Your first remedy is to be made whole. They do the job that they promised to do. No one does "pain and suffering" discounts. Customer satisfaction discounts are limited to under 10%. There is a cap that can be approved by any local manager from anyone. Any more than that requires a great deal of documentation from you and regional approval. You kinda have the choice to endure the extra hassle for the extra 5%-10% or to settle for the 10%. You are unlikely get more than 20% from any of them, pretty much no matter what happens on the job site.

A typical kitchen redo is 8-12 weeks and costs 60K. You are very slightly over a typical timeline, and many many dollars ahead. Keep that in mind with your meeting.

The use of unlicensed individuals is the very serious matter. That should be focused on specifically, as it is NOT acceptable. However, please understand that most jurisdictions do not require a plumbers license for a sink disconnect and hook up. Only moving piping locations requires permitting and a license. Electrical is the same. A GC holds a General license. He can perform fixture change outs, switch cover changes, adding a GFI, etc.. A license and permit is reserved for running new wiring for new fixtures. Even then, permits may not be required. It is up to the municipality.

Be sure that you have all of the correct information on board before your meeting. Accusing them of a serious charge like that needs research on your part first.

Inconsistant grout color can be remedied by an application of an epoxy grout colorant. On your GC's dome for materials and labor.

Grout in natural stone's porous holes is inevitable, and the consequence of choosing a natural stone. That should have been explained to you at product selection. If you wanted zero grout in any of the holes, that should have been discussed at the design phase so that a large upcharge could have been assessed for grouting with a grout bag and taping off the joints. That is the only way for a porous stone to not get grout into this holes.

Incorrect materials shipped sounds like an ordering issue from your store, not the contractor. That is definitely an action item for the store manager to retrain his associates. But if you received the correct product in the end, you have already been remedied for that. The additional delay over a normal 8-12 week remodel timeline is regrettable, but it is not completely out of the ordinary either. Delays are just a normal part of a construction project.

When things start to pile up, even if they are "normal", you begin to question things that you hadn't considered questioning. So I think that a couple of your points are a bit more from that. As a whole, you've got good and valid issues that should be addressed. But be certain of your ground on a few before bringing them to anyone's attention. Stand fast on the valid issues, and yes, you will likely receive that 10%.

The use of unlicensed individuals is the very serious matter. That should be focused on specifically, as it is NOT acceptable.

I'm curious on this one. I have an acquaintance who manages contractors for a semi-local big box and that would NEVER happen out of their store. They are quite vigorous on ensuring all licensing and continuing education are kept up on.

I would talk to an attorney. I would want the big box store to remove everything and refund ALL of the $$.

You need to clearly document ALL of the issues. Have them in writing. Go to the manager and tell him if the kitchen can't be finished within industry standards then you want OUT, all the way OUT. Make it clear you have no problem getting an attorney involved (even if you're bluffing).

How did you pay? If it's a credit card then start calling them and filing disputes.

I would throw fit. A HUGE fit. If what you're saying is true then you have every right to be upset and request a refund.

Keep us posted. Good luck.

Get them to fix it correctly - or take it out and get all your money back.

As for unlicensed: Many work for a licensed business. It must have eventually passed inspection - No?

It being late - unless you had a specific completion date in the contract, you don't have a leg to stand on.

Thank you everyone for the thoughts and guidance.

I agree the licensing issue is our most valid point and don't understand the poor background check from a big company on this contractor. We specifically to a big box store so we didn't have to do all the shopping around for contractors their license and history.

The plumbing was just installing a new sink and reinstalling the dishwasher, so probably no license required there, but the electrical job involved deleting and moving outlets and fixtures as well as rewiring. I spoke to an investigator at the state contractors licensing board and confirmed the person should have been licensed. After a licensed electrician came out we did pass inspection, but one of the GFIs failed two weeks later. We insisted an electrician fix that problem and inspect all of the wiring work he could see. He said a few things could have been done better (microwave and frig don't have dedicated line), but thought the circuit could handle the load and didn't have any safety concerns.

As for the cost and the timeline, we kept the same cabinets and painted ourselves to keep the cost down and timeline short. In retrospect we should have been insistent the GC make everything to our satisfaction as we went along. Not having had much experience with contractors in the past (usually do it ourselves) we didn't know what level of work to expect in the beginning and didn't want to "rock the boat" then as the project dragged on we just wanted the job over and honestly worried that the "fix" would look worse than the original issue.

Like I said in the original post the issues are things that no one else will notice and overall the kitchen looks great. We've decided the contractor has made everything as "right" as we want it to be. We'll make sure to have all documents and information for the manager and let you all know how it turns out.

Thanks again!

microwave and frig don't have dedicated line

In my jurisdiction, refrigerators have to have a dedicated circuit.

*****

Further confirmation that successful retailing doesn't translate into quality contracting.

