i'd be upset to have marks in my cabinet like that. The super lazy Susan......don't the two levels rotate separately?

I would reserve some judgement till install was done. Our cabinets are going in currently and on restraining myself till complete as I know adjustments will be made. That said stuff like doors damaged will need to be fixed for sure.

As for the misalignment, has your installer finished? The doors can be adjusted so they align properly. Your installer should do this. Disappointing to see the gashes. Were they like that coming out of the box or could the installer or other trades in our house done that. I would talk with the person who you ordered from.

I agree with Alison, Wait until install is finished. Give them a little time to fix it all.

It is normal to have to replace a few doors after installation. Waiting until everything is installed and has been adjusted is usually the easiest way to go about it. Let the designer who ordered your cabinets know there are some issues. As for the LS - is that where they stop on there rotation?

* the color is blotchy even though we got cherry wood.

The color is blotchy because you got stained cherry. Cherry goes blotchy when stained.

I’d say that unfortunately, it IS normal, but it’s certainly not acceptable. We just finished a new build and I am truly shocked at what they (builder, cabinet guys etc.) try to pass off as acceptable. Things have really degenerated over the years....so much damaged material gets installed and no one seems to blink. I would not accept scratched, dented, or damaged doors. Also we had one piece of crown that was all splotchy and I made them do it over. They didn’t even question it thankfully.

We have Medallion in our kitchen and bathroom. Great cabinets. Our super Susan is definitely aligned, otherwise the door wouldn’t close!

The door misalignment is easily adjusted with the European hinges. But agree, that finish is not up to par. I would call the person who ordered the cabinets and let them know your concerns. They can come out and look themselves.

If I were watching the install and saw that Susan, i’d pipe up and say “Will those shelves get straightened somehow? They’re not matching right now.” I would need to know if it’s something the installer can correct or the company rep needs to handle.

Good luck.

The mis-alignment is just temporary. Once everything is installed (counters, etc.) your GC will adjust all the doors and drawers. This is normal.

However, the issues with the gouges are a concern. They may try to patch the gouges with filler -- it may or may not be successful. Keep an eye on those areas. If the GC's patching is not almost invisible, I would ask for new doors.

Did you check the cabinets as soon as they were delivered for those gouges, etc.? Were they delivered that way or did they occur during installation? The answer to these questions will determine who is ultimately responsible for fixing them to your satisfaction.

About the cabinets being "blotchy"...do you mean the variation in the color in your last picture? If so, when you stain wood, the finish can sometimes vary based on how the stain was absorbed by the wood. BUT, it should not be glaring. If it is, I think you need to have a talk with your KD or cabinet salesperson.

[I'll re-check my stained cherry cabinets when I get home, but I don't remember any major splotches -- it may also be that over time as my cabinets changed color (cherry changes color over time) everything evened out. (It's hard to believe it's been over 10 years now!)]

thanks for the feedback everyone! very helpful to get another perspective (s). so about the lazy Susans, those are the positions they "lock" into at rest.

if the installer can fix the alignment for the drawers and the lazy Susans, will that weaken the structure since I assume they will have to drill new holes really close to the original holes?

if the cabinet manufacturer mails replacement does for the gashed cabinets, does that mean my installer needs to return in a couple weeks to install the replacements, and do they usually charge extra for that service?

thanks again all, your expertise is much appreciated. I'm such a novice at all this!

Don’t watch sausage being made either.

Everything is normal. Humans are involved. Nothing will ever be perfect. Your cabinets, and your new car, already come from the factory with some touch ups for the inevitable dings. Dings get site filled. Big dents that can’t get touched up get replaced.

The doors will he adjusted after installation is complete. And you will need to pay attention and learn how it’s done. It needs to happen periodically as seasons change and wood expands and contracts.

It’s normal for wood to move. And for grain from even the same tree to take stain differently. Even the same board. It’s Mother Nature Made. Not man made plastic. You have to have a wabi sabi outlook.

