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Original poster

How to broach when things aren't right on a kitchen refit?

20 replies

YellowSunshineSky · 09/09/2021 21:55

I've got builders in who have changed the shape of the kitchen and are now refitting the kitchen.

The eye-level cabinets all have quite noticeable gaps (horizontally) at the bottom of their doors. My DH (who is crap at DIY) said that it looks like he fitted them.

I can see how hard they're working, how much longer the job is taking than they thought etc and I feel like if I pointed out these gaps I'd seem like an awful demanding client.

But I'm paying a fortune for this kitchen and I'd like it to look professional.

The (old) walls are quite uneven so I suspect this has played a part in the difficulty of the fit of these cupboards.

Also, the lovely white sash windows I've had made have big black strips between the double glazing which to me looks dreadful, but again, it'd be a huge amount of work to ask for this to be changed - would you bother or just suck it up?

OP posts:

hensintheskirting · 09/09/2021 22:03

Definitely raise it with your builders as soon as you can OP. The earlier you raise things the easier they'll be to fix. Don't wait, don't feel bad, if there's a reason that they've done then they'll explain and you may be able to work out a better solution. You're paying so it needs to be to your liking - don't feel bad, do speak up.

Mummasdiary2021 · 09/09/2021 22:03

Absolutely tell them or you will Haye it forever ! As you said you have paid a fortune x

GreyhoundG1rl · 09/09/2021 22:05

I can see how hard they're working, how much longer the job is taking than they thought etc
Totally irrelevant, when it's not being done to a proper standard. For God's sake don't pay the final invoice until it's all rectified.
Talk to them now, don't leave it till the end.

Twizbe · 09/09/2021 22:18

Tell them or it will forever bug you

Yarnandneedles · 09/09/2021 22:19

Raise the issue as early as possible.

RogueV · 09/09/2021 22:20

Speak to them!

Can we see a picture?

Fairlyurgentdecision · 09/09/2021 22:22

It's really hard isn't it

User65412 · 09/09/2021 22:26

Are you sure they're not going back to sort it? Like maybe they hang all the doors then go back and level them properly? Definitely ask though! Have you got pics? Can't picture what you mean.

maofteens · 09/09/2021 22:28

I had a kitchen refitted twice it was so badly done. The builder sucked it up - you should not pay fir poor workmanship no matter how hard they are working.
Ditto for windows. I mean if there were black streaks down your wedding dress you'd complain wouldn't you, and you are going to be looking at your windows a lot longer than a dress.

Footprintsonmyfloor · 09/09/2021 22:43

I maybe misunderstanding, but if the doors are gappy it’s usually just a job of tightening the hinges. Something that’d be done later on as snags.

Original poster

YellowSunshineSky · 09/09/2021 23:23

Footprintsonmyfloor I wonder if you're right and it's something they'll rectify? Having said that I think they may have been a bit gappy at the top as well as the bottom.

Thanks for sharing opinions and experiences. I'll take a photo or draw a diagram tomorrow. Or I'll get brave and ask the builders about them!

Wish I wasn't such a wuss when it comes to complaining.

OP posts:

GreyhoundG1rl · 09/09/2021 23:27

Or I'll get brave and ask the builders about them!
Don't be afraid to do this.

If there's a simple explanation it'll set your mind at rest. If there's an actual problem they need to set about rectifying it sooner rather than later.

SallyOMalley · 09/09/2021 23:32

Just ask them. We've just had a new driveway fitted and my dh was concerned that half of the stone was lower than the others. He had been fretting all day until he could show me when I got home. Turned out they were only placed to see if they would fit and hadn't even be laid!

As a pp said, the doors might all be sorted in the snagging, but they really won't mind if you mention it, honestly. And I don't see it as a complaint, merely a 'can I just check...'

Deep breath ...

Original poster

YellowSunshineSky · 10/09/2021 10:01

SallyOMalley I like that wording 'can I just check'... that helps me a lot. With these types of things it's not knowing how to start the conversation that I struggle with.

My attitude probably isn't helped by having had a bad experience with a previous window fitter. He completely cocked up the windows but I wasn't here when he fitted them and DH didn't notice how wrong they were. I had to message him and he had to take them away and totally remake them! He was annoyed about it and at first tried to put the blame for the mistake onto me rather than take responsibility for his mistake. He'd done all the other windows in the house perfectly, it was just two that were wrongly designed.

OP posts:

BlueMongoose · 10/09/2021 20:38

I feel your pain. We've got a problem with our electric work- what should have been a ring is a radial, and vice versa.
The ring isn't a problem, as it's more powerful than we need. The radial is, because it can;t cope with the loads it will have. The cable he used is too thin for 32A, and it needs to be that for what will be using it. Turning it into a ring will * up the beautiful plastering job I was delighted with and which we have waited three months for. But they will have to sort it. I'm not having an expensive rewire with all its associated other costs so I can spend my declining years trying to remember which sockets are on the radial and counting up wattages so I don't trip the switch at the consumer unit.
I must say that when I realised the problem, I felt sick with disappointment, and have done ever since. I'm not normally a wuss, but this kitchen has been two years in the doing so far and I was just at the point when all the big work has been done and I should be celebrating and planning the painting. I could howl.
We'll just have to see what they propose to do about it.

BlueMongoose · 10/09/2021 22:35

@YellowSunshineSky

I've got builders in who have changed the shape of the kitchen and are now refitting the kitchen.

The eye-level cabinets all have quite noticeable gaps (horizontally) at the bottom of their doors. My DH (who is crap at DIY) said that it looks like he fitted them.

I can see how hard they're working, how much longer the job is taking than they thought etc and I feel like if I pointed out these gaps I'd seem like an awful demanding client.

But I'm paying a fortune for this kitchen and I'd like it to look professional.

The (old) walls are quite uneven so I suspect this has played a part in the difficulty of the fit of these cupboards.

Double glazing can have black between, or I think silver. Not sure what other options there are, if any. I prefer black because having had both I think it looks less clumpy. IIRC when we first started work on this house our 'window' people asked which we wanted, and we told them- on later windows they have assumed we'd want the same. But I'm pretty sure they did ask us with the first ones. It may be difficult to sort that one out if nobody remembers for sure whether the question was raised or not. Our chaps write all that sort of thing down at the time of first coming to quote. As for the cupboards- are there gaps between the carcasses? If so, they need rehanging- this may be as simple as adjusting the screws on the hanging plate from inside the tops of the cupboards if they have that sort of system- the ones we have can be adjusted a surprising amount to get them to line up. If the carcasses are okay, and it's only the doors, it should just be a question of adjusting the hinges, which they may well leave till last thing.

MiniCooperLover · 11/09/2021 18:27

You're paying a fortune, speak up now while they're in your house or that's it and it'll never be fixed 🤷‍♀️

minipie · 11/09/2021 19:04

The cupboards should be fixable
The double glazing may not be

GreyhoundG1rl · 11/09/2021 19:09

Double glazing can have black between, or I think silver
I've never seen black, and imagine it's looks very odd. I don't blame op for not being happy with it.

BlueMongoose · 15/09/2021 22:52

Black really doesn't look odd. IMO it makes UPVC frames look a lot less clunky. But then I like more slender-looking ovolo profiles- more like wood in cross-section- it might look odd on plain chamfered ones.
IMO they should have asked the OP either way. But as you didn't know there were black ones, maybe they just don't generally ask. In our last house, we were always asked by the firms we had in there, as here.

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