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qtazza

New vanity drawer hits door casing...what would you do?

qtazza
8 years ago

So....FINALLY can see the light at the end of the tunnel on master bath re-model. Contractor goes to put in vanity drawers and doors....and BOOM! Drawer hits adjacent door casing and cannot open all the way. Not to mention, cabinet door hits too , but I'm hoping that can be adjusted (?). But that drawer problem! After thinking of all the viable solutions (replace nice door casing with thin stuff or move entire vanity over (right side is unfinished, plumbling and lighting would all have to be re-centered, and quartz is already in and would have to be re-placed)...I think the lesser of all evils is have a drawer that only comes out half way. Soooo....what would you do? And would you expect any compensation from contractor? Thanks!

Comments (39)

  • thegypsyrover
    8 years ago

    Eeep! Who did the space planning? If it was the contractor, everything is on his dime. If not, you bear the responsibility.

  • PRO
    Ruebl Builders LLC
    8 years ago

    Its not the end of the world but I hate to say it but you have two options take the vanity out and add a filler or cut the doors/Drawers. It looks like you have room on the left side to slide it over:(

  • artcarved
    8 years ago
    You could remove the door casing and plaster in area or fill with maybe drywall. Other option would trim out section of casing where draw hits it. It may not look the greatest but it is a thought.

    Where there is a will there's a way.
  • PRO
    Ankeny Architects LLC
    8 years ago
    Cabinets should never be installed tight to wall. There should always be a filler spacer so it doesn't scrape wall or hit door casing. Contractor needs to fix at no additional cost to you. The problem is the countertop was sized for current location so when you slide over it will not be tight to wall. You either need a new countertop that is sized correctly or add backsplash and trim to cover gap.
  • PRO
    Hal Braswell Consulting
    8 years ago
    I love full overlay cabinets but you have to allow for a filler strip to scribe to a wall so doors and drawers will open properly. IMO there were two mistakes: (1) No allowance was made for door casing; and (2) When countertop was measured the problem should have been caught and questions raised.

    So to me the responsibility could rest on two people potentially.

    As to solution, I would not accept a drawer that doesn't fully open. Is the cabinet custom (locally) made? My idea is to see how much the countertop overhangs the left side of the cabinet. My guess is 1". So if a nearly 1" filler is attached to the right edge of the cabinet and painted to match, that (measure to verify) should provide adequate clearance for drawer to open properly. Then slide counter over to the right where left edge of counter is flush with left edge of cabinet. Without seeing in person, that seems to be the best fix without replacing the countertop.
  • PRO
    Ankeny Architects LLC
    8 years ago
    Not sure that you could just slide countertop over 1" because it was cut for 2 sinks. Would sinks have to slide over 1" and not be centered on cabinet doors?
  • PRO
    Hal Braswell Consulting
    8 years ago
    Sinks would be off center unless there is enough fudge factor in sink cutout that would allow them to be centered. Is this ideal? No. Depends on who is responsible. If contractor fault, new counter. If homeowner then new counter is a big bullet to bite.
  • thegypsyrover
    8 years ago

    Another thought occurred to me, was the vanity dry-fitted before it was installed? The more I think about this, the more convinced I am that the contractor is at fault. He needs to make this right without any makeshift solutions.

  • ckfhooper
    8 years ago

    Tear off the casing...have your painter paint the whole wall with the un-cased door an accent color OR better yet.....wall paper the one wall around the door. Perhaps there's a clever way to trim the wallpaper (tiny 1/8 trim piece?)....it will look like you meant it to be that way!

    Dont move it over, you'll need to move lighting, plumbing, mirrors etc!

  • PRO
    Brickwood Builders, Inc.
    8 years ago

    The responsibility belongs to whomever did the design and planning, not the person(s) who just did the installation. The design and planning may or may not have been done by the contractor. Sliding it over just isn't an option, IMO, as it involves moving/adjusting too many things and I can't imagine you want the side of your vanity actually touching the tub deck. While it is not ideal and no one goes into a remodel expecting this to happen, having a drawer that is partially usable is not the end of the world.

  • User
    8 years ago
    Agree. The person responsible is the one who designed and fabricated the vanity. Either the GC or cabinet maker need to remake your cabinet. Do not pay until it is built correctly!
  • User
    8 years ago

    Even without the vanity being right on the wall, using that drawer to full extension would be inadvisable, given that it will block the entrance to the bathroom. Major screw up in design and construction. Is that a custom vanity? Whoever made the mistake should offer a good faith credit. If you aren't willing to live with it, I see a lawsuit due to the costs involved of making this right. And it's probably not a slam dunk.

