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paigeysmom

Help, my range doesn't fit properly

paigeysmom
15 years ago

It seems the problems with my cabinet installation just will not end. As soon as our granite was installed my husband began to worry that it didn't look like we had enough room for the range. That night he slid the range into place and we discovered that it sticks out further from the cabinets than it should.

At first we thought the granite installers just forgot to cut a notch in the counters to fit around the cooktop control panel on the front of the range. But the granite installer came out and showed me that the problem is not the granite, its the cabinets. There isn't enough room behind the range to push it back any further.

I gave the range specs to our KD at the very first of many meetings that I had with him. The peninsula was supposed to be constructed to fit this range and now it sticks out so far from the cabinets that you can see inside the trim on the side of the range!

I am so mad and I really don't know how to fix this. We thought about having stainless steel panels made to fill in the gap between the range trim and the counter but there really isn't anything to attach a panel to. We have also considered having a cut out made in the bar cabinets that back up to the range to allow room to push the bottom oven portion that projects out on the back of the range through those cabinets (losing some valuable storage space). Considering the amount of money going into this project I will always hate the idea that I had to hack up my cabinets for a problem in the installation though. Unfortunately I think the only way to properly fix it would be to have the entire peninsula torn apart and reconstructed allowing for additional space behind the range. That would involve removing the granite and probably at least recutting the 2 slabs next to the range and the backsplash. I certainly can't afford that kind of fix right now. I would love to fight with the KD and make them pay for it, but I really have my doubts that he will even care. I'm sure its yet another thing he will tell me I just have to live with or he will blame it on the range I selected.

I have a carpenter and my interior designer coming by this afternoon to give their opinions on it, but I wanted to consult my GW experts too.

This gap is what really makes me crazy

Comments (26)

  • edlakin
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    it appears to fit perfectly. i don't believe you should push that range back any further, even if you had the space. manufacturer's specs usually require ovens to stick out about an inch from cabinets so as to avoid damage from heat seeping out from around the door.

    the problem, imo, isn't with your cabinets, but with the bumped out upper profile of that range (which, by the way, looks cool--what is it?).

    looking at how that panel bumps out, you should've done bump-outs in your granite to kind of meet up with that control panel. a number of posters here (alku springs to mind) have done that. it's probably too late for you to do it at this point, though.

    honestly, though, i think you're micro-analyzing. it looks very nice and the range appears to fit quite nicely.

  • jakkom
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I agree with edlakin, I think it's one of those mistakes people obsess about at first, but I think after time you'll get used to it. I wouldn't have really noticed it if you hadn't done that side closeup!

    I'd suggest getting a quote for pulling the two side cabinets out instead of cutting the back of the bar cabs. But doing that, inserting a filler strip, and cutting two new pieces of granite, seems like it still might be too expensive to be worth the expense of hiding a single 1" of range side - but only you can decide that.

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  • alexrander
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I would also check the range's owner's manual. Your base cabinets look standard, so unless the granite backsplash is interfering or something else is behind there (like a plug) you should be good. You can measure the side of your range from back to front, mark off 24 inches with a crayon and that is where the front of the cab. boxes should line up to.

  • paigeysmom
    Original Author
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Its an Electrolux dual fuel slide in range. The bottom drawer is a second oven. It was the only slide in I could find with a second oven that I liked the look of.

    I spoke to an Electrolux rep and they said it should project 1 1/8 from the cabinets to allow for heat seepage, etc. but ours projects out about 2.5 inches. The other problem aside from the aesthetics (which I confess that I may be overly anal about) is trying to connect the gas line and wiring it to because there is no clearance behind it at all. I recall a long discussion with the KD when he explained why there needed to be space behind the range to allow for the pipes and wires, but the cabinets were installed without any space for that stuff.

    I guess its probably too late to fix it now. Maybe I'll get over it eventually and stop fretting about all the crumbs and spaghetti sauce that are going to fall down into the side panel of the range through that gap.

