Spinny

Our kitchen island will have a quartz worktop with one waterfall end and an end panel at the other end. The kitchen company have proposed that the worktop should overhang the cabinets below by 5mm as standard. Although on the back side of the island we have some open shelving and therefore dispensing with the overhang altogether and having the worktop flush with the shelving unit on this side will likely look sharper. However we have realised that the waterfall end has to match the worktop in width. Therefore the waterfall piece will not match the width of the end panel at the other end of the island to the extent of any overhang. That is, End Panel is 980mm wide. But with two 5mm overhangs the waterfall end would need to be 990mm wide, or with one side flush and one with a 5mm overhang it would need to be 985mm. (Note we have no barstools or breakfast bar overhang anywhere on the island) So how have others dealt with this ? Just accept one end of the island being slightly wider than the other ? Have no overhang on the backside of the island to keep that room facing side nice and flush ? (We have templating tomorrow)

Schmidt showrooms are run as a franchise network. So sales and installation and customer service can vary dependent on the location but the product is from the same manufacturer/supplier. We have never bought a new kitchen before and clearly there are some particular details to look out for that are not made evident, such as plinth detail, drawer depth that doesn't match cabinet depth, unnecessarily large service voids, standardised units pre-drilled with visible holes, exact light positions etc. Obviously if you are not having it custom made (which can have it's own issues) there are going to be constraints from standardisation, but some of them are subtle.

Yes, once you are standing about 1.5m or further away you can see them. And of course more so if sitting. Thus they appear to be colour coded to match the plinth colour. Dirt is presumably going to collect in the gap they leave, and presumably they will get dirty in time and need replacing or removing to wash. Given that walls are finished with skirting and no further 'protection' it seems a very questionable practice. Why not just use something moisture resistant in the first place to make the plinths. I would suspect it is at least as much about saving fitting costs by avoiding any scribing into uneven floors ? Odd that any panels in contact with the floor have sealed panel ends and are not treated in the same way. This system is cutting off sealed plinth bottom edge to insert the protective strip. How common is this practice ? AI tells me... So another little something deliberately omitted from the sales pitch. I will be taking another look in the showroom as I don't remember seeing any on the show kitchens.

You might want to have a careful look at all the info on the build over process and requirements on the ST website. I am in a different area, but I would imagine you may have a similar process where there are criteria about how far from sewers you need to be building - if you don't meet them you need ST approval. Then potentially possibly a self certification questionnaire you can complete to record that you meet criteria for not needing permission OR a form to complete to request approval where you have to give answers to relevent questions. Someone will then likely look at your request and the answers you gave and make a decision. You might therefore want to carefully consider EXACTLY what words you use to answer the questions. A garage might be described as 'build a new garage', 'extend my garage', or 'extend my property'. The last description may tick the box, the first may get a computer says no type answer. My neighbour deliberately gamed the system for his side extension and built over the lateral drain into my property without getting approval. Simply on the basis that it wasn't 'the extension' he was building over the drain, but a 4.5 ft high planter wall and raised platform. Potentially your neighbour had his extension and garage done under one set of combined plans, which was then all a home extension and therefore met criteria ? Don't think that anyone spent hours pouring over your requirement, it is likely processed by someone without much knowledge or brain, or any discretion. They just read the request form and apply simple rules based on the words you have used and give an answer. You might also want to consider getting planning approval first - more credible than a speculative enquiry which uses all the wrong trigger words.

Kitchen fitter has done the plinths and completely unexpectedly and never previously communicated, has routed the bottom edge of all the plinths (which had finished board edges anyway) and inserted a sealing strip - see photos. On asking what this is I have been told it is a water seal to stop liquid running under the plinth. Really not sure what I think of this. Don't like it aesthetically, will it get dirty over time ?, is it really necessary at all ?, is it just a crafty way of dealing with uneven floors ? We lived in our old kitchen (fitted by previous owner in late 1980's) for 30 years and never had a problem with the plinths which didn't have anything like this ? Is this normal now ? Can I, should I reject it ? Anyone else got this type of thing ?

