How do I keep a kitchen punch list organized?

Keep a kitchen punch list organized by writing each item against one of the 7 areas on this checklist - cabinets, countertops, backsplash, plumbing, appliances, electrical and finishes - instead of in the order you found the problem. When several trades owe work, sorting by area turns one punch list into a short list for each trade.

Who should be on the final walkthrough?

The contractor and the client should both be on the final kitchen walkthrough. Record the walk in JobsiteHQ as you go, and the client's concerns land on the same punch list as yours before the final invoice.

What about items waiting on parts?

Keep items waiting on parts on the punch list, with a note of what you're waiting for. A backordered panel or a replacement door is still open work, and open work is what the client will ask about.

Should the client sign off on the punch list?

A client sign-off on the kitchen punch list helps. An approved punch list is the clearest record of what was left and when each item was finished. Once every item is done, the final invoice is easy to agree.

Kitchen remodel punch list

A kitchen remodel punch list is the list of unfinished and defective work left after the cabinets, counters, plumbing, appliances and electrical go in. A kitchen punch list runs long because every trade touched the room. The quickest kitchen walkthrough goes system by system, not wall by wall. Going system by system also sorts the punch list for each trade as you write the list. The JobsiteHQ kitchen remodel punch list below has 28 checks in 7 areas, ready to print.

Make this list by talking

Cabinets

Boxes level and fastened to studs; fillers and scribes tight to the walls.
Doors aligned with even gaps, hinges adjusted, soft-close working.
Drawers run fully and smoothly without rubbing the doors beside them.
Crown, light rail and toe kick fitted, nail holes filled.
Hardware straight, at a consistent height, screws snug.
No chips or scratches on doors, end panels or inside the sink base.

Countertops

Seams flat and tight, filler matching the color.
Top level, overhangs even, supports in place under bar sections.
Undermount sink clips secure and the sink-to-top joint sealed.
Stone sealed if specified.

Backsplash

Grout full and clean; caulk, not grout, at the countertop joint.
Outlet boxes brought out flush, cover plates straight.
Edges finished with trim or bullnose - no raw tile edges.

Plumbing

Faucet and sprayer working with no drips; handle swings clear of the backsplash.
Disposal runs from its switch, no leaks at the sink flange.
Dishwasher supply, drain loop or air gap, and connections dry.
Fridge water line connected and dry, ice and water dispensing.

Appliances

Range level with its anti-tip bracket installed; every burner lights.
Oven heats, light works, door seals.
Hood ducted outside, fan and lights working.
Dishwasher fastened in place and runs a full cycle without leaking.
Fridge doors aligned, gaps even at the sides and top.

Electrical

Countertop outlets GFCI protected and tripping correctly.
Under-cabinet and pendant lights on the right switches, no wiring showing.
Appliance circuits labeled in the panel.

Finishes

Paint touched up where cabinets and tops went in.
Floor clean and undamaged at the toe kicks and under the appliances.
Trim, casing and floor transitions complete.

How do you use this checklist?

Print the 28-check kitchen remodel punch list from JobsiteHQ, or keep the page open on your phone, and walk the job in the order of the sections. Tick each line once you've checked the work. Anything that needs work goes on your own list, with the room and what's wrong. Hand your list to the trade who fixes the items, then walk the fixed items again.

How do you run the final walkthrough?

Go system by system: cabinets and counters, then plumbing, appliances and electrical, and finishes last. The 7 areas of the JobsiteHQ checklist above follow the same route.

Open and close every cabinet door and drawer, not just a few. Hinge adjustments are the most common kitchen item, and a cup hinge adjusts 3 ways - side, height and depth - with a screwdriver.
Run the dishwasher and the disposal together and watch the 2 drain connections under the sink while both drain.
If you can't see the range's anti-tip bracket, pull the range out and check. The anti-tip bracket is easy to forget, and the bracket matters the day a child climbs the oven door.
Run your hand across every countertop seam. Your hand feels a height difference at a seam long before your eye sees one.

What gets missed on a kitchen remodel?

On a kitchen remodel, the misses are mostly the spots nobody looks at on the way out. The 5 items below are the ones that come back as a call after the final invoice.

Dishwasher brackets: A dishwasher can run fine with nobody having fastened the dishwasher to the counter. Most dishwashers come with 2 mounting brackets; an unfastened one tips forward the first time a full rack comes out.
Hood ducting: The hood lights up and the fan spins, but the damper is taped shut or the duct is loose. Check that air moves outside.
Toe kicks and fillers: Toe kicks and filler strips are the last pieces cut and the first forgotten. Look low along every run of cabinets, and at the 2 ends of each run.
Gas shutoff access: The gas shutoff behind the range should still be reachable and turn a quarter turn by hand. Check before the range goes back for the last time.
Manuals and spare parts: Appliance manuals, warranty cards and spare hardware go out with the boxes. Collect the paper in a drawer for the client, and photograph each model and serial label into the job in JobsiteHQ.

How do you close out the punch list?

Closing out a kitchen remodel punch list means finishing every open item, showing the client the finished work, and handing over what the client needs to look after the work. The 3 steps below come before the final invoice.

Run every appliance through a cycle before the client takes the kitchen back.
Leave cabinet touch-up, spare hinges and shelf pins with the client.
Put items waiting on parts in writing for the client, with the date you expect each part - 'replacement door, due the 14th'.

Skip the clipboard

Walk the kitchen remodel with JobsiteHQ open and say what you see, room by room. JobsiteHQ writes the punch list, sorted by area, for you to check over, then turns the list into a client summary, an estimate and an invoice. JobsiteHQ works with no signal.

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A punch list written by JobsiteHQ from a recorded walkthrough

Questions

How do I keep a kitchen punch list organized?: Keep a kitchen punch list organized by writing each item against one of the 7 areas on this checklist - cabinets, countertops, backsplash, plumbing, appliances, electrical and finishes - instead of in the order you found the problem. When several trades owe work, sorting by area turns one punch list into a short list for each trade.
Who should be on the final walkthrough?: The contractor and the client should both be on the final kitchen walkthrough. Record the walk in JobsiteHQ as you go, and the client's concerns land on the same punch list as yours before the final invoice.
What about items waiting on parts?: Keep items waiting on parts on the punch list, with a note of what you're waiting for. A backordered panel or a replacement door is still open work, and open work is what the client will ask about.
Should the client sign off on the punch list?: A client sign-off on the kitchen punch list helps. An approved punch list is the clearest record of what was left and when each item was finished. Once every item is done, the final invoice is easy to agree.

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