  • bluekitobsessed
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have a similar situation with my Thermador but have decided to live with it. As for the crumbs in the gap, someone suggested stainless T-shaped strips that would rest on top of the gap. I don't have any idea where to start looking but it sounded like a very inexpensive item available at HD. Maybe someone else has a more coherent description.

  • Buehl
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Have you talked to your KD about this yet?

    The pics don't show, but is it flush against the back "wall"? Have the gas & electric lines been installed? (If it's not flush it could be b/c of the gas & electric.)

    What's behind the range? A cabinet facing the other side? A wall? Seating overhang? If it's a wall or cabinet, perhaps you can "steal" space for the gas & electric lines. If it's overhang, then unless you bump out the back (thereby taking away from seating room), I'm not sure if there's anything else to be done.


    I think you really need to talk to your KD. (But it can't hurt to come to the meeting w/ideas on how to fix it depending on what the problem is that s/he may not have thought of...we're a creative lot here!)

  • saruna
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    bluekitobsessed, those are called Spacers at HD, you will find it somewhere near the appliances. They only have it in metallic finish, if your range top is stainless, those will work perfectly for you. Check out www.rangekleen.com for other finishes.

  • hoodgrad
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It is beautiful! The cabinets, the granite, the stove. The overhang doesn't bother me- There is too much other great stuff to look at! Once you get the mechinicals figured out...look at the big picture...it is great!

  • edlakin
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    OT, but paigeysmom, who made your cabinets? they look great.

  • paigeysmom
    Original Author
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The KD, decorator and carpenter are all coming out this afternoon we'll see what happens.

    Ed--they are Kraftmaid Marquette door style in Vanilla Bean Glaze.

  • Buehl
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Update?

  • paigeysmom
    Original Author
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It was a true showdown with the KD yesterday. He arrived before my decorator and her carpenter so I was on my own against the "Godfather" (an affectionate nickname he gave himself!). He agreed that the range is absolutely not meant to be in the position its in. He insists that the granite cut out must be the problem. I gave him the exact dimensions of the cut out and explained that it really is hitting the cabinets and there is absolutely no room to run the wires or gas lines to the range. He doesn't believe me. He claimed that its up to us how we install the range because the cabinets are where they are supposed to be so its not his problem--its my husband's! How's that for customer service--blame it on the customer! He also claims it could be a problem with the range specs. He offered absolutely no solutions and made clear that any fix is going to be at my cost--he is just willing to help us figure out what to do, although he offered no solutions. He also had excuses for the other problems with the installation and has forgotten some of the things he told me he would do. He couldn't explain why his installer installed trim that isn't level, drilled a 2 inch hole in the valence over our sink that didn't need to be there or why it took over a month for what should have been a 2 day installation. He didn't see why I was mad that they won't install my hardware because I didn't buy it from them and they didn't bother to tell me that in advance. After all of that he wanted to know where his money was and I really lost it. I basically threw him out of my house and threatened to bill him for the amount of my time that he has wasted at my standard hourly rate of $250/hour!

    The carpenter however had 3 options that we could try to resolve the problem. He and the decorator also agreed that we really can't leave the range sitting as it is now. He thinks we can either remove the granite from the bar top and move the bar cabinets a couple of inches and fill in the gap on the side of the peninsula with a trim piece. Hopefully the granite would remain intact and be able to be placed back on the bar cabinets. Another option would be to cut a false back into the bottom of the bar cabinets to allow room for the bump out on the bottom of the range. The last option would be to have new granite tops cut for the cabinets on either side of the range that bowed out to the control panel on the range. The cheapest option is probably to cut a false back into the bar cabinets--it involves no disruption of the counters, but I will lose some storage space and end up carving up my new cabinets. Aside from the aesthetics we have to do something to gain some room to get the gas line and wires to the range to install it. I would like to it look nice, but I also need to it work so that I can have a functional kitchen again. Thanks for all your advice and believe me I really did try to convince myself I could live with it, but I can't. Maybe it just looks worse in person than it does in the pictures, but we can't leave it like this.

  • kompy
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Paigey's,
    Sorry you're going through this...but unless I missed something...it seems to me you were too hard on your KD on this one point.

