Hello everyone,
Once again, I need to ask for help here. This time it’s about our kitchen, which unfortunately doesn’t seem to have a good outcome.
Now to the actual story:
In 2015, we moved into a newly built apartment for rent and purchased a new Nobilia L-shaped kitchen for €8,000 (approximately $8,700) and had it installed. In mid-2017, we signed our house construction contract and immediately went to a kitchen design studio to ask if we could dismantle our 2015 kitchen, modify it, and reinstall it in the new house. Unfortunately, the kitchen studio where we bought it in 2015 had gone out of business, so we had to find a new one.
Anyway, we emailed the house floor plans and the documents for our 2015 kitchen in advance and arranged an appointment. At the meeting, we were told that the kitchen could be extended and that the matching furniture pieces were still available to order as before. They then showed us a proposal we liked. However, they said that a 60cm (24 inches) cabinet we already had would be left unused because it no longer fit. IMPORTANT!
So far, everything seemed fine, and we signed a contract for €3,000 (approximately $3,300) covering dismantling, transportation, and installation, with a deposit of €1,000 (approximately $1,100).
In July 2017, we moved into the house and the kitchen was installed right away. Unfortunately, we were only partially present during the installation because it was moving day. In the afternoon, the kitchen installer asked if we knew that according to the plan a 60cm (24 inches) cabinet would be left unused. We said yes, because their manager had told us it wouldn’t fit anymore. It turned out that it actually did fit and there was about 10cm (4 inches) of space left up to the window. When we asked if he could still install it, he said no, because the countertop and backsplash had already been glued and mounted.
We immediately called the studio, and we were told that to install the cabinet now, the entire countertop and backsplash would have to be replaced. Therefore, they wanted to charge us about €1,500 (approximately $1,650) extra. When we asked why the cabinet wasn’t planned for originally, they just said we knew that but couldn’t remember why it wasn’t to be installed. We refused the €1,500 offer right away and told the installer still in the house. He said he could do it cheaper by just adding a piece to the countertop and backsplash. This would leave a visible seam on the surface, but material costs would only be around €300 (approximately $330). We agreed, and the installer made arrangements with the studio manager.
In October, the installer came back and started working. He noticed that due to a corner outlet he had installed himself, there was now a large hole in the countertop and backsplash right in the middle of the kitchen. We obviously told him that we could not accept this. He tried to find a solution and offered to get the same model as the corner outlet but not for the corner, so it could be mounted over the hole. We agreed, trusting that he would properly install the right outlet.
On Friday morning he came again, but unfortunately, we were at work and my parents let him in. When we got home Friday evening, I just heard my wife say loudly, “Are they serious?” Pictures are attached.
We immediately dismantled it ourselves and have not paid the remaining €2,300 (approximately $2,530) invoice that was left behind.
Does anyone have any idea how I can best get out of this situation?
I will definitely not pay the remaining amount because I will not accept the kitchen as it is. The agreed-upon power strip looks nothing like the others and is also damaged, with one screw missing on the side. It was only meant to be a temporary compromise for the installer. The installer himself seemed to think we wouldn’t accept it either, as he only attached the outlet with one of two screws, probably to avoid drilling another hole.
I also saw in the old email exchange that the floor plan we sent did allow for the 60cm (24 inches) cabinet from the beginning, but the planner simply overlooked it, and we were too naive not to check it ourselves (we were in the middle of the construction phase). Because of this one cabinet, we now have all these problems. I never thought the kitchen would be the most complicated trade of the entire house.
A lot of text, a lot of confusion. I just don’t know what to do. I can only reach the kitchen studio again on Tuesday and am simply asking for your advice on how to best respond here. 🙁
Regards
Once again, I need to ask for help here. This time it’s about our kitchen, which unfortunately doesn’t seem to have a good outcome.
Now to the actual story:
In 2015, we moved into a newly built apartment for rent and purchased a new Nobilia L-shaped kitchen for €8,000 (approximately $8,700) and had it installed. In mid-2017, we signed our house construction contract and immediately went to a kitchen design studio to ask if we could dismantle our 2015 kitchen, modify it, and reinstall it in the new house. Unfortunately, the kitchen studio where we bought it in 2015 had gone out of business, so we had to find a new one.
