How do I check a hardware store’s key-cutting and paint-mixing equipment?

These machines are small in the store but big in the customer’s mind, because a hardware shop that cannot cut a key or match a colour loses a quick, regular sale. Ask the seller to run both while you watch. Cut a few keys of different types and see how they turn in a lock. Have a few colours mixed and check how well they match a sample.

Then look at paper. Ask for maintenance and calibration records, any repair invoices, manuals and the date the machines were installed. Find out who owns them. Paint-mixing equipment is often supplied through an arrangement with a paint company, and key machines can be financed or leased. Those terms may not pass to you without consent, so your lawyer should read them.

Finally, ask about running costs: blades, tints, cleaning and software updates, and how often the machines were out of service. An equipment appraiser can estimate remaining life and replacement cost if your lender wants it. If a machine is near the end of its working life, build that into your plans for the first year rather than being surprised by a failure just after you take over.

Key takeaways

• Watch both machines work, and test the results yourself.
• Ask who owns each machine and whether any lease or supply agreement transfers.
• Request service records and ask about blanks, tints and other running costs.