@Jennifer Hogan, Amen to that.

We only have one section in our kitchen where cabinets meet in a corner but it looks like below after three years. Regardless of how much you paid I would be very disappointed in what you got. I’m sorry you are dealing with this. That said, we learned when dealing with deficiencies, that after attempt two of a fix the original person isn’t the right person anymore. If after two tries it still looked bad it didn’t matter how many more we needed them to come back for they couldn’t properly fix it. I regret not just cutting ties with our builders awful painter on our project and going with someone new. Even though it would have cost us the result would have been less stressful and far better. You may need to cut ties and get it resolved by someone better and yes it will sadly cost you. The lack of accountability is staggering unfortunately.

@ Charles, I can show you jobs done better in an entry-level townhouse in comparison to what sells for 1m dollars and I'm not talking about just kitchens, I'm talking about tile work, trim work, etc.

That aside let's look at kitchen installation practice from a different perspective. We both know the kitchen can only be installed one way and that is the right way no "if's or but's".

Let's say you have a cabinet installer who does all your cabinet work. You have 2 customers who need their kitchen remodel, or better yet you building an entry-level townhouse and a 1m dollar home.

The same installer will be doing both kitchens... Are you trying to tell me that for the "entry-level" job he will screw up the install and 1m dollar job he will do a quality install and you be OK with that?

Or for entry-level, you will find a guy in a parking lot and send him to a lower-cost job and a better guy in a 1m dollar home. IMO that is an entry-level mentality.

The way I look at it, the quality of work should be the same, the only difference is, "entry-level" job will take 1 day to install, and a "custom job" will take 5 days to install. So if I get perse $1,500 for entry-level install, for a custom job I will get $7,500 or more depending on what the scope of work is.

The quality of work shouldn't change, and what the installer gets shouldn't change... The only change is in the scope of work, some jobs have more detail, some have less... some take longer to complete some faster. It's common sense.

@Charles Ross Homes - Just because there is protection from inferior work, doesn't mean that all work quality has to be the same. I literally said "floor" in my post, so I am struggling to see the relevance of yours. However, rest assured that even Maaco must provide a satisfactory paint job.

It really isn't rocket surgery... if you take money from someone to do something then you must be able to do that thing in a satisfactory manner. He can absolutely charge for levels above satisfactory, but can't use the amount he was paid as a reason to do unsatisfactory work.

---

As to your townhouse example, I am not sure how it fits this issue.

However, what recourse would a consumer have for paying for premium service and only getting standard satisfactory service? I will give you a hint... none.

I love ”rocket surgery.”

@bry911,

It's certainly not rocket surgery and it's not a legal debate. "Professionals" from painters to brain surgeons to mechanics and contractors produce products and services which vary in quality and price. The guy who works on my truck is a mechanic, but he's not the mechanic to call when your Porsche needs fine tuning. The guy who install cabinets for the big box stores is not the guy to call to install your new Crystal or Crown Point cabinetry.

The OP's quality standard for their cabinet installation is, after three failed attempts, apparently above what the contractor is capable of producing. It's simply time to swap out the current contractor for a more skilled one and move on.

@Jennifer Hogan, when I was talking about my experience I was talking about Poland which is NOT Western Europe just Central ( Eastern ) where the economic situation was ( since second world War or even earlier) much worse than situation in US and we never caught up until today to US economy but still we expect better quality job than here. The difference which may play a role is the legal system, it is not common to take people to court ( if not paid for poor quality job). Here everyone sues everyone for anything.

Don’t know why I had to do this…..

If your cab doors are full overlay.
Or partial, they’ll work either way,
If fully inset,
You’ll pay what you get,
Or, conversely, get what you pay.

Good luck with your project, @teresa CL.

Sorry, that’s a limerick. Absolutely didn’t post in the form it was written. No way to correct or edit on this site!

@Charles Ross Homes said, "The guy who works on my truck is a mechanic, but he's not the mechanic to call when your Porsche needs fine tuning."

This is a faulty analogy. Whether or not the OP should have hired someone better is not in question. The question is, whether or not this work is acceptable. You keep pretending that examples of the former address the latter, but they clearly don't.

For your analogy to properly address this situation it would need to be... the guy who works on my truck is a mechanic, when he worked on my Porsche he damaged it and that is acceptable because he charged less than the people who could do it right. See how ridiculous that sounds?