Anyway, we emailed the house floor plans and the documents for our 2015 kitchen in advance and arranged an appointment. At the meeting, we were told that the kitchen could be extended and that the matching furniture pieces were still available to order as before. They then showed us a proposal we liked. However, they said that a 60cm (24 inches) cabinet we already had would be left unused because it no longer fit. IMPORTANT!
So far, everything seemed fine, and we signed a contract for €3,000 (approximately $3,300) covering dismantling, transportation, and installation, with a deposit of €1,000 (approximately $1,100).
In July 2017, we moved into the house and the kitchen was installed right away. Unfortunately, we were only partially present during the installation because it was moving day. In the afternoon, the kitchen installer asked if we knew that according to the plan a 60cm (24 inches) cabinet would be left unused. We said yes, because their manager had told us it wouldn’t fit anymore. It turned out that it actually did fit and there was about 10cm (4 inches) of space left up to the window. When we asked if he could still install it, he said no, because the countertop and backsplash had already been glued and mounted.
We immediately called the studio, and we were told that to install the cabinet now, the entire countertop and backsplash would have to be replaced. Therefore, they wanted to charge us about €1,500 (approximately $1,650) extra. When we asked why the cabinet wasn’t planned for originally, they just said we knew that but couldn’t remember why it wasn’t to be installed. We refused the €1,500 offer right away and told the installer still in the house. He said he could do it cheaper by just adding a piece to the countertop and backsplash. This would leave a visible seam on the surface, but material costs would only be around €300 (approximately $330). We agreed, and the installer made arrangements with the studio manager.
In October, the installer came back and started working. He noticed that due to a corner outlet he had installed himself, there was now a large hole in the countertop and backsplash right in the middle of the kitchen. We obviously told him that we could not accept this. He tried to find a solution and offered to get the same model as the corner outlet but not for the corner, so it could be mounted over the hole. We agreed, trusting that he would properly install the right outlet.
On Friday morning he came again, but unfortunately, we were at work and my parents let him in. When we got home Friday evening, I just heard my wife say loudly, “Are they serious?” Pictures are attached.
We immediately dismantled it ourselves and have not paid the remaining €2,300 (approximately $2,530) invoice that was left behind.
Does anyone have any idea how I can best get out of this situation?
I will definitely not pay the remaining amount because I will not accept the kitchen as it is. The agreed-upon power strip looks nothing like the others and is also damaged, with one screw missing on the side. It was only meant to be a temporary compromise for the installer. The installer himself seemed to think we wouldn’t accept it either, as he only attached the outlet with one of two screws, probably to avoid drilling another hole.
I also saw in the old email exchange that the floor plan we sent did allow for the 60cm (24 inches) cabinet from the beginning, but the planner simply overlooked it, and we were too naive not to check it ourselves (we were in the middle of the construction phase). Because of this one cabinet, we now have all these problems. I never thought the kitchen would be the most complicated trade of the entire house.
A lot of text, a lot of confusion. I just don’t know what to do. I can only reach the kitchen studio again on Tuesday and am simply asking for your advice on how to best respond here. 🙁
Regards
The "tacked-on" piece, where the edge is clearly visible, was added specifically to fit the 60cm (24 inches) cabinet. Without this edge, the kitchen installer said we would have had to replace the entire countertop. According to him, that would have cost around 1000 euros.
We didn’t realize it would look so awkward. The installer told us the joint would be visible but not too bad, something like the attached picture. Unfortunately, it is nowhere near that.
The hole in the countertop was for the power connection of the corner outlet. So, it was made when the kitchen was already installed in the new house, but before the 60cm (24 inches) cabinet and the countertop extension were added. It was basically where the tall cabinet connects. The hole is not from the old kitchen because the countertop was already new.
I will invite the kitchen installer for a coffee this week so he can see the result in person. You never know if the installer told him anything about it.
