Kitchen Selection Appointment Explained: What to Expect & How to Prepare
What the kitchen selection appointment involves, what to prepare, and the decisions you'll make on the day.
Cost estimates only: Any building or upgrade figures in this guide are indicative, not fixed prices or quotes. Costs and inclusions vary by project, supplier, location and time. Confirm current written prices and specifications directly with your builder, suppliers and relevant trades.
- The kitchen selection appointment is where you choose benchtops, cabinetry, sinks, taps, splashbacks and sometimes appliances
- It's often the most expensive selection appointment — prepare a realistic upgrade budget
- Bring your house plans, appliance preferences and a mood board of kitchen styles you like
- Decisions made here affect your electrical appointment (lighting, power) and tile appointment (splashback)
- Request a full kitchen upgrade price schedule before the appointment
The kitchen selection appointment is often the most detailed and potentially expensive selection appointment in the building process. Every visible element of the kitchen — benchtops, cabinetry style and colour, handles, sink, tap, splashback, and sometimes appliances — is decided here. Walking in prepared can save thousands and ensure you get a kitchen that works for your family.
What Is the Kitchen Selection Appointment?
The kitchen selection appointment is a scheduled meeting with your builder's colour or selection consultant. During this appointment, you'll choose the materials, colours, layout details and fixtures for your kitchen. Depending on the builder, this may be combined with other selections (tiles, paint, bathroom) in a single appointment, or it may be a dedicated kitchen session.
Tip
What to Bring
- Your house plans with the kitchen layout — note dimensions, island size, pantry location
- Appliance preferences — 600mm or 900mm, gas or induction, freestanding or built-in
- A mood board of kitchen styles (Pinterest, Instagram, display home photos)
- Your benchtop preference — stone, laminate, or other materials
- A realistic upgrade budget — know what you can spend before you walk in
- A list of must-haves vs nice-to-haves (e.g. walk-in pantry, soft-close drawers, undermount sink)
Decisions You'll Make
- Benchtop material — porcelain, natural stone (granite/marble), laminate or other (note: engineered stone is banned in Australia from July 2024)
- Benchtop colour and edge profile — square, bevelled, or other
- Cabinetry colour and finish — matte, gloss, timber-look, two-pack
- Cabinet handles — style, finish and placement (or handle-less push-to-open)
- Sink — undermount or top mount, single or double bowl, material
- Tap — pull-out, pull-down, filtered, finish (chrome, matte black, brushed brass)
- Splashback — tile, glass, acrylic, stone, or pressed metal
- Pantry — walk-in, butler's pantry, or standard tall pantry
- Appliances — if not already decided: oven, cooktop, rangehood, dishwasher, microwave
- Kitchen layout adjustments — island size, breakfast bar, seating
Typical Upgrade Costs
| Upgrade | Example Cost |
|---|---|
| Stone benchtop upgrade (vs laminate) | $3,000–$8,000+ |
| Walk-in pantry (vs standard tall pantry) | $2,000–$5,000+ |
| Soft-close drawers and doors | $500–$1,500 |
| Undermount sink (vs top mount) | $200–$500 |
| Pull-out kitchen tap (vs standard) | $100–$300 |
| Glass splashback (vs tile) | $500–$2,000+ |
| 900mm appliances (vs 600mm) | $1,000–$3,000+ |
How to Prepare
Start by visiting display homes to see kitchen styles in person. Note what you like — benchtop materials, cabinetry colours, splashback styles, pantry layouts. Take photos and measurements. Think about how your family uses the kitchen: do you need a breakfast bar? Is a walk-in pantry important? Do you cook enough to justify 900mm appliances?
Review your house plans and mark where appliances will go. Check that the kitchen layout works for your cooking style — is there enough bench space beside the cooktop? Is the dishwasher positioned for easy loading? Is the sink near the dishwasher for efficient cleanup?
Watch Out
- Can I get a full kitchen upgrade price schedule before the appointment?
- What's included in the standard kitchen — benchtop material, cabinetry, sink, tap, splashback?
- Are appliance choices made at this appointment or separately?
- How do my kitchen decisions affect the electrical and tile appointments that follow?
- Walking in without appliance decisions — 600mm vs 900mm and gas vs induction affect cabinetry layout
- Not bringing benchtop and cabinetry colour preferences — decisions under pressure are costly
- Forgetting that splashback choices connect to the tile appointment — coordinate them
- Underestimating how quickly kitchen upgrades accumulate — stone, pantry, soft-close all add up
- Request a full price schedule beforehand so you can budget and prioritise must-haves vs nice-to-haves
- Decide appliances before the kitchen appointment — they affect cabinetry, plumbing and electrical
- Visit display homes to see kitchen styles in person — photos don't capture scale and feel
- Kitchen selections are expensive to change after sign-off — be confident before committing
Kitchen Upgrade Costs Explained
See real-world example pricing for all kitchen upgrades.
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