I've been at the site most for hours and nearly had a meltdown over the hardwood floor install. They were using some random type of bonding glue for the tongue and groove, glue not used for hardwood floors that need to expand and contract. I got my wood floor retailer (Adel from Vanwoods )on the phone who offered to ship Tite Bond tongue and groove adhesive or have it picked up today in NJ. I made them rip out the flooring that was improperly installed (lucky only 2 rows) and go purchase the correct type of tongue and groove adhesive. I called my lumber guy (doors and base molding) who told me where to get the adhesive locally. I was furious and sat there until the glue arrived and watched them working for a while (painter and cabinet guy also on site). Long story but the GC was never going to install our flooring but since we had to move the date so many times, the initial crew we had canceled (3 dates moves) and the second crew showed up last week only to see that the site wasn't ready for floors (5 guys wasted their time). The GC said he could get it done and then I show up, just in the nick of time today, to stop them from ruining our flooring by installing it with the wrong type of glue.

We are keeping our gas range. There will be a bit of countertop between the pantry and gas range. bbtrix I also had the island cover panel removed (it was attached with adhesive) and it will be reinstalled to be flush with the sides of the island, plus I told them to add plywood for more support behind the island cover panel.

eam44 I don't hate the idea of stainless panels although we were going with a slab backsplash from the range around to the refrigerator. We do need 1 more cover panel, to use as filler over the cabinets.

homepro01 The recirculating hood will be installed at 28" from the top of the range. I measured after seeing your post.

I had them change the cabinets/filler to be symmetrical. I need to rethink taking out the pantry and adding another base and upper instead. Design Loft The Ikea kitchen designer told us none of this when he added the pantry beside the range. I just contacted him by email and voice mail. It's his job to know this kind of stuff. He even bragged about being a professional designer for years but happens to also work for Ikea.

I would not want to store food in that pantry when a stove is so close. The food will get hot. Regarding the hood, 28" high would make it difficult for someone who was 5ft 4" to use the stove (36" high range + 28" = 64"). The hood will be right in their eye. How tall are you? Can you use a shorter cabinet above the stove and this would allow you to move the hood up to 30" or 36" above the cooking surface? I know I am throwing some changes out there but the 15" tall cabinet may be a better fit up there. Is your Gas Range 30" wide?

homepro01 You're are 100% correct. When we lowered the cabinets to accommodate the kable lights my GC didn't think about the hood. I am going to have them change the 30" cabinet above the range. The gas range is 30" wide.

Katrina, If I understood your post above, you had them remove the cover panel that goes between the pantry and the above stove cabinet - the one you initially questioned? And then you said there will be 3" of counter between the pantry and the cook top. I think the cover panels were there to allow for that 3" space. Otherwise, you cook top would be off center of the range hood cabinet.

numbersjunkie This is what it looks like after I had more filler added between the 2 cover panels (range/pantry). eam44 He also added the filler on top of the cabinets. The stove cabinet needs to be changed. We will install a shorter cabinet to allow the range hood to be higher. We will also need to move or remove the pantry. I've seen a lot of pantries in NYC right beside the range but I'd rather just move it closer to the pocket door. I'm angry that none of the professionals we paid noticed this problem on the plans, not the architect, the kitchen designer or my NKBA contractor.

"I'm angry that none of the professionals we paid noticed this problem on the plans, not the architect, the kitchen designer or my NKBA contractor."

I would bring this to the attention of all of them. This should never have gotten past your conversation stage of design. Not meaning to insult anyone or a profession, but I am often changing kitchen designs put forth by Architects and GC's. Planning structures and building them is what they do best, plan a kitchen, not so much. Not all, but a few. As for the Kitchen Designer, they should have known better. 'Design 101' and a rookie mistake. They need to brush up on the NKBA guidelines as well as the building code.

I've written about this.

Katrina,

I think I am still lost as to why the filler are there between the pantry and the hood cabinet.

Can you point me to the lighting system you are using? I am just curious as to why you need to hide it on top of the cabinet.

You will get to the finish line. I know earlier on you discussed why gas was the only option in your unit (electric issues if I remember correctly). Which recirculating hood did you select? Also, which gas range are you installing?

By changing the pantry to a base cabinet and wall cabinet, you will need an additional piece of countertop.

