Ya know, it is possible that those screws are duplicate parts or are parts for a different installation scenario than you have. It's not unusual for manufacturers to include parts for more than one type of install situation. And, then again, perhaps the installer purposely placed that package where he did because there was something preventing him from dotting the i's and crossing the t's on the job.

"I'm mechanically inclined enough to know that (1) extra parts are not a good thing, and (2) they shouldn't be left inside the appliance in a plastic bag."

True that! Any contractor worth his salt knows to dispose of all extra parts before the Homeowner sees them. ;-)

Just to play devil's advocate - you haven't closed on the house yet, it's a work in progress and you went in the house and started using appliances that may not have been fully installed. It's possible the hood installation wasn't complete and that's why the two sections of the hood weren't attached and the extra screws were still there. Perhaps you should wait to try things after the builder tells you they're ready.

I am sorry fellow NH'erâ¦but I agree with weissman on this one, you really should not be turning thing on without getting "permission" from the builder.

From previous posts it sounds like you are having a horrible experience with this guy, but don't give him any reason to come back at you and say that you damaged something and that you will need to pay to replace and pay his labor/supervision to make any repairs that you caused,,,that would really be lousy!

I think I'd stay away until the end. Too much stress. Go over everything carefully at end and make your punch list. It may end up delaying things waiting for those items to be fixed, but your blood pressure might thank you!

In hindsight, perhaps we should have not turned on the fan. I notified our realtor and she was contacting the builders PM today. Workers used our toilets so perhaps we're even now. :)

Our cabinet installer will be at the house today finishing up his work. They told us that everything needs to be done by Monday, yet when we ask repeatedly for answers on things like does our installer need to modify the cooktop cabinet in order for the cooktop to be completely installed, we get no response. I'm preparing for the builder to blame him on this.

I'm glad your workers used your toilets! Our builder was too cheap to have a porta-pottie on site and of course the plumbing wasn't connected or the toilets here but the big soaker tub was here since they brought it in before they framed in the trim work and at the same time brought out the guest room tub. A particular crew had been out that week and felt free to relieve themselves in the tubs. At least it was just #1. I discovered this when I had gone over to check on the progress that week. The house smelled like urine and there were yellow stains on the floor of the tubs because it's not real porcelain like back in the day but acrylic or some other sort of material and it stained them. He wouldn't believe me until he came out in one of his rare appearances and brought his son, who also works with him. His son was appalled and said they would replace the tubs. I remember saying we could try to scrub them out because I was desperate not to delay the build but he said no, we would NOT be doing that and they would bring new tubs out. I think the son is a very nice guy and can see how his dad is sometimes about things. A stubborn man, he still wasn't putting potties up for his workers even after that but I feel certain that a similar thing must have happened because eventually I noticed they did have them on site. The more I reminisce with you about our build the more I think it is raising MY blood pressure!!! LOL! Try to hang in there, I promise it gets better. I know at this point you are at the end of your patience and just want to be in, it's all so stressful. It seems so close but everyday is like a month!!! As to your hood, if they truly didn't want it to be turned on they would probably have left a sign up warning people not to turn it on. At least that is what we encountered when it was a do not touch situation. Hope all will be well with the hood. Maybe it was just sort of a freak thing, hope so : )

I really expected a disaster story here. Really? If this is a things can't get worse for you, count your lucky stars.

gr8day, that is appalling! What in the world????

gr8day--thanks for sharing your story. I think I would have lost it had that happened to us. Glad you got a new tub.

Went by today and looked on the outside. No venting. Do you think they are idiots enough to not vent the hood? I can only hope they are not done. Our cabinet installer gave up Bruins playoff tickets for today's game so he could finish put at the house. Do I ever own him! He went to install the DW panel and found the hardware he needed was missing. It was there on Tuesday but the DW wasn't installed. That occurred on Wednesday. Who knows what happened to it. Our realtor said she would buy new hardware. Well I hope so.

So now we have extra parts and missing parts. Counting the days.