We didn’t realize it would look so awkward. The installer told us the joint would be visible but not too bad, something like the attached picture. Unfortunately, it is nowhere near that.
The hole in the countertop was for the power connection of the corner outlet. So, it was made when the kitchen was already installed in the new house, but before the 60cm (24 inches) cabinet and the countertop extension were added. It was basically where the tall cabinet connects. The hole is not from the old kitchen because the countertop was already new.
I will invite the kitchen installer for a coffee this week so he can see the result in person. You never know if the installer told him anything about it.
Wow, that’s quite a lot to take in. It’s hard to say who messed up the planning here. For example, whether you should have at least noticed that the 60cm (24 inches) piece would still fit. But the solution chosen now is, in my opinion, not acceptable at all—just the patched-together section of the back panel is already problematic. This is partly because the selected design hardly lends itself to adding anything further.
The countertop piece itself and the joint could look better but might still be acceptable. However, the power outlets are completely misplaced. If you already need the straight rail to cover the hole in the countertop, why not just leave out the corner socket?
Also, the butt joint in the last picture doesn’t look very neat at the front either. Is there an edge you can feel there?
The countertop piece itself and the joint could look better but might still be acceptable. However, the power outlets are completely misplaced. If you already need the straight rail to cover the hole in the countertop, why not just leave out the corner socket?
Also, the butt joint in the last picture doesn’t look very neat at the front either. Is there an edge you can feel there?
To be honest, I don’t understand how you wouldn’t notice during the planning stage that there was still room for an extra 60cm (24 inches). You compare the kitchen layout with the house plan... that’s what I would always do, and probably I would have already figured out how to fit the old kitchen into the new house before visiting the kitchen showroom.
And now, honestly, just invest that $1,000 in a proper solution. You might spend less on Christmas this year, but otherwise you’ll keep regretting it.
$1,000 for a neat, well-designed solution wouldn’t even be a question for me.
Sure, it’s frustrating dealing with a bad kitchen installer, but you’ll be much more annoyed if you have to look at this ridiculous solution (which seems shoddily done, judging by what I see) every day.
Think about your nerves :-)
And now, honestly, just invest that $1,000 in a proper solution. You might spend less on Christmas this year, but otherwise you’ll keep regretting it.
$1,000 for a neat, well-designed solution wouldn’t even be a question for me.
Sure, it’s frustrating dealing with a bad kitchen installer, but you’ll be much more annoyed if you have to look at this ridiculous solution (which seems shoddily done, judging by what I see) every day.
Think about your nerves :-)
Snowside schrieb:
The "patched" piece, where you can clearly see the edge, is the part that was specially added so that the 60cm (24 inch) cabinet would still fit. Without this edge,Honestly? It was predictable that it would look fiddly. Just as it should have been obvious that the 60cm (24 inch) cabinet actually fits. But since according to the plan things always turn out differently on site, and the decision about the new layout was made without the 60cm (24 inch) cabinet, I would have left it out too and used the gap beside the tall cabinet in another way, for example a nice single shelf or a wine rack 😉
cschiko schrieb:
I mean, you should at least have noticed that the 60cm (24 inch) cabinet would still fit. But the solution chosen now is, in my opinion, unacceptable—just the attached back panel piece alone is bad enough.Climbee schrieb:
To be honest, I don’t understand how no one realized during planning that the 60cm (24 inch) cabinet would still fit there. You compare the kitchen plan with the house plan, right? That’s what I would always do and probably would have thought about how to fit the old kitchen into the new house before visiting the kitchen showroom.That’s right. The installer came in optimistic, but it looks pretty poor.
As for the electrical outlets, I can’t really comment because I can’t tell which of the two versions is the correct one... I find both somehow... hard to get used to 😉
You always pay some learning cost.
H
HilfeHilfe26 Nov 2018 18:12Either go with the 1k or remove the 60cm (24 inches) cabinet and replace it with a 60cm (24 inches) cabinet next to your tall cabinet, for example, a pull-out pantry unit if it fits. The cheapest option is shelves next to the tall cabinet.
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