It will be over soon and you will make the necessary corrections:-)

Design Loft The architect said the pantry should not be placed beside the range, although he didn't say that months ago when he designed the kitchen and added the list of appliances to the plans. He sent over the local codes about clearances.

The GC said his own kitchen pantry has a piece of steel sheeting about 3" from the stove and offered to send us a photo basically saying leave it as is and add steel.

The kitchen designer has yet to respond other than saying he would review the design and get back to me. He had the range specs when he created the design and the range was on site. I called their office this morning and emailed them as well as attached the plans he created. The woman I spoke with said I would get a call back before lunch.

homepro01

We added filler between the pantry and the hood cabinet for symmetry. I did not like the idea of an unattached look, especially since the pantry is not flush against the rear wall.

We have a Tech Lighting system, k hello heads on 3 runs with pendants over the island. Our ceiling is 8 ft high so we put the electric boxes as high as possible (added a soffit) to run the kables across the top of the kitchen. We lowered the cabinets to accommodate the kables so the cabinet doors won't hit the kables.

3 t-150-12 150W 12V REMOTE MAGNETIC TRANSFORMER

3 700KPCENS CENTER POWER FEED SATIN NICKEL

700klabarec KL BARE CABLE TIN-PLATE SOLD PER FOOT

6 700PRTT1S KL SLIMLINE TURNBUCKLES SAT NKL

12 700khello3 KL HELLO 3.5 INCH SATIN ALUMINUM

3 700klcors-led830 Corum Kable Light Low Vo ltage Pendant SN

We kept our existing LG double gas oven LDG3015ST and ordered a Windster range hood, Windster PF-72E30SS.

It's really lucky you have scootch room! A slab bs would be very nice, and if you no longer need to protect the side of the pantry, I'd leave that alone. It occurs to me that you might want to make the over-range cabinet one that opens up, instead of a cab with a door swing.

I'm sure you'd hate to lose the storage space, but IMHO those who led you down this path should all chip in and purchase an upper/base combo and a hunk of countertop for you to the left of the range and call it good. Of course that's in my fantasy land of people making things right... It would also be a nice landing space. Does the pocket door lead to rooms used by all? If so, it might be nice not to have to skirt around the pantry to enter the kitchen. I realize you'd have to walk around the base cabinet, but visually would be more open. I had a gas range near a wall in my last kitchen, and I made sure that my pan handles could spin to the side without hitting said wall, 6"-8". Flames make me nervous too ;) It looks like it's going to be a really nice space after you get through this piece of it! Hang in there, it will be worth it!

eam44 I saw and like the flip up doors here: http://www.chrislovesjulia.com/2015/09/idaho-home-full-kitchen-reveal.html

However, we have kable lights across the top of the cabinets that will limit opening a flip up cabinet door.

Katrina,

Where will the Power center feeds be mounted? I thought you could not drill into the ceiling? Looking at the Tech Lighting instructions, they cannot be mounted on the wall.

This is not something I think you can fix but I want to mention it. Your range is 26 2/5" deep (don't know if it includes the handles on the oven) but your hood is 18 1/8" deep. This means that you will not have the hood covering the front of the cooktop. I understand that it is a recirculating hood but there should be more coverage. Something like the Broan that is 22" deep may work. I know you already have the Windster ordered but for someone else in the future who may need a recirculating unit, the windster may be too shallow for a stove but would work for a cooktop.

Good luck!

cluelessincolorado In a perfect world, these changes would be expense free for us. However, I don't see that happening. The pocket door leads to our bedroom, so we like the idea of "hiding" the door by the pantry.

In our old kitchen, we had a 5" wall between the range and refrigerator. It never occurred to me to test for pot/pan handle clearance in the new kitchen...but again, that is why I hired a kitchen designer.

The pocket door leads to our bedroom, so we like the idea of "hiding" the door by the pantry.

Then I would say it's even more important to move that pantry. What if there's a range fire and someone is in the bedroom? I hope you have another exit from that room if you persevere with the current layout.

homepro01

The power center feeds will be mounted on the electric junction boxes on the soffit with the kables mounted beside them attached with the turnbuckles. Tech Lighting confirmed that was a proper installation. Correct, we cannot drill into the ceiling. Lots of rules in this complex.