Bry911, in your analogy if your cheaper truck mechanic was doing a under the table side job to give him extra cash and for you to save lots of money even if he ruined your porche you would have zero legal recourse. It is always best to go with a qualification based bid vs a low bid in all industries to achieve the best results.

It is my observation that the lowest bids are usually also often unpermitted with shotty or no contracts so since we have no information from the OP to the contrary I think this could apply to this story. Lowest bids that seem too good to be true always come with a buyer‘s beware risk, always and in all industries.

Her option at this point is to with hold final payment, hope they do not put a lien on the house( with no contract that will not be an issue) and hope she can find a proper pro to fix the issue. These hacks can not.

@Mrs. S we don't use shingles in the UK or on the continent mostly slate or similar

Quality is meeting the customer's expectations. The OP has judged the quality to fall short of expectations. So, the question isn't whether the quality is acceptable, but rather, what action to take. The OP can 1.) live with the cabinets as currently installed, 2.) compel the contractor to rework the installation ad infinitum, or 3.) hire a trade professional with higher level skills to do it and get on with their life. I suggest no. 3, but it's just my opinion.

My kitchen was £20,000 just under $30.000 that was every thing windows ..flooring ..plumbing eclectic's. tiling and work tops ..it's not a cheap kitchen ...I think there is to much snobbery on this sort of thing ..kitchens do not have to cost the earth as long as the job is done right !

Snaggy in many places the COLA is much higher for labor and supply than in your area. I am happy you have great competition and great prices but because you can do a quality kitchen for peanuts does not mean everyone can. My area is predominately white collar with few contractors to choose from. The lack of labor supply increases demand and thus cost. Further more our trades people need to afford to live in our high cost of living area and they deserve pay to allow them to exist which equates to higher costs for remodelers

The poster also choose the most expensive and labour extensive type of cabinets for part of her kitchen that comes with a higher need to hire the most qualified skilled worker not the lowest bidder.

I think homeowners assuming labour and workmanship should be cheaper is actually a very elite snobbery.

@Charles Ross Homes

Charles, you a piece of work and the comparisons you throw.

In regard to your mechanic example, I have a backyard mechanic in Brooklyn who found and fixed the electrical issue on BMW when a dealer and 2 other mechanics (one of them use to work for a BMW dealer) couldn't find the issue. He did it in a heartbeat and charged 1/3 of the price for all other repairs on my other cars the dealers wanted.

As the cabinets go, I don't see any difference between installing Timberlake, Diamond, Crown Point, etc yes Crown Point is furniture grade cabinetry in comparison to some other manufacturers, yes for Crown cabinetry you will pay through your nose but the installation concept is the same, as a matter of fact installing upscale cabinetry is easier than some less expensive brands, installed of all types of cabinetry...

Cabinets are attached to the wall the same way, they attach to each other the same way, crown molding is installed the same way, same goes for all other gadgets...

You just need an installer who is an experienced finished carpenter or a cabinet installer... Like you said it's not rocket science, just experience, take time handling cabinets and installing them, and most importantly patience.

I see many bad installs, being this townhouse or a 1m dollar home, I know a few who charge an arm and a leg, but haven't learned anything when it comes to certain things. I see cabinets nailed to the wall using finishing guns, split frames, not level, crown molding corners are off, etc and people paid lots of money for installs, so how much money you pay makes no difference, it all comes down to one thing and that is getting someone who has experience in a certain field.

Let's not forget the old saying "Money talks, BS walks" it never fails.

Hi everyone, thank you for your comments. Too many for me to read but I will get caught up.
This job was within range for the other bids. A kitchen and bath design / build company.
I said gut remodel, but this didn’t include appliances or new lighting except undercabinet lighting. But like someone said, the price is mostly irrelevant because COLA varies so much. Sorry to throw that piece of info into the mix and cause a stir.

@Charles Ross Homes said, "So, the question isn't whether the quality is acceptable, but rather, what action to take. The OP can 1.) live with the cabinets as currently installed, 2.) compel the contractor to rework the installation ad infinitum, or 3.) hire a trade professional with higher level skills to do it and get on with their life."

This is a false dilemma, you are ignoring a rather pertinent fact... the $3,300 balance remaining on the job. So you can add an (a) and (b) to every single one of your options; (a) pay the contractor the balance due, and (b) not pay the contractor the full balance due as the work is not acceptable.

