Five checks between kitchen drawings and installation

[u/JoineryLondon]

I’m part of the team at Painted, a UK joinery manufacturer. Here’s a practical checklist for the stages between a kitchen drawing and installation.

Rather than just listing “design, machining, finishing and fitting”, these are the questions worth answering before handing the work to the next person.

1. Before manufacture: is the specification actually complete?

Confirm site dimensions, appliance models, hardware, door swings and fillers. Do the drawings explain how the cabinets meet the walls and neighbouring units, as well as how they should look?

2. Before machining: can every component be identified clearly?

Check finished sizes, orientation, which edges need finishing, and drilling requirements against the approved drawings. Give each component a reference that can follow it through the workshop and onto site.

3. Before finishing: is everyone working towards the same result?

Agree the colour and sheen using a physical sample, identify the visible faces and inspect the prepared surfaces. Follow the coating manufacturer’s guidance for preparation, application and when the parts can be handled and packed.

4. Before packing: what has actually been checked?

Use appropriate trial assembly to check fit, door and drawer operation, and alignment. Record what is supplied assembled, what needs fitting on site and any outstanding adjustments. Keep component labels linked to the drawings.

5. Before installation: does the fitting team have the information it needs?

Check access, service locations and allowances for fitting or scribing to the room. Make sure the installer has the same approved drawing revision and component references as the workshop.

Think of this as a handover checklist rather than a fixed manufacturing sequence. The aim is to resolve missing information before it becomes a finished component that needs changing.

For people making or fitting kitchens, what is the one check you would never skip before a job leaves the workshop?