Hmmm. I didn't realize the hood was not deep enough. Yes, it is recirculating. The old hood was about the same size and the hood in our sublet over the stove is about 17" deep. Oddly enough, at the last few open houses we attended in our complex, the hoods were all the same, 17" - 18" deep over stoves.

writersblock Yes, there is a second exit from the bedroom and there is a terrace/window off the bedroom.

Katrina,

I assumed the center feed would be mounted on their side where I see the junction boxes. As long as you confirmed with Tech Lighting that the center power feed can be mounted on its side, you should be fine. It only shows a ceiling mount in the installation documentation.

Interesting about the hood depth. I see it a lot for those hoods are meant for cooktops which are shallower than the ones for ranges. Since you had a similar setup before, you should be fine.

homepro01 Yes, they can be installed on the side. I've seen side mounting in lots of tech lighting kable light photos.

http://light-ca.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/K-Bye-Bye-Head.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/9b/76/c6/9b76c66fd002a0f9f2de3d421a9eef80.jpg

Our lighting retailer told me that the proposed install was okay before we ordered but I checked with their technical support department too.

The kitchen design firm

EverLast Contracting

http://www.houzz.com/pro/everlast-contracting/everlast-contracting just called me back with proposed pantry solutions:

Take out the pantry and add a base and upper

Move the gas line and range (not an option)

Move the pantry to leave 6" between range and pantry per fire code and use box filler to create a "base cabinet" and add 6" countertop (GC thinks we have only 5")

I asked who is paying for this since the kitchen designer bragged about being so experienced and made what I feel is a rookie mistake. She said no, many kitchen designs do not comply with fire codes in NYC and have ranges beside a pantry. I sent an email to document the conversation.

I am waiting to see if they will pay for this chaos they caused. She called a second time, after my email, to say this is the first time she has seen an experienced designer at her firm make such a mistake. I asked where he was and why she was tasked to figure out a solution. She said she wasn't sure, but she was working on it for me.

"....She said no, many kitchen designs do not comply with fire codes in NYC and have ranges beside a pantry....."

I'm sorry, but that attitude is extremely scary!

Because something is done elsewhere does not mean it can continue or should continue. This is like saying that it's ok to rob a bank, even if it's illegal, because others do it.

A good designer does not hide behind such stupidity and arrogance!

Besides code, your pantry issue is straight out of NKBA guidlines.

Unfortunately, this is something I see more and more with certain stores hiring and 'training' individuals who have no business being a Designer. Truly educated professionals would never have made this mistake regardless of code issue or not. Everyone makes mistakes. This is more than an oops. This is an 'I don't know the first thing about designing' mistake.

Hopefully they will help you out in some manner.

"It never occurred to me to test for pot/pan handle clearance in the new kitchen"

Just necessary for me because I'm a bit fast (careless) with my movements...

"She said no, many kitchen designs do not comply with fire codes in NYC and have ranges beside a pantry."

Huh. No comment on that one - EEK!

WOW, the least they can do is pay for their mistake.

I am courious what type of counters are you putting in and is there anything special that they do to add additional support to the ikea cabinets?

I think I remember reading something about the new cabinets and something different that is needed since they do not have the solid top across like the previous style.

They tried to blame my architect.

I told them ("them" since lots of people were added by her to the email), that blaming the architect is unacceptable. This design failure started on the laptop of the kitchen designer, who didn’t know or bother to check or confirm the design parameters of the materials and appliances.

Had he been paying attention (instead of constantly checking his smart watch for email and text messages during the meetings) and done his due diligence, he would have known that the range (a range that was on site at the time) has a minimum clearance of 5” to a combustible wall.

The kitchen plans call for merely a thin cover panel between the pantry and gas range. Making these design changes, after everything is already installed, should not be at our expense.

Please confirm that you will pay for the additional material required: box fillers, marble counter top, any other material needed, as well as the labor needed to correct this design flaw.

Additionally, if we are not able to move back in next week due to this design flaw, I expect to be compensated for the additional rent we will need to pay for our sublet.

I called but kept getting voice mail.

The response:

EverLast Contracting

The IKEA Kitchen Planning Service includes the creation of a kitchen layout, 3D rendering, and material list in the IKEA Home Planner. This service exists because it can be overwhelming to arrange and order all necessary items for your desired kitchen from IKEA without a person well-versed in its system. Please see the disclaimer on the first page of your IKEA kitchen plan.

