Kitchen woes

[Shell820810]

Kitchen has been going in today.  Please with it so far bar a few things.

 

Main issue is utility room.  We have high ceilings so it was verbally agreed on two occasions (and i think he had written it on his spec sheet, but I never got a copy, nor signed a copy) that we would have 900mm wall units as opposed to standard 720mm.  They installed 720mm.  Theres an awfully large gap between unit top and ceiling, and I think it looks a bit daft.  2 wall units and 5 full length units affected.

 

Secondly, we have a navy island, as photographed.  3 doors on so far and paint chips (nothing major, but noticable) on edges of all (assume from transporting/fitting)

 

Thirdly, wrong corner unit installed, but I have emailing confirming what I want so he will have to change it.

 

What would your expectations be regarding the island and the utility units?

[Nickfromwales]

Quite simple tbh. It's not what you asked for, and some of it is damaged. 

The damaged bits need replacing and the incorrect wall units have to come off and be changed to the ones you asked for. 

Enforcing that is another thing though, so this'll be down, very simply, to asking the company directly. Until you've done that I doubt we can really advise any further. 

Have you approached them for a response yet?

[Shell820810]

I have put the issues in email to the director of the company. No response as yet.

 

Should touch ups to the paint be suggested, do you think its a fair outcome? (Units were sprayed so will be noticable)

 

Utility - cant see him offering to pull most of it back out again.

 

25% of total bill is still outstanding.

[Nickfromwales]

Most kitchen suppliers, especially the bespoke ones, charge tear-jerking amounts of money to give you what you wanted. 

At the absolute minimum I'd want the coloured doors replaced completely, and either the wrong units changed or the equivalent discount given. The real problem is you don't have written evidence of that request so looks like you'll only be able to push for a discount. They could simply tell you to Foxtrot Oscar regardless, change the doors and ask you to stump up, and from a legal POV they'd be entitled to do so. 

Down to company ethics now tbh. Mention the thread being followed online, and how you've been happy up until now. Also, how did you not notice the wall units sooner?

I've just tiled a kitchen with a 600x600mm tile that's very much like the ones you've chosen. Looks great  Are those 900's?

[Barney12]

4 hours ago, Shell820810 said:

 

Should touch ups to the paint be suggested, do you think its a fair outcome? (Units were sprayed so will be noticable)

 

 

As Nick said they should be replaced or the very least professionally repaired so they look like new.

[Declan52]

If its not right it needs fixed end off. You didn't order doors with paint chips so they need replaced. A touch up will always be noticeable. Will never match in with the original look of the doors.

The corner unit should be easy fixed.

The wrong wall units will either need to be changed or a good discount given as they are not what you wanted.

Don't let them continue any more. Get the boss out and point out how unhappy you are at the amount of mistakes that have occurred and you won't let them continue until these have been sorted. Will act as a shot across the bow and hopefully make them take a but more care.

[DeeJunFan]

Yeah, Id be looking the chipped doors replaced or re-sprayed to make sure they look 100%

 

On the Utility, they may not need to rip the lot out could add a smaller carcass unit above.  If they aren't doing that and you have paid for the larger carcass and more importantly the larger doors (which are much more expensive) id be looking to knock a few quid off.

 

Corner unit should be no issue.

[Mikey_1980]

With the badly chipped ones they should absolutely be replaced, ours made to order were sprayed doors, after it was installed the fitter went round, pointed out all the chips and dings and said they they would be replacing x doors, there was a small chip on one door that they repaired as they provided a colour match spray paint, I can't find the chip that was repaired now so they did a good jop. The new doors were fitted approximately 2 weeks later.

[Shell820810]

What is an acceptable gap between doors on kitchen cupboards. Is there any new design trend etc where a fingers width gap between doors is the norm.

 

The carcass just looks too big for the doors?!

[PeterW]

Door should cover the carcass within 2-3mm - a 600mm carcass should have a min 595mm door

[Shell820810]

On tall units I can fit a finger right between the top and bottom door, so what at least 10-15mm.

 

I need to measure the gaps but I reckon we definitely have more than 2-3mm. Does that mean between two cupboards you would have 4-6mm mil (2-3mm on each carcass?)

 

Doors aren't flush from one cupboard to another, heights between one door/cupboard to another could be a couple of mil out. The handles are all on. They are due back for final adjustments - are these final adjustments or are these bad fitting. Surely if they adjust them now it will knock the handles off. 