Since you are advocating that this work is acceptable for the amount charged, you are actually advocating for the OP to pay in full for this job and then hire someone to do something they have clearly already paid for.

Since you are saying the work meets the expectations for the person the OP hired, therefore that person completed the job and is owed payment. You are also advocating for the OP to hire a more competent person.

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@teresa CL - That work is not acceptable at any price point. I would advise that you reach some settlement with the contractor that includes an amount sufficient to hire someone to fix it.

Just want to add i’ve had $500.00 haircuts that sent me home in tears and I couldn’t go out in public for months. The high price made it sting even more! I’ve had $25.00 cuts from Supercuts that were really pretty decent. Price isn’t ALWAYS an indication of quality work.

I’ve been lucky to have a great (master) carpenter that has been with me for over 20 years and i have’t had to worry about work in my home. He’s not cheap but he’s not outrageous. sometimes it’s just a matter if finding the right person and maybe a-little luck.

Have you asked other pros for estimates on how much it might cost to fix? Have you asked the GC for a discount since his team has failed three times proving it is above their expettise? I think you will need to hire out for desirable results.

@J Sk - Thank you for the clarification. I am afraid I don't know enough about Poland's economy to address the difference. I did look to see what the current Gini Coefficient is for Poland and find that they are still much more equal than the US. I do recognize that this is not the only number that matters, it is the number that has the greatest impact on the societal woes of the United States. I'm a baby boomer, so my life experience has been watching our country go from a large middle class that stood up to the government and demanded change (Vietnam/Civil Rights/Women's Rights/ Gay Rights) to a country where the rich rule and more and more of our citizens are struggling to survive. This disparity negatively influences crime, prejudice, life-expectancy, literacy rates, civic engagement, household debt, happiness and trust indexes and competition. Without competition quality diminishes while cost rise.

My mom used to say that there is a reason people grow old and die. I didn't understand when I was young, and even 20 years ago I thought I could fight for justice and stop this runaway train, but now I often think that I am glad that I won't be around to see the final chapters of this story. Just hope I live long enough to enjoy a bit of retirement and die soon enough that I am not forced into abject poverty.

@Jennifer Hogan, I understand what You are talking about. Living in Poland in 80s, we all looked up to US as to a great country. And yes, things changed since then. But growing up in Poland back then I still saw my grandparents, as well as parents, doing their jobs to the best their abilities. Of course salary is one of the factors which makes You try to perform better but there is some pride and honesty in us humans, which some people don't have.

I think that they should definitely fix the things that you’re not happy with or at least give you the time of day it seems like they’re not even listening to you they just want their money, and I think it’s just bad etiquette to tell the customer “ things didn’t go as planned “ they’re the ones doing the job so if things didn’t go as planned it’s their fault right. ? I don’t think that you are being picky I think that you just want what you’re paying for and you expected some thing and it’s not what you got

@roarah - while I don’t know who has been out of law school longer, I agree 100% with @bry911 re: that there would be full legal recourse in the hypothetical you provided.

@Charles Ross Homes - first, it is a legal debate. There are statutes that have been enacted that protect homeowners when building new construction and/or renovating their homes. The renovation statute in my jurisdiction provides that a contractor must complete the work in ”a good and wormanlike manner” (pretty common - if not uniform). Nothing in the statute distinguishes between homeowners who hired the lowest bidding contractor vs. ones who engaged the highest bidder. If you’ve agreed to do work for a homeowner, you are required to meet the same professional standards when completing such work regardless of the bid amount. The difference between a $20k kitchen renovation and a $80k renovation is the quality of materials + scope of work.

Even if a contractor underbids the job, the homeowner is entitled to the same rights/remedies.

Here is a question for you: if you hired an attorney to file a lawsuit on your behalf, and if that attorney failed to file the petition prior to the deadline per the applicable statute of limitations ( = you are now prohibited from commencing an action for recovery) would you be “okay” with that result because you retained an attorney who billed out at $375/hr (solo practice with low overhead) instead of an attorney who billed out at $600/hr (large national law firm with fancy offices)?

How about if you hired an attorney on a flat fee basis - and the attorney underestimated the number of billable hours that he/she would need to spend on your case? Would it be okay for the attorney to cut corners in preparing your case for trial (therefore increasing the chance for an unfavorable decision/settlement)?

How about if that same attorney missed the filing deadline for your lawsuit (seeking damages of $60,000) but timely filed a pleading for another client (seeking damages in excess of $100,000)?