Medallion is a great mid grade company to work with. If you used the installers that work with your cabinet company, everything should be fine at the end. But in the middle of sausage being made, you may not want to watch if you can’t stop cringing.

The only concern that I have is the lazy Susan. It could possibly be racked during shipment. And if it is, and couldn’t be pulled straight, it should not have been installed. Corner cabinets are the ones that you can’t install if there is a problem with the box. And you can’t install some of the adjacent cabinets either, if that’s the case. You have to be able to get a giant 3x3 square in and out.

But it’s not possible to tell with one photo on the internet. You need a framing square. Or you need to measure a 3,4, 5, on the cabinet. And measure diagonal to diagonal. I’d suggest doing that tonight.

http://www.aconcordcarpenter.com/the-3-4-5-method-for-squaring-corners.html

Your first picture: are those doors or drawers?

The last picture: are you referring to the very bottom? I can’t tell from the photo if it’s a pooling of stain or not.

As for the gouge: we looked at every cabinet and door/drawer before installing ours. That way, any damage inflicted we knew was our own. Unless you did that, hard to argue for a new door I think.

I guess what sophie says makes sense, but I’d still voice All of my concerns right Now. And I’d insist on a new door if i was paying good money for cabinets and there was a ding already! I’d be pissed...

The alignment of the doors of the two cabinets is to far off for just a hinge adjustment. The lazy susan shelves will stay the way they are unless you send them back. The dents will also stay there. Pretending everything is fine when it is not, will not fix those problems.

I would talk to your contractor now. My doors were off, and I assumed that would be adjusted when they finished. Turned out that they were already adjusted to the max, were cut wrong and needed to be replaced. By not waiting til the end, we got a jump start on them ordering the new ones. Also they automatically replaced any doors with scratches.

They don’t drill new holes to adjust doors. They adjust the screws on hinges and back plates.

Ever put together an IKEA cabinet? It is same deal. Doors and drawers need to be fine tuned to hang properly. You can’t expect them to come from factory and just go together without any adjustments.

As Sophie said, pay attention to how they do it as this is a regular maintenance item.

Cherry wood is still wood with variations in its densities etc. . It will take stain differently.

The lazy Susan may need adjustment of may need to be replaced. Ask the installer what needs to be done.

A few dings from manufacture to transport - even before install - are not uncommon. Again, you are are dealing with wood here. Small dings will be patched and repaired, larger ones may warrant replacement. You could get all new doors and will still end up with a few dings. And you will soon add your own - this is why you need a touch up kit.

As Sophie noted, you can’t judge the completed kitchen mid-process. If when “done” some doors need to be replaced that can easily be done while still having a working kitchen.

The classic tradeoff. Get things done quickly with less care, and things get whacked. If the dings are in very noticeable spots, I would have a conversation with the appropriate responsible party, especially if it isn't on the door. Much easier to replace a door after everything's up vs. the cab box.

I'm horrified. I just saw this sight. it looks like they measured wrong-- the floor to ceiling pantry is too tall. or maybe when measuring they didn't take flooring into account, so should not have actually propped all the other lower cabinets on these strange one inch boosters. either way, having these cabinets not aligned like that is totally unacceptable... yet they proceeded to install this pantry including connected uppers. I am totally stunned. I'm afraid this means they have to redo all the lower work... or order a new pantry in a custom slightly shorter size.

It looks like they scribed the line of cabinet bases to compensate for an out-of-level floor, but forgot that the floor to ceiling pantry would dictate cabinet position on that end.

Ouch!

The scratch doors can easily be replaced or touched up. If they charge you for revisit, is different between companies. Withhold some small funds until final inspection is satisfied. Pay them well for job well done.

During cabinet installation things don't look good. It's the finished trim work, countertop, door hinge adjustments that pull everything together.

I would put stickie notes of concerns on areas of concern. I would tell them your concerns now, because it's usually easier to fix along the way, than last minute or after countertop installed.