Quite. I agree. Fitter just arrived again this morning, trying to tell me the floor brackets need to go back in. I have said no. Given the panel must itself be straight not warped, if the front edge is not running plumb vertical then it must mean the back edge is not fixed to the wall plumb vertical. Putting a floor bracket in to forcibly push the front of the panel upright so it is in tension cannot be right. It was all fitted once before the floor went down then removed to put the floor down due to missing parts. In refitting it the floor is therefore now about 5mm higher - 2.5 smoothing compound and 2.5 LVT. However fitter decided to fit the small back wall brackets into the same holes in panel and wall - consequently they are twisted downward by about 5mm now. Just lacks due care and attention. Never had a new kitchen fitted. I guess the best way to do it is get your own excellent fitter. Then they are working for you not the kitchen company and if you want to pay them to take twice the time fitting it you can ?

Possibly the attached type U shaped brackets, suggested by ChatGPT. (Nick vs ChatGPT - hmm ?) Apparently there are similar fixings for holding toilet partition panels ? However these still protrude 2-3mm each side of the panel, and if they don't take a recessed screw even more. My fitter was using domed round head screws which really doesn't help. But then somewhere else he was screwing into a 19mm panel from both exact opposite sides in the same place using 16mm thread screws 🙄. I have got loads of screws of all sorts of sizes on site - he only had to ask - very short screws always seem to come in handy. Dowelling seems a good answer. Or possibly some type of Ikea type fitting. Chances of getting a kitchen company fitter to do any of this feeling a bit remote.

Thanks @Nickfromwales, but I cannot seem to find those on Amazon when I use the same search term or indeeed search on the full item description. I am not sure we are talking the same thing ? I attach a photo of what the fitter did. He was trying to hold the panel in the correct position at the bottom - not raise it or correct the height. I think if it was better secured at the back against the wall and exactly plumb vertical it should naturally sit correctly ? It potentially needs an invisible fixing under the panel like a dowel or perhaps a cradle shape fixing that would slide tight (and thinly) over the 19mm panel width after being fixed to the floor. The appliance bays are only 610 wide, so only 5mm each side of the machine.

Wow, that's impressive. I can't imagine any commercial kitchen fitting company doing that though. The fitters have put the sealed end of the panel against the floor and cut the top to size. Annoyingly I have holes in my LVT to fill now regardless. Will the worktop people (30mm quartz) glue or otherwise fix the worktop to the top of the panels ? Any tips for sliding machines in and out ? Pics attached including one of my nicely fitted fridge freezer (sadly the wrong handle style ended up on the order, delivered in a box, sat around for months, then installed and error spotted)

Yesterday someone reinstalled a sink unit & 2 appliance bay side panels for washing machine and dryer. The dividing panels were fixed to the wall at the back end. but still had some angle on them. So the someone put right angle brackets in at floor level between the floor and the panel. Last night I tried to put the washing machine in it's bay. It won't go in and out because the brackets stop the machine legs being pushed in and out. I had to remove them. Please can people advise what they see as the normal way to fix these dividing panels next to appliances ? (Worktop not in place and due to be templated next week.)

Thanks gents. I will fix some profile after the fitters have finished. For starters I have put a bead of Mapei Mapesil in at the junction.

Suddenly thought I ought to try and put some sealent down where my LVT meets the wall in the laundry appliance bays. In case of leaks. (see pic) What would people suggest that is readily available off the shelf ? Bathroom sealant ? Frame Sealant ? (Just to stop water running down at the edge, without being stuck so hard it would play havoc if you did have to lift some floor in the future.)

