stacked cabinets and granite install

15 years ago

I have 2 cabinets that are stacked (i.e. sit on the counter). My cabinet maker installed them, leaving a space for the granite to slide into. Seems risky to me, but I'm told this is standard. At the granite shop the other day, they told me to slide my samples piece (a pretty large sample) into the opening, just to make sure it fits, and the cabinet guy doesn't need to sand them down at all to make the granite fit. Well, the sample not only fits, it looks to me like there is going to be a big gap as well. Am I missing something, or am I about to have a problem on my hands? Granite install is scheduled for July 9th.

Thanks! Susan

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Comments (10)

boysrus2
15 years ago
Susan, I have the top of a china hutch that will sit on my granite. In my case, my granite was installed over the base cabinet first.
weissman
15 years ago
I'm confused by your post. Was the sample cut to the correct size? The granite people should be doing a template to make sure the granite will be cut to fit.
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It is best to limit Allowances to the cost of materials but if the cabinets and/or counters are going to be supplied and installed by other forces there is little choice but to include everything in the Allowance. I have never seen a granite counter that was not installed by the fabricator in MA and would caution against any other arrangement. Cabinets can go either way but it shouldn't be an important cost issue; do what works best. I can't think of any reason your arrangement would be considered taking you for a ride. If you are happy with the contractor's price for the rest of the work what difference would it make who you paid to install the cabinets? In general, it is not wise to discuss financial construction issues with friends who are not building professionals; they so often want to demonstrate their knowledge based on their experience on one or two projects. "That's not the way we did it" is rarely helpful. I hope I don't need to say anything about relatives. By the way, work performed by forces other than those of the GC and paid for directly by the Owner, should not be considered an Allowance. An allowance is for work to be performed by the GC that has not yet been designed or specified. (It's a miniature Cost of the Work contract inside a Fixed Price contract.) Work performed by other contractors and paid for directly by the Owner, not the GC, should be described in the contract as Work by Others and required to be coordinated by the GC but the cost should not be included in the general construction Fixed Price or any Allowance that is part of it. If you are paying a markup to the GC for the cost of this work then he might, in fact, be taking you for a ride. Who wrote the contract?
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kompy
15 years ago
Probably what happened is: Your cabinets were ordered with the standard 1.5" gap for typical American imperial measurements. But granite is metric.
3 centimeters works out close to 1.18".

As to the question, "which goes in first, cabinets or tops?". It will depend on the design itself. Many times, my own kitchen included, the cabinets were set...and they were able to slide the granite in just fine.

You can also plan for a bigger gap and then use a molding or baseboard type application.

Kompy
susan205
Original Author
15 years ago
Kompy - you are right, that is exactly what happened. The space is just about 1.5 inches. Very frustrating - of course 3cm does not equal 1.5 inches. I guess that trim or a shoe molding is probably my best choice. I hope this looks okay.
lowspark
15 years ago
My appliance garage goes to the counter and my cabinet installer installed it too high on purpose just to get it on the wall and off the floor. After the granite was installed he returned and lowered it into place.

HOWEVER, he had to know the exact height of the granite so that once he lowered the cabinet, it would still line up at the top with the other cabinets. I gave him my sample of granite so that he could install all the cabs at the right height.

In your case, I'd say you're pretty much married to where the cabs are already installed, and some kind of trim or molding will need to be used as Kompy suggested. I'm betting it will look fine.
neesie
15 years ago
We had to remove our existing appliance garage that sits on top of the cabinet and re-install it ourselves (after shaving it down) after the granite install. It is not the granite installers job.
maydl
15 years ago
The mastic used in installation will add some height to the counter. The installers can "play" with this aspect somewhat to help you out--within limits, of course.

Also, call your fabricator to find out the EXACT thickness of YOUR finished granite countertop. My slabs turned out to be 1/8 inch thicker than normal, which we didn't know until the day of installation. Fortunately, our builder had held off installing our stacked cabinet until after countertop installation.
igloochic
15 years ago
You're not married to the install. If it does not fit appropiately then have all uppers removed and reinstalled...it's their issue not yours.

My installer told me that he has been asked to hang the uppers in the past and let the granite slide in. He says it's ALWAYS a hassle, ending up with damaged cabinets, need for trim etc. He is laying out all the base cabs, and the uppers will wait (only the uppers that are stacked) until granite/onyx is installed.
amy2202
15 years ago
I'm with Igloochic, We did the base first than soapstone and the uppers that fit with corner cabs last. the other uppers were not an issue so we did them at the same time as the base cabs
kompy
15 years ago
Before you consider having them reinstalled, there's one thing you need to be careful of. If you have any tall units (ie oven cabinet or pantry), then the wall cabinets have to align with them at the top. Lowering wall cabinets would be fine if you don't have any tall units.

If you DO have a tall unit, you MIGHT be able to adjust the doors down on the taller units as long as you have crown molding to hide the height difference at the top.

Kompy

stacked cabinets and granite install

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boysrus2

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