Kohler Whitehaven sink backordered - please help!

5 years ago

We selected and signed off on plumbing fixtures over a year ago for our custom new construction home. Our cabinets started going in last week, and I was just informed that the Kohler Whitehaven 33" farm sink that we selected for our kitchen is on backorder until February due to a fire at the plant. Unfortunately, that's not going to work for us, as the plan is for the house to be completed in late November. So, I went to visit the showroom where we selected our plumbing fixtures last August, picked out a few of what seemed to be comparable options, and the salesperson sent the info to our plumber for pricing. Well I got the pricing back, and both of the options are astronomically higher than what the Kohler was originally quoted to us for (around $750 incl. tax) last August...a total of $1494 for a 33" Barclay apron sink and $1847 for a Rohl Shaws 33" farm sink. Both included a wire grid for the bottom, which our original selection did not. I checked with the salesperson today and she informed me that they have gone through 2 price increases since I made (and signed off on with our builder) the original Kohler selection. My dilemma is...who pays for this?? Am I to take the hit for the extra cost now that it's over a year after we signed off on our selections? Should our builder be covering the extra for a comparable sink? The plumbing sales place? Can anyone advise me on a practical solution? I do not want to settle for something of poor quality or a smaller sink just to keep close to the original price. I don't feel that I should have to do that...perhaps I'm in the wrong?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Featured Answer

Zalco/bring back Sophie!

5 years ago

Find a new sink. Pay for the difference. There was a fire. End of story. Nobody messed up. You can’t make someone else pay for your misfortune.

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Comments (16)

mojomom
5 years ago
It is just one of those things. You are wrong to be playing the blame game here though. It certainly is not the builder's fault or the plumbing sales place's fault that Koehler had a fire. Nor is it your fault, but that's just the way it is. Why not check Craig's list, restore and the like and see if you can find a very cheap temporary sink and get your builder to agree in writing to come back and replace it with the Koehler when it comes in.
galore2112
5 years ago
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I bought a rohl 30" apron sink online for around the same price as white haven. The crazing cracking issue is because of over tightening when installing. Talk to the plumber and make sure someone who has done a farm sink nstalled ion many times before should be the one to do it. Also all farm sinks have variations. For the tightest fit without gaps, your cabinet guys need the actual sink on hand to build the sink cabinet right. A couple of things I would have done differently - got a 36" sink as the 30" is awfully tight for baking sheets and cookie trays. The sink does not slope/ drain well. It is a minor annoyance that I have to chase the dredges around to get it into the drain hole. My DH who is the main user of the sink is not bothered with this. You definitely need a good quality pull down faucet. The waterstone PLP we have which swings around and has a good pull down sprayer is very useful. I would have really hated a bridge faucet here. I would definitely get the extra deep flange for the sink and the sink grid. Both are very useful.
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Marina I saw this here. I have a Kohler Whitehaven and used the Waterstone PLP5600 in American Bronze. I love it!
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Hi Marissa, that is correct the Kohler cast iron plant had a fire which will delay their products by a long lead time. That being said, when they finally are up and running, they will be slow to get orders out just by personal experience... Other suggestions I have been selling are Rohl Shaws Original or a Franke 36" Single Bowl Fireclay. I have put the information for the sinks below. Goodluck! =) http://www.rohlhome.com/Kitchen/Product_Detail.aspx?ProductID=RC36182018&Collection=1615&SubCollection=1639&ConnectionString=%22Search.RC3618%22 https://www.franke.com/us/en/ks/products/kitchen-sinks/farm-house/130-0079-641_detail.html
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I had a Kohler Whitehaven in my previous home. The new home I am in now came with a stainless steel kitchen sink. The stainless steel sink is I think the sink where you never have a concern about caring for it other than cleaning it as usual. You can't damage it as far as I can tell. Nevertheless, I loved my Whitehaven sink. It was so pretty, it was a cheerful white. I did use the grate for the Whitehaven, it's a must with enameled cast iron, though I am finding I like not using a grate with my current SS sink. If I ever re-do this kitchen (it is a definite future project), I will struggle with whether to get a SS sink or another Whitehaven. You can't go wrong with either, as long as you are careful to get good quality SS sink cause there are a lot of crappy SS sinks out there. My current home has a good one. Still, when I renovate, I think I might end up with the Whitehaven again. I would not have a double bowl sink. Both the sinks I am talking about are single bowl sinks. Just thinking about the divider mentioned in the above comment takes me back to my low-rent college apartment with a double bowl sink, no no no!
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Jake The Wonderdog
5 years ago
Agree with mojomom

This isn't about blame and things are going to go wrong - if this is the worst of it then you are lucky!

