That's correct!

Mainline and Sophie are correct.

i'm reluctant to have him redo it...b/c i told him the cabinet doors were crooked, he couldn't fix it, then retried several times to adjust doors, still couldn't see why they were crooked, then wanted to leave it & put handles on it. So he's clearly missed why the doors are off, and in the process of rehanging the doors, he stripped the holes the hardware goes into. So i'm afraid asking him to fix it may be beyond his capability at this time.........am i wrong for not wanting him to refix it? b/c the way i see it, he's already tried, caused damage holes in for the hardware.....?

knowing this, would you think he's capable of fixing it? or

would you lean (like me) to get $ back and get someone else to do it.

It would take a total refund and then some additional funds to hire someone competent. Cabinet installs are the most expensive carpenters that exist. The right way to do this is to uninstall it all and start over. I’d want a level and a square on the bases too.

Or call it a total loss and get him out of your house and eat the loss. You may have to replace cabinets to correct them being racked and installed. That is a structural issue, not just a cosmetic issue.

Where did you find this guy? Where did you source your cabinets?

Just one of the many things that look easy but are not. .................do over. My bet is a few cabinets end up hanging in your garage with old turpentine and rags in them.

bh:

Racking a cabinet is cabinet install error 101. Since he doesn't know this, he's incapable of installing them correctly or doing the repairs. If the cabinets are racked, the doors cannot be installed properly. I know sometimes this is difficult to hear, but it sounds like you've got a do-over on your hands.

Install errors in the beginning resul in big problems at the end , if you don’t want it done again the adjust as good as you can and live with it once the pulls are installed your eye will not go there as often but first make sure the cabinet is actually square.

A racked cabinet can allow the hanging rail to shift, and not support the cabinet properly. If he knew enough to even use the hanging rail. That can come loose, and the cabinet come off the wall.

It’s not just a aesthetic issue.

I still want to know where this CONtractor was found and what cabinets are being used.

if cabinets are to be rehung, do i need all new cabinets? or just rehang them? and how do i know if he used a hanging rail?

we tried over the year, and recently had about 6 contractors come out, 4 of them came out & never called back, or said they didn't have time after they were at the house. ONe of them was big chain. they sent out a contractor, who came to house, they then wanted me to sign a contract with some of the work BLANK for fees, to be determined at the job site, when they started. I refused to sign an unknown charge for some of the work to be done, they did give price for cabinets, but we needed other things done.

the last guy (this guy) has a card lic & bonded. but i guess that doesn't mean anything....

anyway i'm trying to focus on what can be done, not what i did wrong hiring him, i feel bad enough trusting him

Cabinets can be rehung by someone knowledgeable. It shouldn't be that hard. But it's obvious from looking at the job that the designer wasn't any good on top of the contractor, so where you find someone I don't know.

My plan right now is to hire a cabinet guy. Trouble is some won't work on previous work, only brand new install. Then if i can find someone, I will try and subtract the price from what i owe the 1st guy, or work out some compromise. If it becomes an issue, I will just eat the loss, I'd rather have it done right.

i appreciate everyone's thought, suggestions, keep them coming.

i tried to call other companies, and no one really wants to work over the 1st guy's work, even if i pay. I did find one guy, a carpenter guy who does cabinets. he agreed the cabinets are 1/4 " off. He says he can adjust that one cabinet, and is willing to do. He did say an option is to take all the cabinets down, but he doesn't want to do that. It seems no one wants to redo his work. I really feel the 1st guy who installed them is incapable at this point, b/c he should have check the cabinets once up, and seen it, or when i pointed out the doors several times, instead he kept trying to fix the door, not the cabinet.

so if all the cabinets are off, but the doors align except for that one: and i have the one cabinet adjusted, is this a problem in the future for the other cabinets?

2 other companies won't touch the job. And i can't so far, find anyone capable in this area to rehang them that is willing.

Nobody will touch it because of the possibly very bad outcome which is he ruined/racked the cabinets. It's called "run for your life" in this business. Due to the fact that no amount of money is compensation for the mess you are about to enter.

I feel your pain. It's like when a pet is dying and the vet says 10 k to have the surgery that saves the pet. Puls a month of boarded rehab.

I'm not spending a bunch of time reading this thread, but did want to state something obvious to check. Each cabinet hinge has an adjustment that brings the door up or down to account for uneven-ness that every home and every installation has. You just adjust that setting in the hinge until the doors hang evenly with each other.

Where are you located? Maybe a Pro knows someone

If cab is racked gap between doors should be off and it doesn't appear to be. Did cabinet come with doors hung or were they shipped separate?

