Deferred Maintenance Kitchen Renovation

[palo]

I have a similar pattern in blue tones in my entrance way - iconic 😉

 

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[Porthos]

We bought this house, new construction, in 1984 and this is the flooring we picked for our kitchen/family room and bathrooms.

[Porthos]

WARNING! Angry Rant.

 

Background. My Sweetie and I both have health issues that require us to carefully schedule what we do to work with our personal timing requirements.

 

So far, working with the big box store who offers the services we want has been anything but smooth. On the day of our in-home consultation for cabinetry and counters, the salesman didn't come on time, and after texts and then a phone call, we had to postpone. the original appointment was for 3 p.m. and he 4:45 he couldn't be there before 5:30, so we rescheduled. He was late but did come for the rescheduled appt. We made our decisions and I signed the contract,writing a $24k check for what we wanted. He knew we hadn't replaced the sink base cabinet yet. My Sweetie asked for cabinet color and countertop samples. He said he'd get them to us. He called me a few days later to schedule the measurements appointment. We agreed on (today) between 12 and 2, and he texted me that the appt was confirmed for that window.

 

ETA My Sweetie had not received the samples so last week the salesman that if she could give them back to the measurements guy he would bring them buy by the end of the week. He dropped them off about 5 p.m. Friday. The world I live in samples stay with the person they are give to. I seriously doubt that See's Candies would want a sample back after I'd chewed it up.

 

I had not installed the new base cabinet because I was waiting until after the measurements appointment.  I went out this morning and ran some errands. when I got home at 10:00 there was a voicemail saying that the measurements guy would be here between 10: and 10:30. I scrambled to get ready, and did. When "sam" arrived I asked about the mix-up in the appointment time. The salesman doesn't schedule the apt, his department does. Didn't I get a confirmation phone call. No.  He then proceeds to tell me that he can't take the measurements if the new cabinet, which was sitting in my living room, isn't actually installed. Now We're going to have to wait until at least Dec 7 for the measurements appointment because of plans we made months ago. Which, of course, means that the salesman is going to have to retrieve his samples. 😄

 

I will wait until this project is over to avoid any installation repercussions, then I'll be writing a serious letter of complaint and posting which big box store he represented.

 

As s separate item, when we signed the contract I was surprised at how much the refacing was going to cost. After a week or so I realized that we have a lot of exposed cabinet sides as well as our 7' peninsula as well.

Edited November 17, 2020 by Porthos (log)

[heidih]

OUCH. Sadly this is not a Pandemic unique issue. These are subcontractors. Big Box could care less. Breathe as best you can and know perfection is a pipe dream.  Do feel your pain My best cabinet maker screwed me over on the kitchen here. I mean people I entrusted at UCLA med center even on design ideas.  All good, great, lauded.  My cabinets (paint job) look like shit. They vanished into thin air. I told my people not to use them again but think they "retired".   Life... But mostly good

[Porthos]

MY Sweetie just reminded me that the salesman said that the cabinet people would install the new sink base cabinet for us.

[heidih]

Look at you lookin at the silver lining

[Porthos]

2 minutes ago, heidih said:

Look at you lookin at the silver lining

If the installation crew was going to handle installing the sink base cabinet, then the measurements guy should be able to take measurements before it's installed. Now it's a moot point. I'm going to take care of it.

[heidih]

Better than worrying it

[Porthos]

There have been delays (imagine that) with our renovation so we will have a mostly functioning kitchen so a lamb Christmas dinner will happen. 

 

Last week my Sweetie was rightly able to say, "I told you so" regarding our lying salesman. 

Edited December 12, 2020 by Porthos (log)

[Smithy]

21 minutes ago, Porthos said:

There have been delays (imagine that) with our renovation so we will have a mostly functioning kitchen so a lamb Christmas dinner will happen. 

 

Last week my Sweetie was rightly able to say, "I told you so" regarding our lying salesman. 

