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Kitchen Sink Dilemma - Day 8 of Kitchen Remodel

By Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker

Real Estate Agent with Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker DRE #00697006

July 29, 2008 05:33 AM

kitchen remodel day 8

The countertop dude came yesterday to measure for the installation of the Quartz Cambria counters. I had considered granite, but it's so trendy and doesn't appear to be as strong as the quartz. First thing the guy said was "Whoa, your base cabinet is 32 inches and your sink is 33-inches." Well, I told the cabinet designers my sink was 33-inches!! "It won't fit," he declared. My heart sank. So, I asked the obvious question: How can we make it fit?

By cutting the cabinet on the sides. The front needs to be cut anyway, because I bought a farmhouse-style sink, which means the front is exposed. It's really heavy, too. 15-gage stainless steel.

I called my contractor buddy to see if he could come over and cut out the sink. It will be tight. From the right side of the sink to the right side of the dishwasher, the distance in width is 24 1/4 inches. Fortunately, my dishwasher is 23 7/8ths wide. But it will work, I believe. We can put a firring strip along the back of the cabinet to support the back edge under the sink's lip. It has fasteners, which I figure must attach to the counter top somehow. I've never installed an undermount farmhouse sink before.

The contractor does not want the liability of cutting the sink, he said. According to him, the cabinet installers were supposed to cut out the cabinet for the sink. I emailed the design people who didn't seem certain as to when the installer would be back in the Land Park neighborhood. They suggested I call the demo guy. Yeah, right. No, I want the cabinet installer to come back, and it must be this week. It's a 10-minute job. Three 90-degree cuts. I'd do it myself, but if I messed it up, I'd have to buy a new cabinet. If the cabinet installers mess it up, the liability is on them.

Of course, either way, whether I screwed it up or the installers did, it would mean a new cabinet, which would delay the counter top installation and delay the entire job. So, I'm going to be positive about this and figure the installers will show up and they will do it correctly.

What do you think my odds are?

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Gary Woltal

Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX

Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Elizabeth, I think its incredible the pickle you get yourself in over a one inch difference. Good luck with fixing this, but it points out to all of us again how the devil is in the details.

Jul 29, 2008 06:00 AM

Tom Braatz Waukesha County Real Estate 262-377-1459

Coldwell Banker - Oconomowoc, WI

Waukesha County Realtor Real Estate agent. SOLD!

Elizabeth

I really do give you credit. You are taking on a project that would drive some batty. Being the cool and collect person you are you will handle it just well. I hope I spelt this correctly. Just kidding buddy.

Sincerely

Tom Braatz

Jul 29, 2008 07:04 AM

Paddy (Patricia) Pizappi

Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty - Pine Bush, NY

Real Estate Associate Broker Hudson Valley NY

Good luck with this. There is nothing more difficult than living through a kitchen remodel.

Jul 29, 2008 07:15 AM

Barbara S. Duncan

RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR

GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

I think that they will do what you direct them to do because they'll be scared not to! You sound ferocious to work for. When we finished building our house, I think the contractors all thought we were awful to work for also. Picky, picky! But I think it is a good thing.

Jul 29, 2008 07:40 AM

C Tann-Starr

Tann Starr & Associates, Inc. - Palm Bay, FL

Elizabeth, keep the faith and do keep us posted. I would love to know how efficiently they resolve this. :-)

Jul 29, 2008 08:45 AM

Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker

Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA

Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Hi Gary: It turned out not to be a one-inch difference after all! After writing this blog, I grabbed my tape measure and double-checked the countertop installer's numbers. What I discovered was the actual front of my sink base cabinet is 33 inches! He had drawn a line on the spacer that separates the two cabinets and wanted me to cut through the spacer. It didn't make sense.

So, I called him, made him come back out to measure again.

Guess what? I was right. So he had to take all new measurements for the countertop.

He also said the depth of the sink was 9 3/16ths, plus 5/8ths for the plywood meant I had to cut down from the top 9 1/4. That didn't make sense either. What he meant was to cut down 8 9/16ths. Where did these guys go to school that they can't do math? He called me on his way back to the shop and said 8 9/16ths was right, too.

If I hadn't double checked his math and measured myself, my countertops would have been completely wrong.

Hi Tom: Your spelling is impeccable, my friend. :)

Hi Paddy: I'd say building a garage is on par with a kitchen remodel.

Hi Barbara: I'm pretty harmless, really. But I am persistent. Like, yesterday. I went to Burnett & Sons, which is an expensive lumber company downtown. I ordered four pieces of molding about five feet each and asked them to cut mitre cuts to form a perfect square. I specifically asked them to cut the inside corner on the fat portion of the molding. They called me for pick up about an hour later. I asked, "Did you cut the inside corners on the fat end?"

If that's what you ordered, ma'am, that's what we did, was the reply. I didn't leave right away. As I was getting ready to leave the house, Burnett & Sons called me back. "Um, ma'am, we cut on the thin edges, so we will re-cut them for you." You know how much they charged me for this? $103. That's outrageous. At $3.18 a linear foot, that means each cut was about $5.

I swear. You can't make this stuff up.

Jul 29, 2008 08:47 AM

Jesse Clifton

Jesse Clifton & Associates - Fairbanks, AK

Geez.... I've been out playing and missing all the fun. I love the new sink. Hopefully the cabinet dude can make it fit!

Jul 29, 2008 10:48 AM

C Tann-Starr

Tann Starr & Associates, Inc. - Palm Bay, FL

Elizabeth, it appears you are the one being very efficient. (LOL)

Jul 29, 2008 10:53 AM

Lola Audu

Lola Audu~Audu Real Estate~Grand Rapids, MI Real Estate - Grand Rapids, MI

Audu Real Estate~Grand Rapids, MI ~Welcome Home!

I'm hoping all goes well, got my fingers crossed for you. :)

Jul 29, 2008 12:54 PM

Barbara S. Duncan

RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR

GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Elizabeth, surely you didn't have to pay for all the wrong cuts! Can you imagine what it costs to build a whole house when wood is so expensive!! I'm glad I've got a roof over my head already!!

Jul 29, 2008 01:47 PM

Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker

Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA

Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Yeah, Jesse, fishing and stuff, I bet. I have a client who is in Alaska right now and promises to bring me back halibut and salmon.

Hi C: I don't want to be this efficient. That's what I pay these guys to be.

Hi Lola: You, me and and the three cats ready to eat my lime tree out back.

Hi Barbara: No, I didn't pay for the wrong cuts. What's insane is it cost $103 to get four short board of lumber and have them cut.