help with waterfall countertop outlets

last month

Builder said we had to have outlets on the island so we chose to have flush mount outlets. The counter top guys were responsible for this and it was my understanding the stone would be cut around the outlet. However, they attempted to paint a plastic flush mount outlets to match. It looks awfully what should I do now?!

Countertops are shadowstorm dormite marble

Featured Answer

PRO

Sabrina Alfin Interiors

last month

last modified: last month

They shouldn't have put the outlets on the stone side; they should have put them on the cabinet side. This is a design error, and one your designer should have caught way before the cabinets/counters were fabricated.

We did a waterfall counter for this client. Note the outlet under the counter on the left side above the first drawer, and on the right side above the micro drawer. Those are dummy panels to allow for the outlets.

The devil is in the details. Not sure there's much to be done about this now. :-(

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (12)

Kendrah
last month
it was my understanding the stone would be cut around the outlet.

Was anything in writing? Have the stone folks cut out a space for an outlet and get rid of that ridiculous plastic thing. You might have to pay a chunk of change for them to take the marble back and do this if it wasn't in writing.
0
John Liu
last month
Props for artistic creativity, demerit for sloppy caulking?

This probably took more time than simply cutting a standard size opening for a receptacle box and leaving the rest to the electrician. Wonder why they bothered?
0
Related Discussions
waterfall countertops -- a trend?
Q
Comments (48)
It depends on your location about how trendy it is, or whether it might even be on the way out. In the Chicago area it has become so widespread we are seeing it in housing developments and new condo buildings. That can be a sign it is no longer special, since it has "reached the masses" haha - therefore people who are into watching that kind of thing will not be putting waterfall island counters into their kitchens. The last charity Design Home I saw (they take a mansion and have different interior designers do each room, then have tours, and the proceeds go to charity), the kitchen island counter was super-thick wood (maybe oak), heavily polyurethaned for a high shine, with an old-timey slightly distressed stain so it looked like reclaimed wood, but wasn't. It must have cost a ton, but I'd say that will be the thing to do for $150k+ kitchens, and the waterfall stone counter won't be. But that is super high end, FWIW.
...See More
Quick help!! Height of horizontal outlets from counter??
Q
Comments (5)
Thanks! Okay, here's a dumb question for someone who knows more about this than me....our measurements are 50" total subfloor to window. Flooring is 1/2", cabinets + counter are approx. 36" and window trim is 4.5". If we luck out and everything does actually measure out like it's supposed to, that leaves us with 9" between the counter and window trim, or three subway tiles of space. DH votes for centering the outlets in this space, which would also put them into the 3" space of the middle tile like palimpsest suggests. Does that mean I tell the electrician I want the outlets 4.5" off the counter (or 41" off the subfloor) to the center of the receptacle? This *seems* right based on measuring the existing outlets and +/- 3" outlet covers....do my numbers jibe?
...See More
Help! Counter Top Edge Advice Request
Q
Comments (17)
Does anyone know the answer to this - I have a 2 1/2" mitered flat edge and shaker overlay doors. When the doors were installed I noticed that I only have a 1/8" overlay over the door and drawer fronts. The counter does not protect the doors at all. Now the fabricator tells me that with a mitered edge they can only make a 1" overlay and not the 1 1/2 overlay that is standard with a flat eased edge. They said that when using a mitered edge only an inset door and drawer will do so that you can get enough overhang. Has anyone ever heard of this before? Any suggestions in how to correct this problem? How to add on to a granite edge. I can't rip out the countertop. Could possibly plane down the doors and drawers or make new inset doors and drawers but this is problematic to do.
...See More
Curved countertop design, with waterfall??! Help please :)
Q
Comments (51)
Hi Nileen, As a Kitchen Designer I would say check with your Cambria supplier on this design, countertops can be very tricky. Some countertop designs just don't work the way people think, the curve may not work well with the waterfall. You are spending a lot of money, Cambria isn't cheap, so be sure that your countertop will be sound. Your supplier/fabricator should know, generally if a design won't work they let you know and discuss your options. It looks as though you will have seating there, if so the curve may have an impact on that. If I were you and your supplier okays it then I would go for a more subtle curve or an inverted curve (curving outward instead). You also need to think about your budget as this will add an extra cost (the curve) for fabricating your countertop. I hope this was helpful
...See More
Related Professionals
Glens Falls Architects & Building Designers · Ossining Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Camarillo Furniture & Accessories · Pooler General Contractors · Aberdeen General Contractors · Oneida General Contractors · Sterling General Contractors · Kearns Home Builders · Eatontown General Contractors · Henderson General Contractors · Albany Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Four Corners Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Key Biscayne Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Prospect Heights Cabinets & Cabinetry · South Riding Cabinets & Cabinetry
chispa
last month
All you needed was something small like this, which can probably be ordered in gray.

