For homeowners buying cabinets from China
Kitchen cabinet inspection checklist before shipment
Before you release the shipment, match the finished cabinets to your signed drawings and sample. Ask for measurements and photos tied to cabinet IDs, then list what must be corrected.
Use this to brief your inspector and decide whether the order is ready to ship. It is a suggested order checklist; your contract sets the acceptance criteria.
By the China Home Source editorial team · Updated · How we check numbers
Send these files before the inspection
Your final drawing revision, cabinet schedule, material and hardware specification, approved finish sample, appliance spec sheets and packing plan. Agree who chooses the units to inspect, which checks cover every unit and which use a sample.
Book the inspection while corrections can still be made. Put the inspection, correction and payment sequence in the order terms before production starts.
What to check, and what evidence to keep
1. Match every cabinet to the drawing
Give each box, door and filler a cabinet ID. Check the count against your signed cabinet schedule, including end panels, toe kicks and trim.
Keep: A marked-up schedule showing the IDs inspected, plus a photo of the whole order laid out by ID.
2. Measure boxes and appliance openings
Compare width, height, depth, door swing and appliance openings with your approved drawings. Ask your installer to set the allowed tolerances before production.
Keep: Photos with a tape measure readable at both ends. Record the actual measurement beside the drawing dimension.
3. Check the box material and edges
Compare panel material, thickness, back construction and exposed edges with the contract. A finished door photo does not establish what the cabinet box is made from.
Keep: Close-ups of panel edges and thickness measurements. Record any substitution before accepting the order.
4. Open drawers and check the hardware
Match hinge and runner markings to the brand and model on your order. Open and close the inspected doors and drawers, and check for rubbing, loose screws and missing fittings.
Keep: Close-ups of hardware markings and a video of the inspected units operating. Include the bagged assembly fittings.
5. Compare the finish with your kept sample
Inspect doors, drawer fronts and visible end panels together under the same light. Compare them with the approved physical sample for color, sheen, chips and scratches.
Keep: Photos of the sample beside the production parts, with cabinet IDs visible. Agree how to resolve a color dispute; a phone image alone is a poor color reference.
6. Check packing before it hides the work
Inspect the unpacked goods, then check corner protection, separated doors, moisture protection and carton labels against the agreed packing plan. Flat-pack orders need matching part labels and assembly instructions.
Keep: Photos before packing, during packing and after sealing. Each carton ID should map to the packing list and the room plan.
A report you can act on
Ask for the order number, drawing revision, inspection date, total quantity and IDs checked. Each defect needs a photo, the requirement it fails, an agreed correction and a person responsible. Record unchecked items separately so a missing check cannot look like a pass.
Decide whether to accept, request repairs or hold shipment against the criteria in your contract. Keep the original report and the correction record together. A cosmetic repair does not resolve a wrong appliance opening.
Inspection and compliance need different evidence
A visual inspection cannot establish formaldehyde emissions or prove that a certificate covers your panels. Ask for the documents required in the delivery country as a separate check.
For US orders containing regulated composite wood, check TSCA Title VI documentation and labeling. The EPA rule overview explains the covered panel types and finished products. Source checked October 19, 2026.
See cabinet duty by destination or calculate your own US cabinet import costs before committing to an order.
Questions before the inspection
Can I inspect kitchen cabinets by video?
Use video to see measurements, hardware and operation, and ask to see cabinet IDs before each check. A factory chooses what its camera shows. For a remote order, an inspector you appoint can select the units and record defects against your drawings. Neither approach replaces laboratory tests or document checks.
Should every cabinet be inspected?
Agree the inspection scope in writing. Have your inspector record the total quantity, the IDs checked and any sampling plan. For a custom kitchen, ask for a dimensional check of every unique cabinet and appliance opening; do not treat an uninspected unit as a pass.
What if the inspector finds defects before shipping?
Make a defect list with cabinet ID, photo, contract requirement, proposed repair and due date. Ask for evidence of the correction and arrange reinspection where needed. Agree payment and shipment release conditions in the purchase contract before you pay a deposit.