Issues with quartz installation - advice please!

8 years ago

I'm having trouble posting, so will try without the pictures and then add them in the comments....

Looking for advice....We had our granite removed and new quartz installed a few days ago and I'm now noticing some issues. I'm trying to figure out if these are a big deal and which to ask the fabricator/installer to fix. We are not using a general contractor, but got the quartz through a tile store that provides demo and installation of quartz and tile. The tile isn't installed yet, and we've paid 65% so far.

1. The island hangs over further one one side of the pony wall than the other. It seems like it was a fabrication error because the plywood is shorter than the quartz on one side. The asymmetry looks really bad to me and it is not what I asked for. (First three pictures)

2. The counter hangs out past the fridge and other cabinets. They insisted that it had to be this way, but it hangs out further than the plywood, so I'm not sure why it would have to hang out this far. How much past the drawer and door should the cabinet extend? (Pictures 4 and 5)

3. The pony wall was damaged during demo or installation. The counter also doesn't line up neatly with the pony wall. You don't really notice unless you're down lower, but it just looks really shoddy when I bend down to pick something up or clean the floor. (Picture 6)

4. There is a gap between the counter and the cabinet that holds the oven. Now, we had originally planned to put a side splash there because the installer told me we had to. I've decided I would rather fix the cabinet. I'm not sure if he should be responsible for making it fit properly if he had thought there would be a sidesplash to cover the gap. And can caulk fix this? (Picture 7)

5. The invoice said they would replace the plywood, but they just turned the old plywood upside down in some places. The wood is splintered and has old glue on it, which has a terrible smell and I'm worried about the off-gassing.

I'm probably being too picky about some of these things....I'd love advice on what you think is fair to ask to fix and what I should just live with. Thanks so much for reading and your thoughts!

Featured Answer

millworkman

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

"I'm probably being too picky about some of these things"

In my opinion yes, you are being too picky about all of those things based on the pictures. The assemetry on the first pic is tough to tell as we are looking at both from an angle. How far off is it? That damage is to be expected somewhat and would not be considered abnormal in my opinion. Reusing plywood, why not if it is salvagable. Off-gassing? If it hasn't off-gassed by now its not going to.

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Comments (7)

mary_anne_todgham
Original Author
8 years ago
Asymmetrical overhang on island
mary_anne_todgham
Original Author
8 years ago
Counter sticking out past cabinets
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mary_anne_todgham
Original Author
8 years ago
Example of damage to pony wall
mary_anne_todgham
Original Author
8 years ago
Gap between counter and cabinet
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
8 years ago
What does Mr. Tape Measure have to say about the dimensions of the island, please? Pictures can lie, he can't. Measure from corner to corner diagonally. If the dimensions are the same, the top is square.

Standard tops overhang cabinet fronts by 1 1/4" - 1 1/2" generally. Mine overhang 2" and I like it.

The pony wall looks like it got a hammer kiss during demolition, not installation. Push a little mud in the cracks and it will paint up just fine.

You may be able to save the cabinet side if you soak the adhesive in lacquer thinner (careful, it's flammable) and scrape at it with a credit card which is stiff enough to remove adhesive, but not sharp enough to cut the cabinet veneer.

I'd get the last of it with a sanding block by hand so you don't sand through the cabinet veneer, then refinish the side. The caulked gap will look great.

Reusing your old plywood was fine, splinters or not. It's done off-gassing and is probably more dimensionally stable than new.

If the tops are level and square, yes, you're being too picky.
mary_anne_todgham thanked Joseph Corlett, LLC
mary_anne_todgham
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks so much millworkman and Joseph Corlett for the feedback....it is a big relief that I don't need to worry about these things! The overhang is 1 3/8", so I guess it had to stick out past the other cabinets.

I do think the glue is off-gassing now....it was covered by the old granite for 15 years, so there was no opportunity to off-gas, and the whole kitchen had a strong smell the week between demo and installation. I couldn't figure out where it was coming from at first, but I narrowed it down to the old glue that hadn't been exposed to air for all those years. I smell it when I open those cabinets, so it is being released into the air. If I had noticed they were reusing plywood during installation, I would have asked them to change it out; however, they didn't reuse it in all the counters, so I will let it go.

Thanks again!!!