Built-in fridge panel - what's wrong with this?

17 years ago

Help me out fellow GWers. My Medallion cabinet doors were installed on my Thermador columns last week and this is what they look like. Unfortunately, I left before they were finished and left my DH in charge. He didn't notice at first and really I didn't notice immediately either because I was too busy oohing and aahing over the columns. But as you can see, the door is not meeting the wall. it alsmost looks like the fridge door is open but it is not.

I called the installer back (he was recommended by my appliance place and is Thermador trained) to ask him about this but he hasn't returned my calls. I've also got a call into the Medallion kitchen designer I worked with (& emailed him a photo). I'm waiting to hear back from him. The unit seems to be set back as far as it can go but maybe the filler wall isn't deep enough? It's not supposed to look like this, is it???

We're so close I can almost taste it! But stuff keeps popping up. My granite is supposed to be installed on Friday. There will be granite on the counter between the two units. I'm not sure if I should postpone it until this issue is fixed. Help!

The freezer is on the left and it is the worse one. The fridge on the right is not quite as bad. There is still a space but not as big.

They look so pretty here!

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Comments (5)

lascatx
17 years ago
They shouldn't look like that. They are intended to fit flush with standard 24" cabinets and 3/4" doors. Did your KD allow for that 3/4" depth on the side panels since there are no doors? Is the gap more than 3/4"? If so, I would check and make sure the power and water connections are in the right place. If not, that could block the clearance. I don't remember if the columns have critical placement/clearance issues, but I know my warming drawer was so close that it mattered whether we put the plug in the top or bottom receptacle.
Circus Peanut
17 years ago
Could it be the placement of the electrical outlet? Did they forget to recess the receptacle, which would account for about that far a nudge out from the wall?

Good luck! Lookin' great so far, barring this little obstacle.
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gldnfan
17 years ago
I did not go with Thermador columns in the end - we were going to go with two wine refrigerators. One detraction was the cost to install as they must be installed by a trained installer and it was over $300 per unit - we were also going to go with fully integrated units. It made me think they were a bit tricky to install correctly and sounds like that is the case here.

I guess factory trained in this case doesn't necessarily mean he stayed awake through the whole thing because I find it hard to believe an installer could think that was an acceptable installation.

I hope you get satisfactory resolution that doesn't require too much hassle for you. You are right they are very nice from the front!

Our cabinet maker made our panels too small for all of our integrated appliances - 2 wine fridges, a french door unit and the DW! He certainly should have followed the measure twice adage because he measured once and cut twice ;-) 7 panels wasted.
marcy96
17 years ago
Wow! Your cabinets really look beautiful! But you are right. There probably shouldn't be that space between the panel and the wall. I hope you get it resolved easily.
arc1017
17 years ago
Oh My Goodness- we had a VERY similar issue with our installation of our Sub Zero. Are you on Long Island by any chance? My advice: start raising hell with the appliance store as well as Thermador.
Here's why: Basically we went with an installer that the appliance dealer recommended as you did. Ours did not know what the %*@# he was doing from soup to nuts...He left the refrigerator sticking out as yours is. He claimed the moulding/trim pieces (which creates the seamless run between adjacent cabinets and refrig) were bent. I didn't know any better so I believed him and let him leave with about 90% of payment...Long story short he just was not interested in finishing the job- lots of other issues- he actually did not know that the TOP moulding peice actually is what makes the refrigerator start running and getiing cold, so we thought we had a lemon--we finally had to call SZ and they sent out a technician who informed us that our installer did not know what he was doing and luckily the motor did not get burnt out from his incompetence. UGH!! I'm still angry after two years. Anyway, the "high end, exclusive" applicance store takes NO responsibility that they are recommending a hack. Call Thermador as well and tell them that the dealer/store is recommending someone who is botching installations. Also let the store know that you are telling Thermador about this situation. Good luck!!