive or awkward later — a worktop reseal after move-in means clearing the whole kitchen.

For the broader set of defects across the home, see our guide to common new build defects.

Kitchen Snag Checklist

Work through each section, tick items off as you check them, and export a clean printable PDF to take with you on the day.

Frequently Asked Questions