    I'm assuming you just bought cabinets from the kitchen designer. You mentioned your designer and her carpenter. Do I assume your designer's carpenter did the install?
    If so, how is this your KD's fault? Out of curiousity, I checked the specs and it said minimum 24" cabinet depth. He didn't do anything wrong on this. If he did sub out the installers, they didn't really do anything wrong either...specs say 24" is OK.

    I'm afraid I have to side with the KD on this one. If the appliance needs more space behind it, the specs don't say so.

    If he did the install or subbed it out, then he should've tried harder to get to the bottom of it. However, my opinions is the range looks fine. The ogee edge exaggerates the gap.

    If you see the Electrolux site, they have a photo that looks similar to your install.

    Let me know if I missed something.
    Kompy

    ps. Just out of curiousity....How much space is behind your range (between the range and backsplash)??

    Here is a link that might be useful: Electrolux

  • sombreuil_mongrel
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    And you are sure that the gas and electric hookups are properly placed? If they are not right they will interfere with shoving it back all the way. None of the pics you have posted show any "interference" so it must be in the areas behind.
    I have to wiggle the cable into the proper slot to maneuver my range into place.
    Casey

  • kitchenwitch
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We also had a problem with one of those Electrolux ranges. Kompy, did you see on the specs that it says to locate cabinet doors minimum 1" from cutout opening? Not sure why that is, but my co-worker missed it and the client is having problems opening the oven. This is the only range that I know of that has that requirement. Beware!!

  • paigeysmom
    Original Author
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The cabinets were installed by the KD's installer. In fact, I call the Godfather a KD, but really he is the cabinet salesman that designed my kitchen. His installer has been working very slowing and intermittently in my kitchen for over a month to install the cabinets. I hired the cabinet guy in April and I didn't bring in the interior designer until 3 weeks ago to help me finalize the paint colors and furniture selection. She brought out her carpenter yesterday to give us an estimate on a new mantel, but we decided to get his opinion on how the range problem could be fixed. I also recognize that Electrolux's specs show a 24 inch depth cabinet (believe me I have read every page of their specs dozens of times). The problem is that the 24 inch depth assumes that the range is installed against a wall. In this case the back side is the bar cabinets that are actually expected to function as additional storage cabinets. If there was a wall behind we would have plenty of room to run wires and gas lines, but there is no space at all between the cabinets next to the range and the bar cabinets behind. As a result we are going to have to cut into the cabinets next to and behind the range to plug it in. The Godfather does admit that he intended to have a spacer at the wall where the gas line and electrical wire run to the range so that they could be run under the side cabinet, but he realized the installer omitted the spacer.

    The gas lines and wires have not been run to the range yet because there isn't any room so that is not the problem. Maybe we should have questioned how this was going to work, but every time I asked a question he told me not to worry about it because he was the expert here.

    I have seen the pictures on the Electrolux site and I have spoken to their customer service. The door should project 1 1/8 from the cabinets instead of the 2 1/2 inches for ours. Sure--you're thinking I'm hysterical and why does an extra inch or so matter? But it really makes a substantial difference in the room. Even the Godfather agrees that it doesn't look right. Maybe I'm putting too much on him, but if you witnessed the hard sell that we got and the difficulties in the process you would know why I am beyond the point of reasonable discussion with him.

    I'll figure something out eventually--maybe I'll learn to live with it since the general notion here is that its no big deal. And I'm sure eventually the Godfather will get his money (hopefully without doing harm to any of my pets or loved ones!), but he's certainly not getting anything from me right now. Perhaps I should tell him he will get paid in 2 days, then 4 days and then mail him a check in six weeks! Yes, I'm bitter and believe me, even if I am a little crazy about this gap with the range, I have tolerated an enormous amount from this guy without complaint just to get my kitchen done and I've had it!

  • rbsohio
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ours was just delivered - it will be installed next week. I'll post a pic, and we can compare notes - I think we may have the same situation.