 

Sorry, I didn't know whether to "laugh" or "cry" or give some other emoji reaction. Both at once, along with a hug maybe. Sorry you're going through this. Glad you'll be able to have your lamb dinner.

 

It will be gorgeous when you're done, but that's small consolation now. 

[Porthos]

We finally have the dates when the cabinet resurfacing will happen, along with them making the granite countertop templates. Work will be done the week of February 22. The real irony here is that we have found the new-construction house we want to buy in Arizona (waiting for the model we want to be released for sale, then built) and I'd much rather start thinking about what we want for that house.

[FauxPas]

1 hour ago, Porthos said:

We finally have the dates when the cabinet resurfacing will happen, along with them making the granite countertop templates. Work will be done the week of February 22. The real irony here is that we have found the new-construction house we want to buy in Arizona (waiting for the model we want to be released for sale, then built) and I'd much rather start thinking about what we want for that house.

What part of Arizona, if you don't mind saying? 

[Smithy]

2 hours ago, Porthos said:

We finally have the dates when the cabinet resurfacing will happen, along with them making the granite countertop templates. Work will be done the week of February 22. The real irony here is that we have found the new-construction house we want to buy in Arizona (waiting for the model we want to be released for sale, then built) and I'd much rather start thinking about what we want for that house.

 

Ah, now I understand why you were out here! 

[Porthos]

16 hours ago, FauxPas said:

What part of Arizona, if you don't mind saying?

I don't mind you asking but I'm kind of a paranoid person and have always been purposely vague about where I live. Where my Sweetie and I end up will likewise only been vaguely stated; I don't know the area well enough to be vague enough for my comfort level.  😀

[lindag]

On 11/17/2020 at 12:21 PM, Porthos said:

WARNING! Angry Rant.

 

Background. My Sweetie and I both have health issues that require us to carefully schedule what we do to work with our personal timing requirements.

 

So far, working with the big box store who offers the services we want has been anything but smooth. On the day of our in-home consultation for cabinetry and counters, the salesman didn't come on time, and after texts and then a phone call, we had to postpone. the original appointment was for 3 p.m. and he 4:45 he couldn't be there before 5:30, so we rescheduled. He was late but did come for the rescheduled appt. We made our decisions and I signed the contract,writing a $24k check for what we wanted. He knew we hadn't replaced the sink base cabinet yet. My Sweetie asked for cabinet color and countertop samples. He said he'd get them to us. He called me a few days later to schedule the measurements appointment. We agreed on (today) between 12 and 2, and he texted me that the appt was confirmed for that window.

 

ETA My Sweetie had not received the samples so last week the salesman that if she could give them back to the measurements guy he would bring them buy by the end of the week. He dropped them off about 5 p.m. Friday. The world I live in samples stay with the person they are give to. I seriously doubt that See's Candies would want a sample back after I'd chewed it up.

 

I had not installed the new base cabinet because I was waiting until after the measurements appointment.  I went out this morning and ran some errands. when I got home at 10:00 there was a voicemail saying that the measurements guy would be here between 10: and 10:30. I scrambled to get ready, and did. When "sam" arrived I asked about the mix-up in the appointment time. The salesman doesn't schedule the apt, his department does. Didn't I get a confirmation phone call. No.  He then proceeds to tell me that he can't take the measurements if the new cabinet, which was sitting in my living room, isn't actually installed. Now We're going to have to wait until at least Dec 7 for the measurements appointment because of plans we made months ago. Which, of course, means that the salesman is going to have to retrieve his samples. 😄

 

I will wait until this project is over to avoid any installation repercussions, then I'll be writing a serious letter of complaint and posting which big box store he represented.

 

As s separate item, when we signed the contract I was surprised at how much the refacing was going to cost. After a week or so I realized that we have a lot of exposed cabinet sides as well as our 7' peninsula as well.

When my DH and I were renovating our home in Portland we called in a rep from Home Depot to give us a bid on re-carpeting our daylight basement.