Maybe that screw pkg you found was for the DW panel? I agree not to go around trying appliance or the like until the job is finished. Something gets fouled up and they know you were pushing buttons guess were the blame is laid........

lascatx--I'm guessing you haven't read my other posts. It's been a struggle since January. Sorry to have disappointed you and waste your time. Have a great day.

I'm actually surprised they let you wander around the house unaccompanied (of course if they leave it unlocked, they have no control over that :-). Many years ago when I bought my townhouse, it was new construction but mostly completed when I decided to buy it. While they were finishing it and before closing, I wasn't allowed in the house without their realtor or the builder.

As others have said, be careful that they don't try to blame you for various problems.

Damned if you do, and if you don't.........I've been following the saga of this build and can imagine what might - and might not - have been done had you not continued physically checking in once they got to the interior finishing.

Given your DH's recent health crisis and your having to pack & prepare for a move, I'm guessing you would much appreciate not feeling you had to keep things in check on this build. From what you've written about the communication among the parties, it seems no one stepped up to coordinate things so you don't have to.

Unfortunately, all the missteps that occurred along the way have prepared you to expect the worse whenever you step in there. The good news we're into May and it's almost done.

BTW, I did our local kitchen tour today and I think your new kitchen is as nice as any I saw out there.

I do not remember all the details of your prior posts, but I know you've had a lot on your plate. Sorry if I sound insensitive, but this is a minor concern -- not a disaster. I know its stressful to go through construction -- always is, and some are worse than others. But they are rarely life changing situations and it does seem this forum and the decorating ones are getting overly dramatic lately. Your DH is home and your new home is nearing completion. There is plenty to be grateful for.

In the last 6 months, I lost my mom and my dad, lived with them both and held their hands through their final illnesses, my dad was in one hospital while my mom died at another facility and my DH had surgery the day before my dad went intothe hospital the last time. I have been through all the drama of a high school senior applying and auditioning for colleges, trying to decide on one, a lot of high school group challenges (VP of one, Pres of another) and a lot more. It's been a rough year and now I'm dealing with all the post mortem family dramas -- but I know it could still get worse. And no matter what you -- or I -- are going through, someone does have it worse.

Hang in there. It may be overwhelming, but don't tempt fate (or whatever) by thinking it can't get worse. It always can. Take a minute and count your blessings. It may not help solve any of the problems you've been having, but it will help you feel better about dealing with them.

This post was edited by lascatx on Sat, May 3, 14 at 20:43

lascatx, I'm very sorry to hear about your mom and dad and your rough year. Yes, it is true that in light of that, other people's problems with their kitchens may seem trivial and their reactions "overly dramatic." But this is a kitchen forum and people come here to talk about their kitchens and sometimes vent over the problems they are having. Of course someone always has it worse, but nhbaskets is only using the forum as it is intended to be used.

agree with weissman, sorry unless it was punch list time to check everything out...you maybe did more harm than good.

NhBaskets, while I agree on not turning on the hood until it's fully installed, do check on the venting on not only your range hood but your bath vents too.
At the outset, when I asked, I was told that our range hood would vent through the roof. ok.
The day the HVAC guys finished the venting we noticed that our range hood venting pipe goes up into an attic space, turns a corner and is vented out into the CLOSED porch roof area. The part between the porch ceiling and the roof above it. This is totally wrong. The builder knows this, and it needs to be corrected before we move in, but there must be some mysterious timeline for correcting stuff like that. Meanwhile I keep checking it. I'm quite concerned that they don't connect our Vent-A-Hood and try to turn it on until the vent is properly installed through the roof.
Also, we noticed that the bathroom vents went up into same porch roof space, or just up into attic area, and did not connect to anything, although the vent holes are cut into porch ceiling for those. Now a lot of those are hidden behind drywall.

Honestly, I don't understand why they don't do it right the first time. And why they don't correct it right away if it wasn't done right. If they'd corrected it right away the roof flashing would have gone around the vent hole and we would be a lot more confident that we wouldn't eventually have a problem there. As it is now, the roof is finished, and cutting a hole is going to present all the problems it would as if it were a remodel.

And we don't have problems with our builder, we love him and for the most part everything is going very very well. I have so much sympathy for you. I just can't imagine how stressful this would be with problems with the builder.