Backsplash before Electrical Finish?

11 years ago

Hi Everyone! Tomorrow will begin week 10 of our kitchen remodel. The cabinet maker is mostly to blame for this fiasco as they made some poor quality cabinets and their installers didn't understand the concept of 'level' so they had to come back about 3 times before we could have the granite installed. This resulted in about 4 weeks of delays.

When we contracted with our GC, it was understood that since we did not choose his cabinet maker, we would handle our cabinet maker, our granite fabricator and our appliance installations. The GC was in charge of the tile floor and backsplash install, dry wall install and finish, electrician, and plumber.

During this time, our GC went out of state for his wedding and was out of pocket for 3 weeks. My husband dealt with the cabinet mess, the stove and hood fiasco and one call to the electrician to finish his install of the outlet in the island before the granite guys came out (which would have made the island weigh a ton = made electrician's job harder). By the way, after the electrician ran the conduit from the floor through the island to the outlet, there was so much excess in the cabinet that it completely filled up one of the tray storage slots! My husband decided to re-route it himself so that we could get the granite installed! GRRRRRRRR

Now that our GC is back, he is insisting that the backsplash is done before the electrician comes back to finish the under cabinet lights, connect the diswasher, garbage disposal, range hood, stove, etc. I am about to lose my mind. If the final skim and sand of the drywall behind where the fridge is supposed to go would be finished, i would paint it myself just so i could get my fridge delivered! (the fridge outlet is the only one that works) I can't use the rest of my appliances because there is only roughed-in electric throughout the rest of the kitchen!!! I don't even know if any of these things work!!! 10 weeks which will probably end up being 12 weeks when all is said and done....

I always thought that the backsplash was the LAST thing to be done. Why is our GC insisting that the electrical is the last??? Can I call him myself and tell him off? I am the meek one but I am ready to explode over this.

Thanks for listening and any input you can give. To say I am frustrated is an understatement at this point. I feel like I'm going to go volcanic any minute now.

By the way, the tile floor turned out great as did our granite install and we love the plumber! Everyone else involved in this kitchen remodel can go to Hades right now.

Marsha

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Comments (5)

breezygirl
11 years ago
Sounds like the electrician just needs to do the finish work, right? It depends on your specific UC lighting, but the way mine is run it would be very easy to install them after the bs was tiled. The DW, GD, and range shouldn't be an issue after tile either, provided that your range is on site in the hole in case the tiler needs it for some reason. The hood install depends on your layout, type of hood, location vis-a-vis upper cabs, etc. If the tile runs against a stainless hood, it would probably be better for the tile to go in first anyway. I wasn't ready to pick tile when our stainless hood was installed so we had our HVAC guy install it and electrician hook it up now so we can cook. When we are ready to tile, the hood will come down so tile can be run behind it. Then hood will go back in place.

I can tell you're frustrated. Good luck with the rest. Deep, cleansing breaths and maybe some wine to get you through. :-)
slonewby
11 years ago
Setting the final outlets in the backsplash wall is dependent on backsplash depth....if you use a fairly thick tile, the outlets need to be pulled out to be flush with the tile. I'm thinking that the GC doesn't want to have to call the electrician out twice so he wants the BS done so ALL of the electrical finish work can be complete.

There are also certain products used in tilework that can etch stainless surfaces as well so, they often want the bs done before putting in appliances/hoods etc.

As for lighting..it would depend on the particular lighting. Our UCL lighting had to be done in conjunction with the cabinets themselves. We've had to have the electrician out several times.