 

They are glass edge effect acrylic gloss, so perhaps the appearance of the gap is intensified by the darker edge?

[Declan52]

Every door should be flush with the next one or it will be very noticeable. On a run of doors the tops should be perfectly in line which means the edge gap should be the same as the door will be plumb. the actual gaps between the doors can be adjusted on the hinge. All doors are very easy to adjust using the screws on the hinges. It's maybe 30secs work on each door to turn one the three adjustment screws. No excuse for leaving doors like you are describing. 

[Stones]

I've measured the doors in our kitchen (rented house) and they are 5mm shorter than the nominal cabinet width.  Depending how they have been adjusted, you could have up to a 10mm gap between one set, and virtually no gap between another set of doors.  Are there any gaps between cabinets? 

[Shell820810]

1 minute ago, Declan52 said:

Every door should be flush with the next one or it will be very noticeable. On a run of doors the tops should be perfectly in line which means the edge gap should be the same as the door will be plumb. the actual gaps between the doors can be adjusted on the hinge. All doors are very easy to adjust using the screws on the hinges. It's maybe 30secs work on each door to turn one the three adjustment screws. No excuse for leaving doors like you are describing. 

They aren't finished, so would this normally be the last thing to do? Would it not be better doing this before putting handles on.

 

I will take some pics later. All i can see is black gaps!

[Declan52]

All the handle positions should be the same as in the distance from the edge and top will all match so won't matter.

[Construction Channel]

The final adjustment of the doors is the last thing I do so I wouldn't be surprised if they have left it for their return. 

 

The damaged doors need to be replaced either by the supplier or the fitter depending when it got damaged. Touch up might not be that bad. And TBF you might as well let them try that first as it will be quicker. 

 

As for the 900 wall units. You will also need to get higher larder units otherwise the new 900s will stick out the top. It is the larder units that set the height of the wall units so unless you were very clear that you wanted them all taller that one may be harder to argue. 

 

Corner units are fairly easy to adjust so that one should be an easy fix. 

 

Hth 

Ed

[DeeJunFan]

Adjustments are easy to do, but i've been in houses were it was clearly forgotten so just keep on top of them.

 

You should also try pushing on each door and see if there is a noticeable gap between the back of the door/front of carcass.  This one really annoys me.

 

There is plenty of scope for adjustment in the hinges so it should work out ok as long as they spend time getting them all totally flush.

[Shell820810]

They are back tomorrow to finish up so will see better then where we are at.

 

Another question:

 

Minimum height of cooker is 900mm.   We currently have 150mm plinth + 720 units = 870mm.  We want 20mm quartz = 890mm.   They have raised the units slightly, maybe 5mm (we also need this 5mm to leave the carcass flush/above window to run worktop out.  It means we are 5mm short off the cooker, and we also have a 5mm gap between bottom of cupboard and plinth.  Any suggestions?

[mafaldina]

This is often an early decision. If you want the cooker to line up you need to add 5mm (difficult, probably easiest with additional, possibly loose laid tiles{or minimal fixing} or a piece of ply, neither ideal but would work) to space under it or increase worktop depth. Check that the cooker cannot be adjusted 5mm down, many can, even if the blurb sys not. 20mm worktop is thin. The rule is work to whatever has a minimum/maximum height first.

[Shell820810]

If w

1 minute ago, mafaldina said:

This is often an early decision. If you want the cooker to line up you need to add 5mm (difficult, probably easiest with additional, possibly loose laid tiles{or minimal fixing} or a piece of ply, neither ideal but would work) to space under it or increase worktop depth. Check that the cooker cannot be adjusted 5mm down, many can, even if the blurb sys not. 20mm worktop is thin. The rule is work to whatever has a minimum/maximum height first.

 

If we adjust the feet on the units, can you get 160mm plinth?

[mafaldina]

Also to add, most worktops are now above 890, normally 900-920,so a bit weird to be at 890. I like them this height but then I am a short ar*e at 5'2"!

[mafaldina]

You can always cut down some panels if they don't make deeper plinths. Also bear in mind that a 5mm gap at top of plinths, which you could cover (for dust otherwise)  with some form of plastic ovo  (or wood) would not be visible unless you make a habit of lying drunk and prostrate on the floor looking up under the cupboards. And if you are, who cares!