  • Cloud Swift
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What kind of cabinets do you have behind the range? Are they regular shelves? It seems like the cutting into them in order to put in the electrical and gas connections would be fairly minor. It shouldn't take much space in the cabinets - a few inches high and a couple of inches deep along part of the 30" of the range. If the range can fit flat against a wall, that probably means just the space for a junction box and for a gas outlet and shut off valve. So you won't be loosing much storage space.

    In most places, code requires having an accessible shut off valve for the gas. We found the cabinet behind our rangetop to be a convenient location for it.

    The GC may have intended to put in a spacer instead, but it may be better to not lose floor space to a spacer all along the cabinets and have a little lost space in one cabinet.

    I don't understand why you would have to cut into the cabinets beside the range - it should be possible just altering the cabinet behind the range. I also don't understand why the range isn't going in all the way now - does part of the range project in back? Normally when a range goes against a wall, the gas and electrical connection are recessed into the wall but the range itself doesn't stick into the wall space at all. So your range without the connections having been put in should be able to slide all the way in. Are you sure that the cabinets are installed square? I wonder if they are a little off so that the space between the cabinets gets narrower as you get to the back.

  • mrpandy
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    paigeysmom, I can definitely feel your pain and wish that I had a solution. I have a siding job running at the same time as my kitchen (same contractor), and the siding has taken just about four months (multiple worker issues) and is almost done. I posted about this on the Remodeling site asking if I deserve a reduction in the siding job price, and I was told that I should put myself in his shoes and thank him for sticking with the project! The poor man deserves a profit, he has bills to pay, blablabla.

    Obviously, those folks have not been in your shoes and don't understand that we all just want what we asked for, done right, and in a reasonable amount of time. You have every right to be mad, bitter and upset. I hope the Godfather can make you a deal that you can't refuse - fixing the problem in a satisfactory manner with little addtional time and no extra charge.

  • dgmarie
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It would not bother me one bit. It seems normal to me.

  • chikat
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am so sorry to hear of your problem. I'm sure you are at your wit's end. But as I was reading this thread, it occurred to me: which comes first the countertop install or the range? My cabinets are ordered and I will be putting in a 48" range, I want to make sure it is a tight fit. So would it be better to install the range first?

  • ci_lantro
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    chikat--depends. Paigeysmom has a slide in range (with flanges that overlap the countertop), so her range had to be installed after the counters. With a stand alone, you can install either before or after the counters. Trial fits are always a good idea.

  • eandhl
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Is that a 3cc granite/marble behind your range on standard depth cabinets? That could account for the sticking out but not side gaps.

  • paul_ma
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    paigeysmom,

    I have a layout similar to yours: a peninsula with the range in the middle of one side, and storage cabinets on the back side.

    I too was concerned with the hookup of the gas and electric, and whether that would intrude on the cabinet behind. The specs for the range (DCS) were explicit about what they *required*, but it assumed a wall behind with the gas and electric in the wall. And they didn't show the exact configuration of the back of the range so it wasn't possible to figure out in advance what other possibilities there might be. I was assuming I would end up with gas and electric in the back of the cabinet behind the range.

    But I lucked out. Once we had everything to look at, it turned out to be possible to put all the connections in the toekick space under the cabinet behind the range. So my range sits flush with the cabinet behind and that cabinet has no visible holes. It even turned out to be possible to put the gas shutoff valve under the cabinet behind. (I have a removable piece of toekick trim held on with magnets to get at it.)

    Of course this all depends on the details of your range.

    So, I recommend that you pull the range out so you can see the back. Then consider all the possible options for hookups, and find one that lets you get the range flush with the cabinets behind. Worst case, you may have to route the gas and electric lines thru the back of that cabinet. But you hopefully won't need to take up too much space there.

    Good Luck

  • julier1234
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I feel your pain. We had the same issue. KD made an error. She did not account for the fact that the DW to the right of the range would not open all the way without hitting the range door. You can imagine our distress. Here is a pic of our solution. We had to spend the big bucks to cut into the wall behind the range. It was expensive and unnecessary, but thank goodness it's all over now.

  • rbsohio
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I recall seeing a picture of igloochic's range, where the granite came forward on either side where the range extended out past the counter. This doesn't address the entire issue, and I see that your granite is in already...Good luck.

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