It might be in stock with a distributor. Call back and see if they would be willing to try to track one down.
dabjg
5 years ago
Call Kohler ! I placed an order in May and was able to get it by July. I was originally told it was a 6 month lead time.
I ordered it from A plumbing supply company. Their location in California had 9 but they would not ship to Texas bc they were holding on to them for their local builders since that sink is requested a lot. When I called Kohler they told me the lead time was not as long .
Good luck !
millworkman
5 years ago
Nobody owes you that sink or any other sink at that price over a year later. Unfortuate set of circumstances for sure but not anyones fault.
whaas_5a
5 years ago
Call distributors in WI as there are many many many that stock Kohler here.

I bet they would be happy to ship based on your situation.
ebroline
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks all for the input. I guess I needed to see that I was overreacting a bit! I’ll call around tomorrow to see if anyone else possibly has that sink in stock. If not, I’ll check with our builder to see if they would consider installing a temporary sink and then coming back to replace whenever the Kohler comes in.
tatts
5 years ago
You don't replace a Buick with a Lexus and then complain about the cost of the Lexus. That's what you're doing with the sink choices you made. Want a $750 sink? Then buy a $750 sink. Want an $1,800 sink? Then but an $1,800 sink and don't complain.
jhmarie
5 years ago
This place says 14 to 19 days:

https://www.supply.com/kohler-whitehaven-drop-in-cast-iron-kitchen-sink-k-5827-0-white/p446294

I am not familiar with the above company. The Whitehaven has been coming in to various places - I have seen them recently at build.com, efaucets or Home Depot, but all three listed the white on backorder when I checked tonight - you can check other colors too like Biscuit and Dune. I found the short apron in stock at efaucets, but not the tall apron - make sure you get the tall apron if you have a farm sink base. Check Amazon too.
ebroline
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you jhmarie! I definitely want the tall base.
dabjg
5 years ago
I don’t think you are doing the blame game - just asking. Unfortunately this is one I could see where it’s really no ones fault. Are you doing an undercount whitehaven tall sink ? I think the sink has to be mounted before you have counter put in.
If i recall - when I called Kohler they did tell me 6 months by that was for the smaller sink . The 36” is in high demand so they were trying to get as many of those out ? I would just call Kohler . Moore Supply in California had 9 in stock when I wanted to buy one but they would not transfer one to Moore supply in Texas bc they also needed them for their contractors since it’s in high demand. Maybe call them direct and see if they have one.
dabjg
5 years ago
That should say undermount
Chantel
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I ordered a Kohler from supply.com because it said 14 to 19 days and ended up having to file a dispute with PayPal. I ordered 08/22/2018 then mid September kept asking what the order status was to find out that it won't ship until mid-December. Then after cancelling they didn't refund me. I would steer clear of supply.com unless it says in stock.

Efaucets.com had the 30" in stock and I got it in a week. They show their stock levels on the website it might be worth looking there for the 33".
jhmarie
5 years ago
Thanks for letting us know about that company - sorry I found that on the internet!

The supplies seem to come and go. One day I will check and they have them, the next they are two months out.
mvcanada
5 years ago
Hi, not sure if you've had any luck finding it closer to home but check the Home Depot Canada site - they have many Kohler Whitehaven sinks listed although I'm not sure if it is a match for the model you are looking for.

Kohler Whitehaven sink backordered - please help!

Zalco/bring back Sophie!

Comments (16)

mojomom

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Kohler Whitehaven sink backordered - please help!

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