Your answer should be ABSOLUTELY NOT with respect all of the above hypotheticals. An attorney who agrees to handle your lawsuit is required to provide competent legal services - regardless of how much the client is paying for those services, or the size of the case.

If I don’t possess the legal skills/experience necessary to competently perform the legal work for the case, I shouldn’t have agreed to represent you. The burden is on me to turn down the case - just like it is on the contractor to not agree to do work (for example, inset cabinets) if she/he does not possess the required skills to provide a professional result.

As attorneys, @bry911 and I each have an ethical duty to provide competent legal representation regardless of whether the work is for a pro bono client (free legal services) or a client paying $800/hr for our time. I will continue to be dumbfounded as to why many people on Houzz love to blame the homeowner when a contractor fails to complete a project in a good and workmanlike manner.

”Good and workmanlike manner” =

- with a degree of efficiency and knowledge deemed proficient by those with special knowledge, training and expertise concerning such services.

- work performed by properly licensed and/or credentialed contractors in accordance with applicable permits, codes, laws, regulations, and manufacturer’s specifications

- in a competent and skillful manner

- etc.

Also - I’m confused about how anyone can determine whether the amount spent on OP’s kitchen renovation was too cheap (I believe I also read that she didnt’t spend enough money to have included inset doors) when the photos barely show any of the kitchen! Without many more details, including the size/location/exact scope of work/materials used - how can anyone offer an opinion regarding the amount of money she paid?

Im so confused how people are saying if you spend less than 100k on a kitchen, this is the quality you get. Average kitchen remodel in this country is 35k. yea if you live in cali, you are paying much more. but in the midwest, in an average house people arent paying 100k for a kitchen reno.

Our $500,000+ main floor remodel has been a complete disaster and we thought our design/renovation team had a great reputation too. Novare Renovation & Design did our remodel. They went so far as to install items that were not what we had ordered and paid for and we had to discover these things. There are too many other wrongs to mention. Stick to your guns and make them fix it. If they don't make things right, be sure to mention who you used that you were not satisfied with. It is the only way others will know to stay away from them.

@dani_m08,

I don't believe it's a legal argument. Nowhere in the OP's original post do they ask for legal advice nor am I qualified to give any. Rather, the OP wants to know if they're being too picky. That's a question about whether the quality standard they are applying is too demanding.

It doesn't appear that any particular written quality standard is referenced in their agreement with their contractor, so they're left with a "good and workmanlike manner" implied quality standard. The problem is that while there may be a minimum threshold for what constitutes good and workmanlike which all contractors should meet, not all contractors are equally competent and not all will produce the same end result. In your field, everybody needs to pass the bar exam, but not everyone will perform at F. Lee Bailey's level nor command an hourly rate the same as his was.

The qualifying statement I've seen to better define "good and workmanlike manner" is:

“that degree of efficiency and knowledge which is possessed by those of ordinary skill (emphasis added,) competency, and standing in a particular trade or business for which the contractor is employed.”

With that qualifier, the quality standard is what a kitchen installer of ordinary skill would produce. The OP's contractor has made three attempts to meet the OP's standard and hasn't succeeded. So, my answer the OP's question "If this is just something i should accept and move on, I want to know." is "yes." Time to bring in someone with a higher level competency to meet your standard.

@Charles Ross Homes said. ""If this is just something i should accept and move on, I want to know." is "yes." Time to bring in someone with a higher level competency to meet your standard."

Seriously... what kind of warped logic is this? You are quite literally saying, "Yes. This is acceptable," and "No. This is not acceptable so hire someone else who is competent."

If it is acceptable work then why would the OP need to hire someone else to do it right? You are pretending that you answered the OP's question when you didn't.

This is their third attempt at fixing the seam.

What was the starting point with the seam?

Now it looks like either glue or caulk is in the seam. Was this the starting point? Or was a request made to disappear a normal joint between two cabinet boxes?

Hi, bry911,

I'm not suggesting the quality is acceptable; only the OP can judge what is acceptable to them. From a practical standpoint, we're told the OP's contractor has made three attempts and has been unable to satisfy the OP's quality standard. What's the likelihood they'll achieve it on try number 4, 5, 6..? Life is too short for that kind of frustration, it's time to accept the contractor isn't going to deliver the desired result and hire somebody who can.

I haven't addressed withholding any amount from the last payment. That's an issue for the OP, the contractor, and, if they choose their respective attorneys.

