My builder messed up the duct placement!

14 years ago

I am building a new house. I had given my hood specification and all other appliance specification to the builder before they started work. They have done a pretty good job but they messed up one thing and that could have been avoided early on if the framer paid attention!!

Check out this picture

A 36" GE Monogram vent needs to go there. The duct opening is not centered. It is not centered because the duct guy could not put it in the center because there was a floor truss there!! Now, everything is done, the cabinets, granite, cooktop, etc. The hood has a vent cover that goes all the way to the ceiling. Check this out.

How can my builder fix this? I have a meeting with him in two hours. I don't know what he has in mind. Yikes!!

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Comments (8)

idrive65
14 years ago
Can you use a slightly wider duct cover, centered?

This is rough, but:
{{!gwi}}
sombreuil_mongrel
14 years ago
I think at this point it has to go out the wall. Then it can elbow over/up to miss the truss. It will look like h3II on the other side of the wall; I'm assuming that's a room back there, not outdoors. But it could be hidden inside a drywall box, or concealed by a built-in.
Casey
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sue36
14 years ago
If you can get a duct cover that is wide enough to cover the hole, as idrive65 showed, the builder can have a stainless offset made to connect the ducting. The duct does not need to be centered, it just needs to be close enough to get the cover around it. Is it outside the current duct cover? How much?
bommai
Original Author
14 years ago
The other side is the stairs to go upstairs!!! A wider hood cover is workable but my hood already came with a hood cover that is only 16" wide. This needs a wider one. I am wondering if my builder is going to suggest a wood cabinet trim piece. That is going to look bad!! We have a 9' 4" ceiling. I need to close by March 1st!
MongoCT
14 years ago
1) based upon the width of the vertical duct cover shown in your photo, there might be some lateral slop allowed where the connections can still be made.

2) if not, and this depends on the height of your kitchen ceiling, perhaps a small soffit could be built down to allow for the transition and the monogram can butt into the bottom of the soffit. Soffit shape and size would have to be scaled to fit. The soffit doesn't have to be square or rectangular, it could be the same shape as the duct shield, which looks to be rectangular with rounded corners. Just slightly wider and deeper than the sheild. And it could be stainless instead of painted drywall. That may or may not be appropriate for you.

3) The builder can have a metal shop fabricate a wider duct cover that will work blend with the fan.

4) chose another fan

I'm surprsed that your builder didn't pick up on the truss being in the way after the framing was complete. Was there no walk-through? Doesn't matter, it's a rhetorical question.

I can't believe that when the HVAC installer knew he couldn't install IAW the plans, he didn't notify the builder. Or that your builder was notified and just sat on the information. Either is inexcusable.

Sorry for your misfortune.

There are ways around this.
bommai
Original Author
14 years ago
The builder knew about the issue but thought it would still fit. He did not do precise measurements but just guessed! For that I am angry. However, he has been excellent in every other way by working with me on improvements, customization, etc. He is a nice guy to work with. I will know in just over an hour what he has in store for me.

Once he realized the trusses are in his way, and the duct placement, he could have revised the cabinet specs to compensate. He did not. Then the granite template was made and cut and installed yesterday. So, I think in this area he messed up! I hope we can come up with a good solution.
Buehl
14 years ago
Update Bommai?
brickeyee
14 years ago
More like whomever planned the entire job messed up.
This sort of thing should have been caught on paper.

A couple offsets (adjustable 90 degree bends) and some straight duct cut to length should make the connection.

Measure how far off the duct work is and see if it will hide behind the cover.
Bending up a new cover piece is a simple job.

I never by covers, back splashes, or filler panels for ducts.
It is cheaper to have a sheet metal fab shop make them exactly as needed.

The cover is just some bent sheet metal.

Make sure it has the same finish, and if brushed you specify the brush direction to the fab house.

My builder messed up the duct placement!

Comments (8)

idrive65

sombreuil_mongrel

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My builder messed up the duct placement!

Comments (8)

idrive65

sombreuil_mongrel

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