When he looked over the project he proceeded to list all the things they would NOT be able to do.  We called in another source and it was done to perfection.

 

[Porthos]

Dodged a bullet today. We went down to Orange County to pick out granite slabs for our new counters from our original choice. It turns out that the sample we saw in our home didn't really match the overall slabs. They had all sorts of quartz occlusions. No thank you. My Sweetie described what we were looking for and we were shown slabs that are what we want. All the paperwork is done, and we'll have granite counters that match our vision.

 

I am so grateful my Sweetie wanted to approve the slabs. I'm far too trusting.

[heidih]

8 hours ago, Porthos said:

Dodged a bullet today. We went down to Orange County to pick out granite slabs for our new counters from our original choice. It turns out that the sample we saw in our home didn't really match the overall slabs. They had all sorts of quartz occlusions. No thank you. My Sweetie described what we were looking for and we were shown slabs that are what we want. All the paperwork is done, and we'll have granite counters that match our vision.

 

I am so grateful my Sweetie wanted to approve the slabs. I'm far too trusting.

I had a similar experience with the variations even though I saw the slabs in their yard.  Was the OC yard the giant one near Disneyland? Like visiting a super cool art gallery!  Congrats!

[Porthos]

@heidih None of those.

[heidih]

35 minutes ago, Porthos said:

@heidih None of those.

Altrighty then. but I would encourage anyone to hit the "yard" if they are doing stone. Last prior I let my long time guy pick cuz money was tight and we had a long relationship. Gotta love Italian Nick Paolucci  from Genoa, via NYC, to L..A. It was spectacular.   Last guys were Battaglia (linked). They  indulged us as we had them pull slabs out of the cribs so we could see the side by side in daylight and then those are your slabs earmarked. Helped to have my beautiful young niece who knows construction as my wing person. https://paramountmarble.com/

[Porthos]

The new paint is on the walls. The new cabinets and the cabinet refacing are finished. We've installed the new range hood. We picked a builder-grade Broan to replace our original builder grade Broan, choosing a model that was the same fit as the original. I made some temporary countertops while we wait for our new countertops. They and the backsplash tiling should be done within 3 weeks, hopefully less. We have an appointment on Friday for measurements for the new flooring. We're going with Pergo Outlast Bayshore Grey Hickory, a good neutral color.

 

 

[kayb]

Getting there!

 

[Porthos]

Our new countertops have been installed. I'll post pictures after the back splash tiling is done. My Sweetie and I happy with the new countertops. I am not happy with the installers.

 

I went into the kitchen after they left and found the floor dirty with the extra bits of installation stuff and lots of dust and sawdust. While not pleased, I grabbed my pan and broom and cleaned up the mess. I later discovered that the window sill above the sink was covered with dust and granite dust. The cabinet faces were also covered with granite dust. Sigh.

 

Then I went outside. I found screws and other trash in the path of my car tires. I have moved most of it out before I realized I needed photos.

 

 

Then I saw the street in front of my driveway:

 

 

 

Since then I have used my feet to find screws in the carpet in the path they had to take:

 

 

I'll be sending this information to my contact in the sub-contracting company. I'll let him know that I'm not asking for anything, but think he should know the condition his installers left my home in.

 

ETA The flooring has been purchased, and now is the waiting game for delivery and installation.

Edited March 14, 2021 by Porthos (log)

[BeeZee]

@Porthos, that situation definitely merits a polite complaint. I had less debris left on my property after my whole roof was replaced. And when my kitchen was worked on, I had nothing to clean other than a little dust.

[weinoo]

Fucking contractors...that's just lame - someone could actually get a bad injury from that work.

 

One day I went to check on work in the apartment in DC we were gut renovating.  On the floor, and strewn about, a bucket of water, wet rags, etc. etc.

On the floor that had been just installed. Without anything protecting it.

[IowaDee]

And  if they're that shoddy out in the open, what in the hell went on out of sight?  The Amish tore down an entire house of ours and left less of a mess.