He is saying that if push comes to shove, and she wants to enter into litigation with this company over this, it will NOT be a slam dunk as the professional standard on a little sloppy caulk job is not a precisely quantified legal metric. So she can spend hundreds or thousands of dollars in attorney fees or she can spend a smaller amount of money to get someone to fix it to her satisfaction.

I see this a lot on this site...posters pushing people into costly litigation because they feel their jobs should be "perfect" to the 1/16" of an inch or based on microscopically zoomed in photos. It does not always work that way. And unfortunately, a lot of people will learn this the hard way. The risks of losing your case should always be weighed against practical resolution via alternative solutions.

***Don't mean to speak for you @Charles Ross Homes! But I think this is what you are advising.

The seam needs to be better, the knobs realigned or new door(s) ordered to try again, but that is not a $3300 withhold. <$1000 maybe.

These are pretty good for factory cabinets, which are way overrated.

Immaterial they didn't renew NARI.

@Jeffrey R. Grenz, General Contractor I agree with you...and if her GC was decent and on it and trying to handle the situation better, he could have come to an arrangement and gotten more money while he works on solving these issues. But stopping showing up or answering the phones, etc when there is already "on the edge customer" is never a good practice.

Not to mention you and I know that at this point, even with $3,300 dollars finding someone else to fix everything is a task of its own plus ordering new doors, etc not many reputable contractors want to own-up someone else's messed up the job because everything they touch from here on they will own it... I walk away from many jobs like this and I don't look back.

@Charles Ross Homes, I have never said the OP should give this contractor another chance. I have only addressed whether this work is acceptable.

You responded to that by saying, "Except for door alignment, none of the defects pointed out by the OP are addressed in the Cabinets section of NAHB's Residential Construction Performance Guidelines for Professional Builders and Remodelers. I believe AWI standards apply to commercial work only. KCMA standards apply to cabinet manufacturers--not installers."

Maybe I misunderstood the point of that post. It seems to me that you were, in fact, making a comment on the acceptability of this work. If that was not the your point, then I am unsure why we are having this discussion.

@Kristin Petro Interiors, Inc. - My advice was negotiate a settlement for the remaining $3,300 with the knowledge that the OP may have to hire someone else to correct the installation.

Contractors on this site often pretend that saying work is not acceptable is tantamount to saying the OP should sue. It is not. The same hurdles for litigation for a homeowner exist for a contractor and understanding the various duties required of each party is something you really should know before you decide to negotiate a settlement. The likelihood of getting sued diminishes exponentially when the contractor is in the wrong.

@bry911,

This discussion is about calibrating a customer's expectations with regard to installation of their kitchen cabinetry.

Quality is meeting a customer's expectations. Quality conformance should be assessed against a particular quality standard--ideally an objective, written standard which defines warrantable defects. That's in the best interest of both homeowners and contractors. I am genuinely interested in knowing, and asked @GN Builders L.L.C what specific industry standards were applicable to cabinetry installation because the only one I'm aware of is NAHB's Residential Construction Performance Guidelines for Professional Builders and Remodelers. I'm not a NKBA member and I don't know if they have a standard for installation quality. NAHB's Performance Guidelines falls short of covering many defects for cabinetry installation, but it may be the best there is. Absent a more comprehensive standard, we're back to "good and workmanlike manner."

My advice, is that the OP will be well served to find someone else to do the cabinetry punch out work and get on with their life. Alternatively, they can endure the continuing frustration produced by the original contractor coming back and continuing to miss the mark. That's up to them, and their behavioral health professional or their attorney or both (you can probably add options a and b to each.)

@Charles Ross Homes - LOL...

This may come as a shock to you... it shouldn't as you seem intelligent enough ...

The OP has more than two choices.

No matter how many times you repeat that completely made-up binary choice, there are more than two choices. For example. the OP might negotiate a settlement where the existing contractor reorders the doors and adjusts their alignment and a new contractor deals with the caulk issue. The OP might also negotiate discounts, which create even more options.

----

I will repeat my advice again... I would advise that the OP reach some settlement with the contractor that includes an amount sufficient to hire someone to fix it. Please notice, there is no false dilemma there.

ETA: this is not heated... Maybe a bit snark but not angry in any way.