  • Lila
    8 years ago

    If the contractor was a conscientious worker who made an unfortunate mistake I would live with the drawer. It will open far enough to access whatever is stored in there. However, if the door scrapes the wall it has to be fixed even if it means moving the cabinet over.

  • PRO
    Butterfly Yao CKBD
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    oh my god, I think you have already known what is correct, we don't have to repeat the correct way again, but I really doubt that is he a contractor?!? This is common sense for any cabinets installation. Are your vanity standard products or custom-made products? Maybe he use a standard vanity try to fit your space, so there is no room for fillers/spacer.

    From your pictures I can see the left side is bathtub, so there is no room can be used for moving to the left. I think the contractor need to take responsibility for this, they can try to remove the counter top if it's not tight, and only change the right side cabinet box and drawer box smaller for a 2-3 inch filler space, those cabinet doors and drawer front can be revised smaller and repaint. In this way, you don't need to change plumbing, lighting, mirror, but the only thing is the right side sink cabinet width will be smaller than the left side sink cabinet.

  • ashtonchic
    8 years ago

    It clearly looks like the cabinet is the wrong size. I would salvage the sinks, top and plumbing and get a new cabinet. It will never be right. Think about resale also - no-one will want to buy this problem.

  • User
    8 years ago

    I want to know what is structurally holding up that floating vanity with stone on top. Steel, I hope to goodness. Need an exploded design diagram posted. The HO design work here is totally suspect.

    This all could come crashing down. It's not "just" a relatively minor clearance issue.

  • Tonia Tussey
    8 years ago
    Beautiful bath. I think I would just live without pulling that drawer out all the way. Install a stop in it somehow so it won't bang the trim. And put a panel inside the drawer to block off the back half, and just use front half.
  • thegypsyrover
    8 years ago

    qtazza, you need to have a serious conversation with your contractor. All of the professionals who have weighed in agree that there is no easy fix here. You are paying for professional results; that is what you should be getting!

  • User
    8 years ago

    The OP has vacated. Probably because they were the "design professional" involved and didn't understand the ramifications. It's always the details where it falls apart and separates the wheat from the chaff.

  • erinsean
    8 years ago

    I agree with Tonia Tussey. I would put a stop so that the drawer will only open so far and block off the back half. Looks like it can open about 8 inches before it hits the door woodwork. Lots of things can be stored there. As for the door under the sink....I do not think that would present a problem...but if so, .I think there are stops you can put on hinges so it doesn't bang the wall. On another note...I have seen vanities built like yours where the bottom drawer pulls out a little way and is used as a step for small children. Too bad your vanity is too long but sounds like too much trouble to change it.

  • qtazza
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    No, I haven't vacated at all. Just taking in all the advice and comments. Thanks to those who have taken the time. I'd like the contractor to move the vanity over 3/4" and put a filler in. I think he could just put backsplash to cover void where countertop wouldn't make it to the wall. One little seam on the front overhang doesn't seem so terrible. I don't want to make contractor buy a new piece of quartz. BUT, it would be SO much easier to just have a drawer that doesn't open all the way. I feel bad for the contractor, he's a very nice guy who needs to move on to hs next job. He's been here working forever. We are over it too of course. But I am going to curse that drawer for the next 20 years. He will be here tomorrow, and we'll discuss.

  • sandradclark
    8 years ago

    Good people do make mistakes. He is in the business. He needs to make it right to your satisfaction.

    qtazza thanked sandradclark
  • PRO
    GannonCo
    8 years ago

    If you are Ok with it like it is and just want a drawer that doesn't open all the way he can put a limiter to prevent the drawer from hitting the casing. I am thinking you just don't want it slamming into casing? Not 100% but I guess it would work.


    How about drop down drawer front and offset pull out drawer box? Long way to go but you aren't fixing without changing vanity otherwise. If not live with the limiter and go on. It is a low drawer so I guess you have to way out how much it will get used?

    qtazza thanked GannonCo
  • PRO
    Scott Design, Inc.
    8 years ago

    The beauty of this vanity is its symmetry and free-standing styling. Adding a filler on the right compromises that design. Because this is a full overlay cabinet style, consider the traditional approach of relocating the bottom drawer head to the top and making it stationary. Relocate the doors to the bottom. Keep the drawer boxes on the bottom behind the doors. The drawer glides would have to be moved for hinge and door casing clearance and the drawer boxes made narrower with a scooped opening to grab onto. You still maintain the clean lines of a free standing style vanity but all adjustments are internal.

  • PRO
    GannonCo
    8 years ago

    LOL!! I am a woodworker that likes a challenge. If it is 32mm system and the doors open all the way how about making it into a door and again have an offset box that pulls out.