I personally think a total refund and get a contractor in who is qualified and gets it done at stores expense. Unlicensed workers? Are you kidding....they charge zero or the state will be contacted. It is a felony in my state to work unlicensed.

If you ever want to sell this house a good inspector will tear that a new one. When you are paying for a professional you should get a professional job. I am angry for you!

If the refrigerator and MW reused existing circuits, they are grandfathered in to any new requirements. If they are in new locations that required new circuits for them, then the manufacturer's requirements are part of the code to be satisfied. If the manufacturer says a dedicated line, that that was what was required. And that generally requires an electrical permit, by an electrician. Some locations allow a GC to do that work under the General building permit though.

As long as the work passed the required inspections from the municipality, there is no way for any future buyer to know who specifically did any of the work. All that is public record is the permit puller and the fail and pass dates. And that is as much information as any future buyer can obtain.

Since you say that it failed inspection on an item, obviously a permit was pulled. So, who pulled it? Was electrical part of the general permit? If so, then that municipality considered him licensed to perform that work. If a separate electrical is required, then they want an electrician for that portion. Whose name is on that?

Different municipalities have different regulations regarding permitting. It can get tricky o sort out. Here, my state controls electrical, but each local municipality controls the rest. Call your local permit office t be sure about what they require so that you can get it straight from the people that know your area. I don't want to lead you astray as to what your own local municipality says that they accept and what they do not. Good luck.

I've been hired by clients unsatisfied with big box store work on several occasions. I provided documentation that a poorly designed cabinet/countertop installation had created a fire hazard. The customer accepted a meager settlement and my bill probably ate half of it. She sold the home, fire hazard intact.

Another time I punched out a bathroom in an afternoon because the customer refused to let the big box contractor back on the job when a 6-week job took 6 months.

Persistence is your friend here. Let them know there is only one way you're going to go away. Ever.

The general contractor pulled the permit. We didn't pass inspection because the original unlicensed electrician didn't wire the GFI outlet correct and it wasn't being tripped by the other outlets. That was corrected by a licensed guy and inspection passed, no mention of wiring for appliances. Frig outlet didn't change, but the microwave area was rewired. I don't think it had a dedicated circuit, but can't be sure.

It passed inspection. And it had a permit. It would not have passed inspection if it required a licensed electrician to pull a separate electrical permit for the needed work. They would have red tagged the job and forced the GC to hire an electrician to pull an electrical permit. Workers working under the GC's supervision are allowed to do basic work on electrical and plumbing without being licensed themselves, as long as your locale allows that. Which it apparently does, given that they didn't red tag your job. Therefore, the issue of ''unlicensed'' workers isn't an actual issue in your location.

Best practice is to have a high wattage appliance like a MW on a separate circuit. But, unless the microwave's installation instructions require it, it is a perfectly valid choice to plug it into one of the two required GFI small appliance circuits. Post your MW model number and we can check that for you.

With so much misinformation assumed here, I suggest you post pictures of the other issues of concern. Your assumptions may be off there as well.

Not sure what information you are referring to as assumed.... the state licensing board investigator told me the type of work being done should only be done by the licensed electrician. As for the inspector, he red tagged the job because of the GFI issue, I don't think he knew or asked who was doing the work.

As for the MW.....licensed electrician that inspected the job said the MW should have it's own dedicated circuit and he would have done that when wall was open. Not required by manufacture, but suggested.

If not required by the manufacturer, then no dedicated circuit is needed. It is acceptable as done. If the city passed the work, and did not require the name of a licensed electrician on an electrical permit, the general permit under the GC's name was sufficient, and electrical work under his supervision sufficed for their requirements. Your permit issuer determines what they require, and if they required a licensed electrician, they would not have passed the work. A third party electrician whose interest perhaps comes from potentially lining his pockets is not your best source for information. Your specific local permitting office makes the rules. If they were satisfied with the electrical, and it passed, then there is no standing for a complaint on that issue. It is a non issue.

If you are going to present non issues that don't pass scrutiny, it greatly weakens your case. Focus on the concrete verifiable points that do not meet industry standards. Of which you have shared, the grout issue is one. And it can be corrected.

Are there additional issues beyond some delays? Did they not remedy the damage caused by the DW leak? What is the issue with the countertop seams? Are they out of plane? A larger than standard gap at the rear that isn't covered by your back splash? Post some pictures and we can find you documentation to support your claims.

I'd just like to add that while so many disparage the need for permits as 'just another tax', in this case it clearly benefited the homeowner. The non-compliant (and dangerous) electrical work was made compliant while the walls were still open and it was easily remedied. A GFCI outlet which doesn't trip is a real potential hazard, and one which may not reveal itself until the damage is done.

So, some pretty normal construction delays and an couple of minor easily fixable issues? I think you have been the victim of some unrealistic expectations from the beginning. None of those are grounds for demanding money. Especially considering the lower price you paid for the job. You are entitled to a completed job, yup. Not money.