What the heck. this thread had gotten way too heated. people need to relax, stop insulting people. just chill. This is houzz not reddit, lol

I agree with Alicia. This person was just looking for an honest opinion and I think too many people have too much time on their hands and decided to take it out in this discussion!!

this is what happened with the three tries: they first installed the cabinets and they looked perfect! I was so impressed with the seam and so happy with the install job. EXCEPT: They forgot to trim the extended stile down per the design, and so the margins around the inset cabinets were all off and it looked weird. They acknowledged their mess up and immediately said they’d modify the cabinets to look right. The first fix was horrible and the cabinets cracked along the edge. I asked them to please try again. “Luckily” they still hadn’t cut them to the proper size so there was about a half inch for them to try again, this was the result. It was disguised under a really thick bead of caulk, I brought this up before the countertops went in and the project manager said they’d look great after the caulk got wiped down. He waited til literally the last day of the project to try to wipe it down and this is how it looks now.

Here are more photos of things I’m annoyed about

2 outlets inside cabinets look like this
4 sets cabinets have unlevel knobs

"Hack job" don't give them another penny, the minute I saw caulking I knew there was more to it without seeng knobs being off.

@teresa CL - My opinion remains what it has for a while now and so here is some specific information.

I would consider engaging an attorney, advice given here doesn't compare to what is available from a competent attorney in your area.

However, I realize that sometimes budget and scope may stand in the way of that. In my state, and many others, a mechanic's lien can't be filed when the amounts have been reasonably and formally disputed, so I would start by doing that (you can check the rules for mechanic's liens in your state). This should buy you a bit of time to get the information you need to be informed about resolutions.

I would then advise that you get some estimates from reputable contractors for repair. At that point you have real information to negotiate with your contractor, which I would advise. I suspect that after a bit of research and a few letters with estimates for repair that your contractor is going to get pretty reasonable about the remaining balance real quick like.

Good luck

@Charles Ross Homes "I am genuinely interested in knowing, and asked @GN Builders L.L.C what specific industry standards applied to cabinetry installation"

I can see why you have no clue Charles because they don't write about it in "NAHB's Residential Construction Performance Guidelines for Professional Builders" or whatever other guidelines you need to function in the real world.

To understand what industry standard is you need to have a little common sense, how about we start by having cabinet knobs level when installed... Do you think this could be applied to an industry-standard?

Or having a precise cutout for an outlet instead of the hacked-up cabinet that someone just paid $500 for it? Wait a minute I forgot, according to you "it's not reasonable to apply the same quality standard to something that is not a $1 million custom home"....you're right... this is only a 60k kitchen remodeling, how dare she expects to have someone on a 60k remodeling project who knows how to read a ruler or how to use a level since it's not a "million-dollar job."

Let's check a few more beauties that could fit basic industry-standard installations and I'm sure there are no performance guidelines written for it...

Window installation here is a beauty, How dare this homeowner complain to a GC who made 5 wrong rough openings so he made his double-hung windows become sliding windows being it's only a 700k home. Some nerve on him.

Here is another beauty, how dare this homeowner complain that his installer can't figure out a simple miter on his railing, there is no industry standard for that.

Or this homeowner who has an incompetent plumber who has no clue how to connect his sink.

Or this homeowner what right he has to complain that his newly pre-finished flooring might get damaged because it's not protected while all the cutting is being done on it?

How about this, is there an industry standard that says the tile should be installed good side up, why not tell the customer this way it's better now you have a slip-proof floor?

I can go on for hours showing you images of similar things that I take pictures of when I called to evaluate certain issues and I'm not showing you "entry-level" townhouses the work is them done much better because contractors get back charged for any screw-up they make... This is 700k and up homes that belong to people who work their A$$ off to have something they can call home and probably be paying for it for the rest of their life.

So Charles, my dear friend :-) Welcome to reality, don't think a botched-up 10k job cannot happen in a million-dollar home ...don't you think that if there is no booklet with "performance guidelines" there are no industry standards that exist?

How about a simple "standard of care" that every professional in any business should know and follow, just to name a few; cover the work area, protect your surroundings, use a level, read a ruler, not to mention respect someone's property.

Homeowners have every right to expect and demand from people they hire to do their job the right way, and that goes for pros in any profession out there, you take someone's hard-earned money you better do your job and the result should be satisfying and a pleasure to look at it for as long as the homeowner owns the house or anything else for that matter.

