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anthonylig

Checking Contractors Work

9 years ago

My wife and I are at the tail end of a hell-on-earth remodel. We are so burnt out discussing what we should or should not discuss with our live-wire contractor we decided to ask the option(s) of ya'll. We took some photos of issues we believe we should bring up but our contractor keeps telling us that this is how things are done etc and we have no frame or reference as this is our first house and our first remodel.
http://imgur.com/BPjI8ik
http://imgur.com/Lyuxtgb
http://imgur.com/wUxof9x
http://imgur.com/r48ur7t
http://imgur.com/mUxdpp3
http://imgur.com/ze1TdSQ
http://imgur.com/yRiixbu
We are unhappy with the knobs - are they close enough and we are being ridiculous? We are also unhappy with the use of silver screws in the glass cabinets but we were told there was nothing else they could do. The picture of the filled screw hole is in a 36" cabinet that has about 9 of those. I assume they put the holes in prior to hanging and then realized they were off.
Over all we think the work is good but honestly we have no idea and this has cost us more than we would have ever expected both monetarily and emotionally.. Sorry for the downer post, all.
Thanks in advance for your advice.

Comments (20)

  • PRO
    9 years ago

    All this things must be fixed to your satisfaction. Very sloppy work.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What price level remodel is this?

    Did you pay for drywall work for the ceiling?

    Stick on tabs in woodgrain or white color will color all of those holes. No biggie, other than the interior should be a matching color to the exterior on glass cabinets.

    Better make sure where the hanging rail is located. Screws need to go through it, not all over everywhere.

    They at least used cabinet installation screws and not drywall screws.

    I want to know what brand cabinets, and why you chose them. I have a suspicion on that front.

  • 9 years ago
    The ceiling is still being taped, I should have mentioned that. We feel the work is sloppy too. The guys hanging the cabinets wanted $5,200 but gave us a "deal" at $4,200. They opened up a wall about 18 inches. Hung cabinets in a small kitchen and framed a window.
  • 9 years ago
    Sophie: they are Schrock cabinets
  • 9 years ago

    5K for Schlock cabinets??? Or 5K for removing a wall, repairing drywall, moving electric, and hanging cabinets. Something isn't right here.

  • 9 years ago
    5k for slight Sheetrock repair. Removing two doors and framing the old opening. Opening up one door way about 18 inches. Hanging cabinets and cutting a hole in the roof for the exhaust.
  • 9 years ago
    Oh sorry, it was 11k for the cabinets.
  • 9 years ago

    Way way low for that labor. Hope they did more than install goop around that roof penetration, or you are going to have a nasty surprise next rain. Not permitted or inspected either, I'm assuming? This kinda comes under the you got what you paid for in the labor department. Sloppy D list work, yes, but you didn't hire A listers. I'd expect at least double that price, at a minimum, for someone licensed, insured, and competent, to cut actual holes in your home's weathertight envelope. Just the cabinet installation alone, from a skilled specialist, should be in the 3-4K range.


  • 9 years ago

    Apl, interior doors or exterior?

    As Sophie said you can get plugs for the screw holes.

    Did they pull permits for the work? I hope you didn't. Make sure your town's building inspectors come out for any roofing, plumbing/electrical issues. The knobs and such they will not be concerned about. But first, did you get a really poweful hood that needs MUA? If so and that was not done, the inspectors will note that.

  • 9 years ago

    Apl, I just read your original thread on the layout. I am sure you are under a lot of stress with all of this. That is germane to the renovation process and lots of people here can identify. Keep us posted.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The things I can see as being sloppy is that ceiling finish work, the gap in the corner miter, and not covering up the screws in the glass cabinets. They may have left the ceiling like that because making it look better than that "is a painters job".

    The knobs look fine to me so unless you told them specifically where they should go and they didn't do that I wouldn't fault them for the placement.

    If the reno has been a nightmare and stressful, at this point it may be better to leave bad/mediocre reviews and just finish it up yourself. No sense putting a bunch of energy into fighting a contractor into fixing what you can fix yourself in a Saturday.

  • 9 years ago

    The pictures are crooked themselves so its hard to tell

  • 9 years ago

    Seriously, a kitchen renovation where they don't ask where do you want the knobs?? That does not sound right. Some want them on the left or the right, middle or bottom, pulls on the stiles or in the middle, holy cow, that is absolutely up to the owner. And this is one of those things, imho, they need to ask before installing. That's just wrong.

  • 9 years ago

    "The knobs look fine to me so unless you told them specifically where they should go and they didn't do that I wouldn't fault them for the placement."

    I think the OP is complaining about the unevenness rather than the location. I think it's reasonable to expect that the knobs will be in the same position on each door/drawer without having to mention it. That said, I chose to install my own pulls and knobs because opinions frequently differ as to what is "good enough" and you only get one shot at it.


  • 9 years ago
    They were interior doors. We don't have a frame of reference for job size / cost but it took two men less than 20 hours. They came on nights and weekends. They were provided buy the kitchen company we used for the cabinets and countertop. The small 12" countertop to the right of our range is off 1/8 inch as well. But the countertop installers didn't let us wait to ask the cabinet guys to level it.
  • 9 years ago
    *by. Sorry!
  • PRO
    9 years ago

    Of course the first picture drywall is unacceptable. The knobs being off is why you always hot melt a scrap reversible hole drilling jig together for doors. No measuring, no missing. Easy enough to fix.


    Sophie's right about hitting the cabinet support rail with the screws. If they haven't it's a do-over.


    Compared to some of the stuff we see here, this isn't all that. Be reasonable and this should all work out.

  • 9 years ago
    They didn't use a hanging rail. They opened up he wall and put in horizontal support to nail the cabinet to as well as the studs.
  • 9 years ago

    The cabinet BOXES are what have the integral hanging rail. The rest of the cabinet back is not load bearing.