Excellent. There are a couple of pairs of my Amtico planks that have grain line features that can be partially matched up if you lay them at the right offset on different rows. Sadly the fitters decision to change all my offsets has removed these. At present the plan now is for me to label selected planks that he has laid. And to select replacement planks. He will then take up the labelled planks and replace them with my alternatives. It won't get back to my own careful arrangement, but will reduce the worst of the problem. Unfortunately this means deferring finishing off the floor as my kitchen fitter is back in on Wednesday. I don't mind @Nickfromwales being so frank. I think doing his job you have to be able to be blunt sometimes - to some tradies, and perhaps sometimes beyond that. I do have to say having my sparky on the same day as the floor fitter was not by choice. The floor fitter gave me Thu/Fri as his only dates available before October for completing my job - so I had to take them. The sparky then told me the only dates he had were Thu/Fri. And with Kitchen fitter only being available this Wed before he goes on holiday for a fortnight next week, there was no alternative except yet more weeks of delay. The fitter admitted he knew what my labelling meant and deliberately changed all the offsets anyway. I suspect as a youngster the older guy has drilled him intensly - YOU MUST DO IT THIS WAY - DO NOT DEVIATE etc As a youngster he is also very quiet and shy of speaking. I have spent 40 years surrounded by bright, communicative people - it is difficult to recognise just how closely some things need to be overlooked. Interesting and helpful to see the variety of responses here on such detail and comforting to see I am not alone in seeking carefully detailed finishes, even if others are not so bothered. I will probably email Amtico on the issue. I really do think they could use a much larger image. I suspect you could even give their image to AI and ask it to generate additional similar oak grain and effects on an image and it would do a good job. If brands want to appeal to affluent buyers with claims of permium product, they ought to be doing better I think. Lots of things seem to me to make incredibly slow progress.

Thanks all. After reviewing with SWMBO and reading the responses we are thinking we will have to do 3(c). I have checked the drawings which are unfortunately not clear as this detail is obscured by measurement lines and panel number labels. It may be a design error. Although I think the existing panel should really run continuously down to the floor, this would mean replacing the panel. A new panel will take 6 weeks to for them to get. Fitting it will mean taking things apart again at that end of the kitchen. IMO pretty doubtful that they will accept doing all this at their cost. Therefore I think 3(c) is likely the only achievable way of filling the gap between the panel and the floor. Note: The plinth material is identical to the panel in width and colour, so we will end up with the panel having a visible joint line in it 90mm from the floor rather than being completely continuous. Not perfect but... The skirting will be plain square edge board 100mm or so high and as thin as I can reasonably find - 12mm or less - painted white. Possibly might look at that skirting with the kind of shadow gap line effect cut into it. (PS The symmetry of the vertical finger gaps is achieved at a wider level because the finger gap on the right is matched by a finger gap on the left of cupboards on the other side of the adjacent worktop and hob) (PPS I wonder what detail is obscured by the label '26' at the other end of this kitchen unit run - see pic)

Any experience and suggestions on how this bit of my kitchen fit should get finished ? See pics. The bottom of the vertical kitchen end panel which is edge-on is 90mm above the floor. The adjacent kitchen horizontal panel at the bottom is a 'push-to-open' drawer. I am expecting to fit 100mm skirting to the adjacent wall and the skirting will be painted white. The kitchen fitter is returning shortly and will fit the kitchen plinth. 1/ Fitting the skirting to extend and run over the top of the edge-on kitchen panel seems wrong. It will not match the bottom of the drawer front in height, the kitchen panel is designed to edge the kitchen drawer - just as it edges cupboard doors higher up. 2/ Finishing the skirting at the corner of the wall seems best, but if so should it be finished square, or with a chamfer at 45 deg ? 3/ What should happen below the edge-on kitchen panel ? (a) Wrap white skirting around but cut the height down to fit under the kitchen panel with some weird joining detail ? (b) Fill/plaster the side wall just under the edge-on kitchen panel following the plaster line down, and paint white as far back as the kitchen plinth when fitted ? (c) Get the fitter to make a 'side return' to the kitchen plinth, so that there is a short piece of plinth between the bottom of the kitchen panel and the floor (effectively extending the bottom of the kitchen panel down to the floor with a join line. This type of join between wall and cabinetry seems like a common occurence - do you have one ? how is it finished ? Many thanks for any and all responses. (PS I am suspicious that the end panel should actually have been run right down to floor level ? Is this what other people have ? My kitchen had some missing panels when they came to fit and they repositioned some long vertical panels in order to get most of the fit done. So not sure if this has changed this detail without admitting it ?)