Since you are unsatisfied with the planning service, we can refund you the fee you paid for it.

I apologize for missing your calls. We’ve been experiencing technical issues with our phone this afternoon. They should be solved, but if there are any further issues please send me an email.

"The GC said his own kitchen pantry has a piece of steel sheeting about 3" from the stove and offered to send us a photo basically saying leave it as is and add steel."

If you can get your inspector to kiss that and blow on it, lucky you.

As to what to do with the space, do a toe-kick box, attach something like this pullout to it, put a close match in size drawer front (running sideways) on it and a handle. There are a lot of different styles of narrow pullouts - you aren't limited to what is sold at Ikea. You can also just buy the narrowest base they have and cut it down in width to 6" (or whatever). But you'll have a non-matching front issue if you can't use a drawer front.

Whatever goes in this cabinet will get somewhat toasty when you run the oven. But that will be a lot better than everything in the bottom of the pantry getting toasty. The strip of metal suggested by contractor would not prevent heat transfer.

For the top, consider attaching the new over-the-hood cabinet to the other uppers and using an upper pullout with another drawer front in the empty space beside the hood.

bmorepanic I think that will be the problem, no matching door fronts. I am asking the GC and carpenter what they can come up with so the space isn't wasted. This was the entire reason for hiring a kitchen designer. I could have come up with a fire hazard design on my own.

Sunnysmom The counters will be marble and the fabricator said they will install supports, if needed, like these: http://www.wholesalecountertopbrackets.com/island-countertop-support-bracket/

I installed Sektion cabinets (frames only) with custom fronts and we didn't need any extra supports. I have a granite counter top. They even took off the supports I purchased separately and attached for the sink. Not sure about an island though as I don't have one. They are a very reputable company so I trust that they knew what they were doing.

As for the pantry, that sucks. We didn't put our cover panels on our cabinets next to the range hood until after our final inspection. You would have never known otherwise that they needed to be there to complete the look. They are off clearance by maybe 3/4 of an inch on each side. We didn't want to PL and screw them on only for the inspector to measure it and make me take down my (fairly) expensive panels. You obviously could not get away with that with a pantry regardless.  This is a final pic of the install of the hood with the panels on. (I'm not sure if it's just my phone but this pic looks really funny on mine. Click on it and it should regulate to what it really is haha!)

I'm thinking that you might not even be able to get away with this in lieu of a pantry, but it's worth a shot? I'm not sure. (Except a kitchen one obviously. This is the only pic I could find as I have no idea what these cabinets are called. If they even have a name haha!)

Katrina, if you're considering bmorepanic's excellent idea, Ikea has a 5" x 36" drawer front that can accommodate a lower pullout. If your crew can't create a front for the top cab, maybe a shelving unit? Is 5" all you have available? Your plan shows 4'9" from the right side of range to left pantry edge. If your range is a slide-in, it may only need 30.25" + 24" pantry leaving almost 3". How many inches can you scoot toward your bedroom door?

bbtrix We moved the pantry up against the door trim and we got 6" exactly. However, Ikea does not make a 6" door or drawer front for the upper or the base. I am going to ask them to customize something.

Yikes! What a fiasco. This is what we did in our recent IKEA kitchen to fill a narrow space. (All diy.)

bethjerome I wish Ikea sold the black Method cabinet boxes in the US. This would be so much easier to just create open shelving.

They sell the Horda cabinet in black/brown. It would have to be cut down to fit.

I think that you could still have a pullout pantry which would be about half the size of the existing pantry and you could have a narrow upper lower between the pullout pantry and the stove.

I would use the 5" drawer front and a bit of filler. The cabinet would be a little smaller but still good for trays. Or your could use edge banding and have a bit of the frame show and it would look like filler. The Horda cabinets are thinner and not well finished IMO. And I don't think they would be easy to cut down because of the way the shelves are attached. You need to be able to cut a very thin groove into the side of the (thin) shelves.

I think several good solutions have been presented. It would be ideal to downsize your pantry. I know it's costly, but you've already invested so much in this project that it would be a shame to not have the optimal solution. Could you use your current pantry elsewhere, like in in your closet? Or sell it? If it helps, I have nearly all of my food storage in my 15" IKEA pantry. You could then do 15" cabinets for upper and lower. The upside is that a 15" drawer stack or pullout can provide spice storage, cooking utensils and other items you want close when cooking.