Greg,

I'm not defending what the OP got as acceptable; they've already established that it's not. I'm pointing out the need for an objective, quantitative standard to clearly define what's considered acceptable and what's not. Even high-precision machined parts have tolerances because perfection isn't a standard. Nor should it be for materials which vary in size and composition, may move with changes in relative humidity, and which are installed by human hands. So the need isn't defining upside down tile as unacceptable (the failure to follow the manufacturer's instructions would suffice,) but rather, to define reasonable installation tolerances. In the context of tile, that would include whether tile lippage of 1/8', 1/16" or 1/32" is acceptable, and whether those standards vary with the size of the tile; whether a caulk joint where surfaces meet needs to be less than 1/4", 1/8" or 1/16"; tolerances for plumb, level and square, and whether the same standards apply to both new construction and remodeling where existing conditions might preclude meeting some standards.

There are a variety of quality standards for residential cabinetry, but each of them address manufacturing quality, not installation quality. Absent a quality standard that covers installation quality, homeowners and contractors will continue to debate what's acceptable without a gauge. The absence of a standard makes for more stress for homeowners, builders, and remodelers, more content for houzz.com dilemmas, and more billable hours for attorneys. As an industry, we should be working to reduce each of those.

It is ultimately a very personal decision, in terms of how to move forward. These are just a couple of my thoughts, fwiw, if anything.

So one approach, could be to pay the balance and just move on. In this case, it would be a decision based upon the idea that, although this contractor/team made several efforts to remedy some issues, they just do not have the skill set required for the satisfactory completion of your job. So this option could be considered, if you believe their attempts were well intentioned, and if you believe that the overall job was at least carried out in a well intended and somewhat reasonably done fashion. I would then look for a skilled carpenter for the fixes. Depending upon your feelings, your bank account, etc., this may or may not be a route you would want to consider. For some, this might be the easiest route. For others it would not be. So again, it’s a very personal decision.

Another option - could be to get some estimates, as suggested. In this case, I would get estimates for the repairs/replacements, etc... at least 3 of them; and I would send them, via certified mail, to the contractor and any relevant parties. I would also photograph the estimates, and send them via email as well, and note in the email that you have already sent these to them via certified mail; if you send certified with return receipt requested, I would wait to get the return receipt(s), prior to sending any emails containing that information. I would do all of this with the idea that I have no intention of paying the balance; and I would therefore be prepared to let the chips fall where they may. In the meantime, I would in this case also find a skilled carpenter for the fixes and the rest of the job.

Those are the two options that I see as the most viable. So I would do one or the other.

Personally, I would not attempt to negotiate with these people to do any more repairs, etc. I would also not be looking to negotiate the balance due money amount. I would pay the balance in full or not pay it at all.

My opinion changed when I read your prior post about the pantry vs refer vs refer clearances vs refer ventilation requirements.

Regarding level knobs - remove some of the knobs and check the holes in the doors with a measuring tape or trisquare vs the bottom and side door edges. Are they the same or mis-drilled? oversized? Also check the drilling in the back of the knob itself for correct centering. There is a lot of cheap garbage being imported. Sometimes (almost always) they are flawed, especially if cast pieces.

Retain until the fixes are complete, or reorder doors, hire a competent installer to touch up and repair, deduct from balance.

well, there is an update here, but not a good one. They ignored my request to resolve the issues but instead sent me a letter stating their intent to file a lien on my home if I do not pay the final balance.

I asked them to resolve a few issues before i would pay the final balance: the cabinet seams, the misaligned/uncentered knobs, a return air vent that needed to be put back in place, and a cabinet that came dented.

During the remodel, they also closed off a return air vent that was in our dining room. They said at the time that it wasn't needed. After so many issues, i started to get suspicious of this so i brought in two HVAC companies for second opinions and both said that this return air vent WAS needed and recommended it be re-installed.

@Jeffrey R. Grenz, General Contractor

Talk to an attorney. I worked in real estate law years and years ago and laws are different in every state, but from what I remember the GC has to file the lien and then follow that up with a suit to get judgement against you. You have the opportunity to oppose the lien and ask the judge to reduce the payment that you owe based on the quality of work. If he doesn't follow through with a suit against you I believe the lien falls off after a specified period of time. They know that people are afraid of liens, but it may not be as scary if you understand the process and he may be more willing to try to negotiate or make things right if you have an attorney respond to his threat with a letter explaining that you will be asking the court to lower the contracted work due to his failure to perform. Your HVAC information will be beneficial to your argument.