I would have place mine more into the corner, but the drawer slide/hardware for the perpendicular cabinets was in the way.
0
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last month
I need to see this whole thing from much further back a pretty good try to hide it I must say I do agree this was miss on your design and not sure who is to blame but the whole point of the waterfall is it is not touched but left perfect . Did you have a designer then try to get some help there this should never have been up to the counter top people at ll.
rockybird
last month
last modified: last month
Nowadays, a lot of states are recommending no outlets in island legs because kids and pets run by and knock the cord pulling hot water or appliances on top of them.

If it were me, I’d have them cut that out and put a regular one in. I toured a ten million dollar house a few weeks ago that had regular outlet covers on the island legs.

@chispa those things are a nightmare. :( I tried to install in my waterfall island. Counter people replaced the leg three times on one side and we finally gave up. The hole has to be drilled with no chipping. It has to be drilled perfectly straight. It has to line up with the box behind it. The electrician and counter people were out multiple times trying to get it right. I think those are better for drywall applications. We did get one in one leg. It’s not perfect but I decided to live with it.
0
chispa
last month
last modified: last month
Rocky, my electrician suggested that one when I said I wanted the smallest thing they had. No issues installing it and got it done in no time. Figuring out exactly where to put it took longer than the installation! My electricians were really good at trouble-shooting, thinking outside the box and getting things done ... at least once they realized I would pay for that extra thinking time and work!
0
rockybird
last month
@chispa Sorry I think I had a different outlet. Mine was from bocci. The electricians were fine with it. It was the counter people that could not cut ithe hole cleanly I don’t know if they were incompetent or if it was just very difficult with the counter material and the type of plug but we eventually gave up. I read a lot from complaints of people having similar issues on Facebook, which I wish I had seen earlier.

Sent from my iPad
0
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
last month
The electrical inspector may red tag that for inaccessibility depending upon his mood.
0
chispa
last month
Rocky, I know all about incompetent counter fabricators! The two I had used in LA were really good. The one my builder used in FL wasn't .... he was the type that just did things the way he has always done it. I had ordered the sink straps recommended by Joseph Corlett and the fabricator just pretended to use them! Also didn't give me zero reveals on my kitchen sinks, which was written in the sink installation specs. Wasn't worth fighting and risking damage to the counters, specially as it was during covid and slab inventory was really low in my area.
0
deb s
last month
last modified: last month
This change in building code (us) has me flummoxed as it seems more dangerous but from what I understand the outlet must be a pop up so your fabricator installed an outlet not in code compliance and should be accountable for remediation - the way they installed this in my mind would be dangerous given liquids could just pour down into the plug !! A quick call to the town re building inspector may give you concrete guidance on what he will accept . A quick google search brought this simple explanation up https://structuretech.com/island-outlets/
0
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last month
I find the duplex outlet in the countertop in the image provided is amazing. Now I am trying to determine if it is a positive or negative thing.

help with waterfall countertop outlets

Sabrina Alfin Interiors

Comments (12)

Kendrah

John Liu

Related Discussions

Related Professionals

chispa

Patricia Colwell Consulting

rockybird

chispa

rockybird

Joseph Corlett, LLC

chispa

deb s

Mark Bischak, Architect

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US