Give them time to come up with solutions. Be polite, reasonable, & point out good things, too. Then please, back away & give them space to pull it all together.

Don't micromanage or complain too much. Once you voiced your concerns. Let them do their job uninterrupted.

The last thing you want to do, is to keep complaining. If installers feel client is micro managing, they may rush through your job, charge rude client more for the headache, put the project of less priorty. So, avoid being beyond too critical & get labeled unreasonable.

I'm not degrading your valid concerns. I work with a lot of contractors, builders, installers, I hear their client good & bad stories. They don't like the rude negative micro managing client. They'll start to ignore the constant complainer. They appreciate polite, patient, kind clients that point out their concerns, and trusts, respects, & let the Pros do their job.

basically, keep the energy positive & respect high & it will usually bring positive results.

A reminder, during install, things usually look out of order, it's towards the end when it starts to look sooo much better.

I would ask in writing via his e mail for a sit down and voice my concern already in the letter about the different lineups , and damaged doors... and also tell him that if it's not perfect once he is done , then I want a replacement . If he insists all the problems are temporary ..and he can fix it all ...ok. But at least he has been warned ..just in case you will have to litigate later ..
When one buys something expensive it should look perfect when installed and not fixed up ...or with blotches ...or uneven or not working properly ...first make your concerns known ..and never mind assuming that the installer is too sensitive to hear someone's concerns , if it stares you in the eye , like it does here! The whole thing so far looks awful !

New pantry time.

Pretty sure all the lower frames and toe kicks should line up. This looks like utter incompetence, and I'd be pitching a hissy fit if it were my kitchen. Is your KD involved in this process?

Expensive cabinets poorly installed look awful. Did you withhold payment like a smart person, or did you wimp out and pay those fools? It's much harder to get things done properly once you have paid them, but you better bother them until you are satisfied.

I agree with the plan to point out isssues and allow contractor time and space to fix, based on the original info. However, that pantry cabinet changes the approach. There is no way to adjust that issue and make it go away. You arr right to be concerned and it is time to have a serious discussion with contractor and designer to hear their ideas before proceeding

This is unusual in my experience...I am so happy that we hired a contractor who oversees
everything. He saw things that I missed and was ADAMANT they be fixed. Certainly well worth the additional coast.
My kitchen looked nothing like the mess yours is in.....DO NOT WAIT TO SPEAK UP???YES,
WITH HOLD FUNDS UNTIL COMPLETION!!!

Do you have any sort of crown molding going in? And who measured the kitchen? They are responsible for the pantry mishap. When I measure a kitchen I measure the ceiling height in 6 places and never do cabinets straight to the ceiling with out some sort of molding - there is always a space left so the installer can level the bases off the high point and still make it work...I feel like this is a measuring error.

I agree with others - certainly voice your concern about the lazy susan now before things go further and that cabinet can't be changed or fixed and make note of the dents in the doors ( if there are just a few, most manufacturers will replace without any fanfare ). With the finish I would definitely wait until things are more put together so you can step back and take a look at the whole. With a beautiful wood like cherry every door will look different..

Just stay calm, in the end, everything works out.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Good grief. Looks like you have some incompetent installers there. Put your hand up NOW.

following

"However, that pantry cabinet changes the approach. There is no way to adjust that issue and make it go away."

Sure there is. Pull the line of cabinets and shim them even with the pantry bottom and level.

Shouldn't they be following a set of detailed printed plans? I'm sure the plans didn't show a misaligned pantry.

Sorry you are having to go through this.

Seeing stuff like this makes me feel slightly better about having paid a premium for Wood-mode cabinets, having a good KD and paying whatever my very competent/perfectionist GC put on his bid. The cabinet stain looks perfect and we had no shipping damage. Installation was slow and meticulous. Yes, we had a few small glitches along the way, but not anything that is visible or noticeable.