What salon equipment should I inspect before I buy a salon?

Most of what a salon owns is easy to see and easy to overlook. Chairs and sinks look fine under good lighting. The cost shows up in the first few months, when a backwash unit leaks or a dryer quits. Visit with a checklist, go during opening hours if you can, and bring someone who has run a salon or knows the trade.

Chairs and backwash units

Pump each chair and turn it. Look for worn hydraulics, cracked upholstery and loose bases. At the sinks, run the water, check for leaks underneath, look at the hoses and sprayers, and ask when the units were last replaced. Backwash chairs and basins are expensive to swap, so note which ones look near the end of their useful life.

Dryers, tools and small equipment

Check hood dryers, steamers, colour processors and any specialty machines. Ask whether stylists own their own tools and which items belong to the salon. Look at the laundry equipment, since towels pile up fast, and the supply of capes and linens.

Plumbing, ventilation and the space

Hair colour, chemical services and wet work put strain on drains and air handling. Ask about drain backups, water heater age and how the air moves in the back of the shop. Confirm the landlord’s and tenant’s responsibilities in the lease. A contractor can look at what you cannot, and your lawyer can tell you whether any permits or inspections are needed.

Owned, leased and written down

Ask for a list of equipment with what is owned, financed or leased, and have that list attached to the purchase agreement. Lenders usually treat equipment as collateral, not as proof of condition, and due diligence covers agreements more than machines. The physical walk-through is yours to do.