If a new pantry isn't feasible financially, I would use a pullout like the one bmorepanic linked with the 5" drawer front for the base cab and have your GC make a frame out of wood or mdf for the upper open shelving. You can paint match the color. Looks like your cabs are Laxarby? My island is the Ramsjo Black/brown from the Akurum line. We did custom base trim and used wood filler that I painted and it matches perfectly. Hopefully, you and your GC can come up with an easy solution.

I would be furious about having to deal with this. Google GC responsibilities (and others) to find out how to be compensated for all these problems. File a complaint with your State Consumer Board too.

Gibson Zone 9 (Central Valley, CA) I actually don't blame the GC. He built what was on the plans. I think this is squarely on the shoulders of the kitchen designer. It's their entire profession to plan out kitchens.

@Katrina Tate, I just wanted to offer some moral support. This exact time period during our renovation was the WORST. It seemed like everything was going wrong, despite all my hard work and planning, and we were spending so much money, and I thought my husband and I might not both survive the renovation. However, in the end, it was all worth it. I've been following your renovation here closely and know how hard you've worked on this project. It's going to be amazing when its all done! Not much longer now.

" I actually don't blame the GC. He built what was on the plans."

Nope. He doesn't get off that easily. He should know better and be experienced enough to correct an architect. I've done it many times and they hate it.

My customer is pregnant with her first, and the thought of a toddler taking a 29" step with no handrail in a couple years gives me the willies. Of course there is a landing and another set just like these, doubling her chances of injury.

I would have told the customer I was sorry, but the bedroom door would have to be moved, because a 6" minimum tread width at the corner would require more run. Were I installing Katrina's cabinets, I would have refused until the paper pushers worked it out and backcharged for ruining my schedule. 'Cause when the red tags come flyin', everyone looks to not pay the guy who put it in wrong first, no matter who or what was drawn.

Joseph Corlett, LLC The GC is the only one fixing this screw up, for no extra charge. The kitchen designer never called me back, but had a woman in the office handle it. I'm allegedly getting the design fee refunded. My architect agreed the pantry should not have been directly beside the range per his design.

" My architect agreed the pantry should not have been directly beside the range per his design."

And how much of the GC's lost time is the architect covering? Or is the GC just supposed to get the architect and KD out of jail for free?

Have you considered swapping out the 36" range for a 30"? This gives you 6" toward a narrow stack of base/upper cabinets? You might need to swap your pantry for one that is 3-6" narrower but there would still be room for a pantry.

I know people really like their 36" stoves but for me having somewhere place to rest a spoon on both sides is much more important than having a wide cooktop. As for the oven, a 30" oven is going to preheat way faster.

jremold Our range is 30" not 36". We ended up adding a base and upper.

Just adding one more voice for the movement of the pantry. (Better late than never! lol)

Before remodeling our kitchen, the refrigerator was directly beside the gas range (with no cabinet surrounding it, btw). That's the way the kitchen was configured when we moved in and since space was limited at the time, we couldn't move the fridge anywhere else. We knew it was going to be a problem/fire hazard, so we purchased a fire blanket and used velcro to attach it to the side of the fridge. No kidding! Worked like a charm, although it wasn't the most attractive design choice. ;) By the time we finally remodeled the kitchen (over 10 years later) and were able to move the refrigerator and bring the kitchen up to code, that blanket was scorched to within an inch of its life! I can't imagine what would have happened if we'd had a pantry cabinet there. Scary!

Great recommendations in this thread. I hope everything works out for you ok with minimal headaches going forward. Best of luck to you! :)

Katrina Tate I have been following your process from the beginning and can't wait to see the finished project -- hoping there are no more snafus.

Jailcrowofmandos, my fridge was right next to my gas stove, only a 1" gap and nothing else in between, for 20 years and who know how much longer before my remodel -- no scorching or damage to the fridge. Never occurred to me that there might be a fire hazard -- but the fridge side was metal

raee_gw zone 5b-6a, our fridge had that vinyl-type coating that's on the outside of a lot of older black & white units (ours was white). Definitely not metal or fire resistant. Then again, neither is a pantry! lol