    Last one, an offset drawer and the face has a slide so when you pull the drawer open the drawer face slides of 1" to clear casing then pulls out to full extension.

  • qtazza
    Original Author
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    wannabath....whoa...love your creative energy! Can you or anyone tell me where to buy a "limiter".

  • cbauzon
    8 years ago

    I have the same problem but mine only open less than 1/3 of the way. I removed the door before putting the casing on thinking I can have the manufacture cut it or I can cut it to let it pass. No licensed contractor was hired and I bought the vanity from cypress kitchen and bathe which I believe it's made from China and no return. I measured but I thought we were going to need a filler so we have some but it ended up being like yours giving us no room on the sides. I think I'm just going to cut the end of the drawers to make it functional. It's so sad I didn't even foresee it =( I don't even know how I can pull it off. What are your plans?

  • qtazza
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Ended up just making the drawer so it can only be pulled out to the point right before it hits the casing. So, it does not pull out all the way. Not ideal but way too much trouble to have guy do it over. One thing I learned from remodeling...nothing is perfect.

  • cbauzon
    8 years ago

    Oh trust me I want to cry. But nothing is perfect, you're right. Thank you.

  • qtazza
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    I feel your pain :(

  • suezbell
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Edit: posted before read "solution" -- these two could still apply.

    If this ends up homeowner's cost to bear, rather than redo of plumbing, electrical, countertop and vanity, just rebuild the two bottom drawers, both left and right for visual reasons, to be four drawers, with the drawer on the far right being a faux drawer, perhaps with a shelf with a ledge behind the faux drawer front within the vanity where the far right drawer should and that could be that could be accessed by completely removing the drawer next to it. [ You'd be creating a place to hide/store stuff seldom used such as a plunger and/or plumbing snake (hopefully a plunger and plumbing snake would be seldom used)].

    Another option is to make the drawer NOT a drawer but a door -- a tilt down or lift up faux drawer front that opens to reveal a shelf, onto which you could slide a tray narrow enough to slide all the way out of the cabinet to serve as a smaller drawer.

  • smyrick2
    7 years ago

    wannabath - would the drawer need to be replaced or just a hinge put on so that the face would off-set to move around the object? I'm running into a similar situation in my kitchen. The drawer cannot be opened past the casing around the patio door. The installers are looking for solutions to resolve the issue and I was thinking this might be a good option.

  • 467181pbj
    7 years ago
    If a professional designed the remodel and ordered the cabinets, he or she is responsible for not ordering a filler strip to allow the drawers to clear the molding.
  • Sandra Almeida
    3 years ago

    Okay! Yall are forgeting the open concept aka new stile open bottoms hello! Otherwise since the whole cabinet or framing measurements are to blame tell contractor to return $800 bucks and diy cut the door frame. But wait...you don’t want guests to be tripping on the drawer do you? Just in case you forget it open lol Perhaps everything ordered for this project was out of proportion Or NOT? Who ever ordered that way was thinking of safety or not? Framing delegates Mathematics very simple.

    let‘s give him a hard time and tell him to move the door frame that way everyone is safe!

    God Bless!

  • User
    3 years ago

    If it was my bathroom I would have the contractor replace the wall with 2x3 studs and and resheetrock with 1/4 inch thickness. Door jam would need to be resized.


    Problem solved, you would gain 1.25 of space for a matching filler strip.

  • Rachel Eck
    2 years ago

    Im running into a similar issue with the home i just bought. not sure if it was pre-existing or if my new door frames are much larger than the ones my contractor replaced because i cant remember checking before. There is space on the side of my drawers but the door frame still gets in the way a little bit so they open about halfway. It is a tight space (bathroom vanity is in the hallway to the bathroom). So i decided to convert the drawers on that side into open shelving. I am planning on refinishing the bathroom cabinets anyway so that saves me some work in the long run. And cutting the door frame just wouldnt look right in my opinion. best of luck to anyone else dealing with this problem!

  • Maria Peraza
    last year

    I just brought a house, and I think I accidentally never checked the bottom drawer, but it does the same thing. Unfortunately, my vanity is officially sealed to the wall, and I have other projects that are sucking money out of me. I was thinking could I saw the drawer sides off a bit? It fully opens if I wiggle the drawer to the left so it can avoid scraping the trim.


    Unfortunately, I can't take convert it to an open shelve since there is bare wood under the vanity as well as a large hole in the floor. I'm also thinking of repainting the cabinet, because the whole bathroom is too dark for my taste.

  • PRO
    JAN MOYER
    last year

    Don't use that particular drawer: )

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