Your kitchen checklist - everything you need to know

Buying a property can be an overwhelming experience. While you’re envisioning the memories you could make in, what will potentially be your new home, you also need to remember your checklist. What you do want in a house and don’t, plus the things you’re willing to compromise on.

As the saying goes, the kitchen is the heart of the home. Here’s a kitchen checklist to keep you on track at your next viewing.

Size

Is the size of the kitchen suitable for your needs and the size of your family?

Layout

Check the layout of the kitchen – with particular reference to the fridge, oven and sink working triangle. These three areas of the kitchen determine how efficient the space will be. Ideally no household traffic should flow within the working triangle; for example, the thoroughfare from the hallway to the living area should not be through the kitchen, and certainly not the working triangle. If you enjoy entertaining guests, does the space provide ample room, and flow between the kitchen, living, dining and outdoor entertainment areas? Consider the space for various different uses.

Storage space

Is there enough storage space and what is the condition of the storage cupboards and draws? Think ahead – if the storage conditions are poor, they may require maintenance or upgrading down the track.

Bench condition

Check for scratches, stains, heat marks or general faults. Benchtops can be pricey to replace, so it’s important you determine any issues before making an offer.

Bench space

Is there enough bench space to comfortably prepare a meal or bake some delicious treats? Think about where your bench top appliances may go and how this affects the space available, this may include your toaster and jug. Be sure to check the bench space available next to the stove top, as this is a highly utilsed area and you will need plenty of space for utensils, bowls, pots and pans.

Cooktop & oven

Are you happy with the type of cooktop (electric, gas, induction) in the kitchen and more importantly, what are the conditions of the cooktop and oven? Check both the cooktop and oven works, on all settings and be sure to open the oven door and see if there is any built up grime.

Exhaust fan

Check the exhaust fan is in working condition and that the house has one installed! You may also want to check how noisy the fan is, especially in an open plan living area.

Water

Check the hot water is working in the kitchen and that there is good water pressure on both hot and cold settings. Check under the sink to see if there are any signs of leaks or water damage.

Dishwasher

For starters, is there a dishwasher? If not, can you realistically see yourself living without or is there space to install one? If the house does have a dishwasher, what’s its condition? Check it turns on and works on a range of settings. Open the door and check the inside condition too – it pays to avoid any nasty surprises.

Power points

How many power points are in the kitchen and where are they located? Do the power points work with where you envision your appliances going?

Lighting

How effective is the kitchen lighting? Both the household lighting and natural light. Check to see if there is lighting over the stove-top – often this is built into the exhaust fan. If any lights aren’t working, you may want to consider having them fixed as part of the conditions of sale.

Flooring

What type of material is the kitchen floor and what is its condition? If wooden, you may check for scratches and dents, if it’s tiles you may want to check for chips.