Skip to content
RTI

Trade walkthroughs

How to inspect casework and millwork

Casework and millwork are the finish everyone sees and touches, so the tolerances are tight and the defects are obvious. Most of what goes wrong traces back to two things: blocking that wasn't there when the units were hung, and units set out of level or badly scribed to a wall that isn't straight. Inspect the shop drawings against the field, confirm the backing before install, and check fit, finish, and operation once it's set.

For the superintendent or QC lead verifying architectural casework and millwork against the approved shop drawings and the finish standard set by the mock-up or sample.

Step by step

  1. Confirm blocking and backing before delivery

    Verify in-wall blocking and backing for upper cabinets, wall-hung units, countertops, grab bars, and any wall-mounted millwork is where the shop drawings need it, before the units arrive. Backing missing behind finished drywall means opening a wall you just closed.

  2. Verify materials, finish, and the approved sample

    Confirm species, grade, laminate, and finish match the approved shop drawings and samples, and check delivered units for damage, warping, delamination, and color and grain consistency. Store and acclimate wood products in a conditioned space so they don't move after install.

  3. Check the approved shop drawings against field dimensions

    Confirm unit sizes, configuration, and locations match the shop drawings and the actual field dimensions, and that clearances for appliances, sinks, and accessibility are held. A cabinet run built to the drawing but not the field is a return trip.

  4. Verify install is level, plumb, and secure

    Check units for level, plumb, and alignment across a run, that they're fastened into the blocking rather than just the drywall, and that gaps between units and reveals are consistent. A run that steps out of level reads across the whole wall.

  5. Inspect scribe, filler, and fit to adjacent surfaces

    Verify scribes to walls, fillers, and end panels are cut tight and clean, that countertops fit and seams are tight and supported, and that trim and reveals are consistent. A sloppy scribe to a wavy wall is the detail that gets noticed.

  6. Confirm hardware, drawers, and doors operate

    Open and close every door and drawer, check hinge and slide adjustment, alignment, and soft-close where specified, and confirm pulls, locks, and specialty hardware match the schedule. A door that doesn't align or a drawer that binds is a punch item every time.

  7. Verify countertops, sinks, and sealant

    Confirm countertop material, edge profile, and overhang, that sink and cooktop cutouts are supported and sealed, and that sealant joints at walls and backsplashes have the right joint and tooling. Check for support under long overhangs.

  8. Document and punch

    Photograph the backing before cover and the installed units, and write up damage, out-of-level runs, bad scribes, or misaligned hardware as punch items tracked to closure before the space is turned over.

What gets missed

  • Missing in-wall blocking discovered when the crew tries to hang uppers on bare drywall.
  • Wood or veneer installed without acclimating, so it moves and opens joints after install.
  • A run set out of level that telegraphs across the whole wall and throws off the countertop.
  • Sloppy scribes and fillers against out-of-straight walls that draw the eye immediately.
  • Doors and drawers left unadjusted, misaligned, or binding at turnover.

Questions people ask

Why do so many casework problems come back to blocking?
Because the blocking has to be installed and verified during framing, long before the cabinets show up, and it's covered by drywall in between. If the backing isn't where the shop drawings need it, hanging the units means reopening a finished wall — so the blocking check belongs in the framing walk.
Should I inspect against the contract drawings or the shop drawings?
The approved shop drawings, checked against actual field dimensions. Shop drawings are the coordinated, fabrication-level version the units were actually built from, so they're what the field work has to match — with the field measurements confirming the drawing still fits the built conditions.

Terms worth knowing

Checklists that make this a one-tap job

Free, field-ready checklists, each with the photo every item needs before it can be submitted.

Casework and millwork Rough-in· Casework and millworkCasework and millwork rough-in inspection checklistIn-wall blocking and backing verified against shop drawings before drywall closes it in4 items7 photosCasework and millwork Punch· Casework and millworkCasework and millwork punch checklistCloseout walk for alignment adjustments, damaged faces and caulk lines4 items5 photosCasework and millwork Final· Casework and millworkCasework and millwork final inspection checklistInstalled casework checked for level and plumb, anchorage, operation and countertop support5 items9 photosToilet partitions and accessories Final· Toilet partitions and accessoriesToilet partitions and accessories final inspection checklistPartitions plumb and aligned, accessories at required heights, grab bars pull-checked and stall clearances observed5 items10 photosPainting Final· PaintingPainting final inspection checklistFinish walk checking color, sheen and coverage consistency before turnover7 items10 photos
See the whole checklist library

Related guides

Reading the steps is one thing. Proving you walked them is the job.

RTI holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and the photos are attached, then chains the record so it can be proven untouched later.

Start freeBrowse the checklist library