There are ALWAYS glitches in remodeling. You have an image of how everything should go but you are working with several others who may not have that exact image. You have a right to expect them to try their best to meet your wishes, however...to the point of making them do it over if need be.
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Our electrician didn't want to come back until the backsplash was finished, too. It's so that he can set the heights of the outlets/switches on that backsplash wall properly.
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I delayed my backsplash too. I was all "decisioned-out" on my kitchen, and felt I couldn't make even one more decision. I lived with just the drywall for about 8-9 months. When things splashed on the drywall, I wiped it as well as I could, and if there was anything that didn't come off, I knew it would be hidden by the backsplash eventually. In hindsight, I am glad I waited, cause I got to see my kitchen in all seasons, and in all lights. When I went shopping for a backsplash finally, I was "refreshed" on the decision-making, and knew more what I wanted, so it was much easier. Also, my GC, who did a great job with my kitchen, wasn't that enthusiastic about installing a backsplash. It just wasn't "his thing" (great at cabinetry, sinks, plumbing, appliances, etc. though). As to the receptacles, my electrician installed them when he was doing the rest of the work in the kitchen before I had any idea what the backsplash would look like. I knew that I wanted the receptacles installed as low as local Code would allow, and horizontally (learned from this Forum!), so I had no hesitation installing them without the backsplash. They're hidden by my coffee maker, paper towel holder, radio, etc. You could also have plugmold and not have any receptacles in the backsplash at all. I opted not to do plugmold (do a search on the forum for the pros and cons), but it may be something for you to consider if you are worried about receptacles placement. So when I bought my tile, I asked the tile place for an installer referral. The referral was a guy who JUST installed tile, and had been doing just that for 20 years. He had more expertise than my GC would have had. I bought hand-made tile which was not easy to install, and am glad I had a "specialist" doing it. I don't know that I'd recommend going 8-9 months like I did, but I think living without a backsplash for a little while is a good thing.
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Just a follow-up to my previous message. While we're on the subject of outlets in the backsplash, I think it's important to think about outlet placement at this point. Perhaps you've already done this, but in case you haven't, my advice is to install your outlets horizontally, and as close to the backsplash as Code will allow. That way, the outlets will not disrupt the design and aesthetic of your backsplash as much as if they were installed higher and/or vertically. Also, if the outlets are lower and horizontal, you can put things in front of them to hide them, like coffee maker, paper towel holder, and the like. My electrician was obsessed with Code. In my area, Code stipulates a minimum distance from the counter to the center of the outlet of 4", so that's what the electrician did. VERY happy with that placement. Not only are they mostly hidden by coffeemaker, etc., but there are no dangling cords that would have been seen if the outlets were higher placed. (Note: the outlet pictured in not GFCI because it's across the kitchen from any water source. The outlets on the other side of my kitchen are all GFCI)
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martian1
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for your responses - it really helped me to feel better!

Our range and hood have been installed (my husband had to build the wooden support into the range hood cabinet before the actual insert could be installed - another issue by our cabinet manufacturer). I guess our GC wants the electrician to be sure our outlets and switches are the correct depth for the backsplash tile.

Its been such a long and painful process i just want to cook on my range and wash dishes in my dishwasher! Not much of anything has gone smoothly. I'm glad I am the one who goes to the office everyday while retired husband deals with the agony of the remodel! Gahhhhh!

This should bring a laugh - I went to install one of the Never MT's and turned on the water to the sink - the new plumbing has a leak in it!!!! There was a nice puddle of water under the sink. I broke out laughing and my husband is just boiling! So I abandoned the Never MT install for another day...

I forgot to mention - I do love our kitchen designer who happens to be a neighbor! She's been great!

Thanks for listening! If it ever gets finished I'll post pictures.

Marsha
martian1
Original Author
11 years ago
Just wanted to post an update - the backsplash on the stove side of the kitchen went in today and it looks fantastic! Also the coat of primer (tinted) went on today and we are loving the color - Sultana by Martha Stewart. The plumber came back and fixed the problem with the drain and we still love him!

I also love the kitchen forum! Can you believe I still want to remodel our master bath? I can't!
breezygirl
11 years ago
Good news on the tile. Please post pics sheen it's done!

Backsplash before Electrical Finish?

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