Take both doors off and measure from top to hinge and bottom to hinge. I am wondering if the just drilled the hinge hole off? Is the door off the exact amount at the top?

Something is off as if the cab was racked how are your the gaps ok? Check hinge placement measurements. Obviously also check the cabinet side in regards to hinge mounting to top or bottom of cabinet.

My location is chicago il. Near Harlem and Irving park.

I know about hinges, it isnt the hinges.

Try calling these dealers maybe they can recommend an installer. They are the dealers we recommend for the Chicago area.

J & B Kitchen Designs Chicago IL www.houzz.com/pro/windycityjohn/__public

847-693-1149

Thanks I will tomorrow.

soooo, i called the referred name above, and he referred me to another pro. he's coming out.....to look at it. so thanks, b/c the last thing i want is another handy man, or non cabinet guy to fix this.

i'm not looking for quotes or anything but does anyone have an idea of the cost to rehang 6 wall cabinets? just b/c i have no idea....again not going to quote anyone.

Average cabinet installations for a small kitchen run 1-2K. For a small kitchen. I’ve had jobs well over 10K in installation costs. Because it’s skilled labor. And it’s based on difficulty, not size.

The amount of trouble to do this is going to be as much as a full install. Because, if possible, the cabinet has to be squared up and reinforced to stay square now that it’s integrity has been compromised. Or, it may be damaged too much and need reordering. You cannot tell until the demolition happens.

The whole job is probably done to the same poor standards and need redoing. Not just the wall cabinets.

1-2 K sounds about right. The base cabinets with countertop installed and backspash tile complete could present an issue but if they can work with the bottom as is 1-2 K is about what I'd expect around here. Probably closer to 2 then 1.

thanks....for everyone's input, it helps....

How do you rack a backed cabinet that much?? I don’t get all the confusion here. Do a cross measurement or put a square in each corner

measure as I suggested to be sure it isn’t the hinge placement on the door. When boring hinge homes you can move setting and they can be off although looking right.

its one or the other. Pull the cabinet down there is probably two or four scresws at most and measure again.

do that and move forward from there. I wouldn’t touch it either but pay someone an hours labor or pay for an estimate and you will have your answer in five min.

its so easily done I would attempt even with basic skills

post measurements or eveyonr isnjust chasing their tails here.

"its so easily done I would attempt even with basic skills"

It's this attitude that birthed this thread.

And the lesson of the day is always the same...... HIRE A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL always!

i went to a referred, licensed, bonded contractor....

so if you go to a licensed doctor, and he messes up, could i blame you for going to him?

and if you needed surgery, could i blame you b/c you didn't know the exact tools the surgeon should use?

here's another lesson: didn't you mother ever tell you not to say anything, if you didn't have anything nice to say?

thanks to Most of you, for your professional guides on how to fix this situation, not on blaming me for hiring the wrong guy!

I’m sorry if you were offended but not everyone is talented of a craftsman that is “licensed and bonded”

clearly the box was racked on install which is beginner 101 carpentry mistake.

so i had 3 cabinet companies not even willing to come out. Then i spent time getting a total of 4 more companies that did come out. These were cabinet kitchen guys only. They all came out, and never responded with a price or commitment. They all agreed the one cabinet is off, may be racked, and they might all need to come down. I am willing to do and pay for this. Yet no one will take the job.....so i really need some help, as we cannot live like this.....PLEASE HELP

Hi b h, this sounds like a total nightmare, sorry you are going through this. Tough lesson learned =(. I am not an install pro or anything of the sort, but having not seen your kitchen in person, my guess is one of two things:

1. The first installer ruined your cabinets, and no experienced installer wants to quote a job they feel they are going to lose money on for the time they will spend trying to "fix" the cabinets themselves. In that case you may have to just reorder cabinets and line up one of the experienced cabinet installers to do the job from scratch.

2. The walls are so crooked and out of alignment it is going to take an extraordinary amount of time to get the cabinets installed to a level deemed acceptable by a well trained installer. In that case you may need to do something as extreme as redrywalling.

In either case, I think it would be worth calling back one of the pros who came out to look, and ask their honest opinion on why this job is not worth it, and then work from there.

i am willing to reorder cabinets, but not until they take the job. They say they will call me back with a quote, but then don't even respond when I try and reach them back.

They are pretty much saying that they can’t charge you enough to fix the issues, and they don’t want to be responsible for the mess. Which they would be if they touched it last.

