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Bathroom cupboards too large, how to deal with the contractor
My bathroom cupboards are being fitted and it turns out they are too wide. I waited for months for them to be made. I wasn’t present for the measurements made by the carpenter, who lives miles away and wouldn’t come back to check measurements before the cupboards were sent off to be made; he relied on the plumber fitting the bathroom.
I was made to sign off the measurements. The carpenter says he didn’t know that there would be tiles when he came to measure. He also didn’t know about a glass panel at the end of the cupboard run, which would protect the cupboards from the shower.
These are made to measure along with other cupboards in the room. I have no idea where to go from here. The carpenter continues to install, having cut away the tiles in the way, and the builder in charge of everything told me I wasn’t allowed to talk to the carpenter directly and right now isn’t answering his phone, even though he is due to visit today to check on what is outstanding.
What do I say or do? Do I just live with it? There are mirrored doors, the walls aren’t straight, redoing the cupboards just doesn’t seem like an option.
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6 Replies
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In this photo, these are open shelves that are too close to the tiles, the wall is stepped in so the mirrored doors couldn’t go all the way to the wall anyway. So they will look wedged in, but at least I don’t have to worry about trying to close a door
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This is such a rubbish situation for you am so sorry.
Sadly it seems like the carpenter didn’t ask the right questions to understand the final dimensions including finishes.
It’s something that happens a lot and I’ve had to always ensure measurements on joinery are made at the end when everything is in place and finished and it’s critical never to take measurements until the final install on everything is done. It seems he took measurements at the wrong point in time (too early) hence the timing and glass panel e.t.c?
It’s hard managing situations like this as typically an overall project manager or on site builder would determine which stage things are completed so measurements can be taken and no earlier even though it does mean jobs take longer to be completed.
What outcome would you like ideally it sounds like it’s too late to remake them if they are installing and cutting back tiling e.t.c to make them fit?
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He’s a carpenter, surely he could have reduced the width on the spot?! I would ask for that open cabinet to be taken down, reduced and tiles put back.
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It’s such a nightmare when this kind of thing happens. Can you show pics of the whole run and where you’d intended to have the glass shield?
For that small shelving bit I think I’d rather have the tiles reinstated and it all finished properly and sacrifice the open shelves, leaving a small gap. But it’s hard to judge without seeing the rest and how it will balance.
They could also still alter the casing and shelves to fit and just hide the raw edge. Not perfect I know, but I think it would look better than wedging it in like they have and the mess they’ve made of the tiling.
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if you take the side of the open cabinet you took a photo off, the side attached to the wall where he took the tiles off, he should be able to reduce the width or the top/bottom and shelves and put back the side to make it fit.
I can’t imagine you would need to order that section again, just narrower, and swallow the cost. From the photo it looks like it’s a separate element. Potentially, lose that bit completely and have him build a ‘frame’ around it to make it look built in.
We had quite a few cabinets created and while some could be pre-cut and pre-assembled there was always allowance to create a frame around it to make it fit as you can never go by measurements only (uneven walls, allowance for cabinet doors etc). An experienced carpenter would know and allow for this.
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What a nightmare for you there is genuinely poor service without a doubt in this issue.
I hope you don’t feel too anxious talking to the builder Monday and he has to resolve this now it’s not up to you to contend with a mediocre job at all!
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