Thanks for the input, but I disagree. I hope 4-5 times the expected timeline isn't a typical delay and having the GC lie straight to my face and tell me he and the elwctrian were licensed is grounds for some compensation in my book. Agree with free Oscar the inspector was good to have on our side.

Met with the store manager today and he was very understanding and is coming to the house this week and is open to compensation.

Have you gotten a quote on what it would take to fix these issues? I'm assuming you've already made final payment here? Unfortunately, you would be in a better place had you held back funds. Good luck. As for the delay, unfortunately it seems to be more common than uncommon - not that that is an excuse.

I should have given an update earlier for anyone that is interested or is unfortunate enough to have this type of problem.....

......we're here in mid October, five months passed the planned completion date, and still working out the final details. The big home improvement store manager offered 10% reimbursement and we asked for 20% which he accepted. A small part of that is no charge for installing a slider that was a side part of the project and receiving the slider at his cost the rest is in cash. We are waiting on the 4th slider and the 4th range to be delivered and then thankfully we will be done. Slider 1 - opened wrong way, slider 2 broken flange, slider 3 opened wrong way. Range 1 - broken, range 2 - installed awful trim to cover the poor cuts the counter installer did (see photo), range 3 - wrong model.

The manager wants us to sign a release of liability paper in exchange for the compensation money - which I am not going to do. I'm worried about a scenario in which the unlicensed electrician's work might cause fire or something a year from now and our insurance company won't pay because of the person doing the work and the store's lawyers won't pay because we've released them from liability. Hopefully this won't become an issue and we can wrap this up.

Take away lesson for us is get a reputable, recommended local company or person to do your work and stay away from the big box stores' subcontractors.

Sounds to me like he's offering a discount for the incorrect work done, headaches, delays, customer inconvenience, etc. Why should he get to skate on the warranty as well?

That looks like a slide in range with an island trim? What model is it? Do you have a pic from further back to show it better? I'm not sure that I see an issue there.

If the contractor is continuing to muck up the door installations, then it may be possible that he is out of his depth on that. For window and door stuff, you should be dealing with the Exterior guys, who do that all day long. If the same Interior contractor is attempting to do that work, he is out of the scope of work for an Interior job. The store manager should know that too. And should be paying their best Exterior contractor to take over and finish the job.

Release of liability doesn't remove warranty protection. All warranties are in full force. Product warranties are always through the manufacturer, and the labor warrant of one year is standard in the industry. If you want additional protection, ask them to extend the labor warranty another year, and provide 5 year warranties in the appliances instead of the standard 1 year warranties, in place of the discount, and with no release of liability.

Thanks for the Info and ideas on the guarantee of work live wire. That's what the manager said also. Maybe the photo wasn't clear enough on the stove. There are large gaps between the trim and stove top silicone all over. Very sloppy. Another range is coming with a built in trim piece.

The slider is being installed by a window and door company, not the original contractor.

Joseph, I do understand the manager's perspective but just want to make sure I don't give up all protection. Especially when we've already had electrical issues from this person's work.

I doubt they are going to readily give you a refund without a release. Essentially, what they are doing is settling your claim against them out of court. You agree not to sue them over this, and they agree to charge you less. You might be able to be enough of a squeaky wheel to get your way on this but really I doubt it will be easy. Whether you want to put in that much effort is up to you.

I had a home improvement claim against a large company for their contractor and I had to sign a release and a non disclosure agreement for my refund. My problem wasn't with shoddy work, their guy never showed up to install the stuff. He picked up my materials and skipped town.

I can't see any way that this affects your insurance coverage. You hired someone to do the work, and you got the work inspected. Even without those two things most insurance companies would pay. Essentially, your insurance always protects you from the negligence of others and sometimes from your own negligence.

The fact that the majority of the issues are subject to personal judgment as to the quality of work received, rather than concrete building violations, in that it passed inspection, and that the contractor was licensed to perform the work, would not be a point in your favor if you take the complaint through to the binding arbitration step. That would be a tossup as to what the arbiter would rule. It's roulette.

You have a couple of much more knowable end result options in front of you. Either take the money and sign the release and be done. Any issues are on you to pay for and deal with in the future, and hopefully the payout will cover them. Or have them extend their warranty period for the labor and materials, and deal with them for any future issues that arise during the warranty period. That gives a certain peace of mind, but at the cost of dealing with people that you really don't want to deal with.

microwave and frig don't have dedicated line

Microwave should for sure have its own if it is 1000W or more. If you use any kitchen countertop appliance and the microwave at the same time you will probably trip the breaker. Dishwasher should have its own line as well.

For an idea on what appliances require more juice...

https://www.lowes.com/projects/pdfs/portable-generator-wattage-chart.pdf

Fridge doesn't always need its own line, mine doesn't and has not been an issue, fridges have a high starting wattage but it isn't continuously that high.