If you are willing to reorder entirely, what’s your budget for that. Because if you told them that, then they are also telling you that it isn’t a realistic budget. Average for mid grade cabinets would be 15-25K for an average kitchen that uses American made products and not cheepchinesecrapola.

Go post this in woodweb.com. Or lumberjacks.com.

BH, I've been lurking on this thread since you first posted. A wall that's "plumb & true" is the unicorn of construction and it's the first thing a cabinet Pro checks. Keep that in mind going forward.

Remove that one cabinet that is crooked and put up open shelving. Not what you wanted but let's you move on with life. I would not buy all new cabinets.

Thank you, that is an option....

so finally found a cabinet guy, we are ordering a new cabinet, b/c the original contractor racked the one cabinet. New guy will then remove & reinstall. it'll take 6 weeks to get new cabinet. i'm hopeful. It was never about hiring a cheap guy, nor was it ever about taking the original contractor down, b/c frankly what would that do....it was most important to me to go forward, how to fix it, how to get the right guy this time....and next time. Suggestions are always welcome! Thanks to many of you for your progressive forward thinking.

Glad you are making progress. FWIW, my BF is a building inspector/ex-builder, and he just mentioned the other day that there is so much work right now, a lot of these guys don’t even blink unless the job is a gravy one. And some tend to do crap work when work is so easy to come by. I don’t know how it is where you are, but I just thought I would mention that. It might offer some perspective on your own situation.

You don't need a new cabinet; you need the existing cabinet installed properly. You're wasting money and time.

You are right that it seems they are busy and choosing the bigger jobs over mine. Which is why I think I couldnt find anyone.

I measured all my cabinets in crisscross and they are all equal/square, except the one which appears to me and 4 others as racked.

Now what I don't know is can a cabinet still be saved if racked 1/8 to 1/2?

Since my guy has full time work elsewhere like everyone else, but is willing to do this on saturdays, I didn't want to waste him time to find out it was too racked when he takes it down, and then I'd have to start ordering which takes 6 weeks.

He offered to wait before ordering a new cabinet but I choose to make it easier and remove the doubt of will it work when he comes by, by having a new cabinet.

Besides the original contractor stripped 2 holes, made extra holes and nicked up the cabinet trying to adjust the doors.

I have a small kitchen and original contract was signed July 2017. I have learned many things.

Put an end date on contract.

Do not allow the contractor to take other jobs until he is finihed. He took off 2 weeks, then 2 weeks, then 5 weeks. And still didn't finish.

Make sure his license number is on contract and current.

Make sure he hires the appropriate people for the job. He wanted to do it all himself. I was under the assumption a plumber, electrician, tile guy, and cabinets guys would do work, as he said he had these people. He did hire a plumber, and tile guy. But did the rest himself.

If there is anything else to look for in the future, let me know.

FINALLY DONE! No one wanted to take down the cabinets and redo them. And the one 33" was racked and crooked, I figured the corner too might be off. So I ordered a 32" and a filler. We removed the 33" and yes the corner was off too, it was minor but the error grows as you go down the line. So we made the filler take all the error, and then placed a new 32", instead of a 33". It WORKED! I would have rather taken them down & do it right, but this was the only solution, and it worked! Cabinets may be off, but no one will ever notice without a level. All doors laid nicely and straight, and I am very happy with the one and only guy that was willing to help! DONE! AND HAPPY!

A competent installer checks the walls and ceilings for any unevenness before installing cabinets, and continues to check the vertical and horizontal positioning as he goes. He also would not try to correct 'crooked' by moving the doors. And he would know how to fill stripped holes.
You had an amateur installer. I sure hope you did not pay him! If you paid by credit card, take pictures for proof and call your credit card company to have them cancel the payment for "failure to do the work properly".
The company should send out a qualified installer to remove the cabinets and reinstall them properly.
FYI: the homeowner should always supervise work being done in their home. I have my own level and measuring tape, and take my responsibility as supervisor seriously. No job goes unsupervised. My money, my right to supervise.

There are a few ways to adjust the cabinet doors doors. Check out my video for a couple tips. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5tQ1XYxxFA&t=16s

this post is a year old

I have 2 wall cabinets that surround my range vent hood. The bottom piece of the frames that face front on both cabinets are shifting, and look like they are warped. The cabinet rep said the cabinets are racked due to improper installation. Following this conversation, it looks like racked cabinets cause issue with how the doors hang, Can racking actually compromise the frame of the box (cabinet?)

Absolutely. You bring the wall to the square cabinet, not the square cabinet to the wall.