Laminate butt worktop trim

[Blue Mermaid]

Yes, I am apprehensive about who they're going to bring in. Good advice. Thanks.

[Blue Mermaid]

DSCF0313editsize.JPG (65.67 KiB) Viewed 2838 times

DSCF0313editsize.JPG (65.67 KiB) Viewed 2838 times

Hi Guys

Thought you might like to see the latest. We had the new worktops fitted today. A really professional job this time (I hope you'll agree!). Fitted by the company that Modern Laminates use. I wish we'd had them to fit the whole kitchen. They used a 4m breakfast bar to cover the gap (we haven't done anything about that end panel yet). We went for a much lighter colour this time. The builders are paying for one of the worktops, so I guess that means they're taking some responsibility for what happened.

I've started a complaints procedure with Wickes for all the mistakes the designer made. They're taking it seriously. I'm really hoping my dad might get some compensation.

Here's the latest pics. The end panels by the pelmets still need adjusting. Waiting to hear if Wickes will supply the in-frame ones after further discussions with them. Some pics of the tiles we've chosen too. Do you think they'll look ok with 4 colours or will it look too much once there's loads of them up on the walls?!?

My mum wants to find out if cork flooring is suitable for a kitchen? Is it hardwearing enough? Can you clean it with a steam cleaner? I do a lot of the cleaning for my parents and love my steam cleaner. Hate a mop and bucket!

Back to the pics. Had to make them smaller again, so some chopped off where I wanted you to see the closed gap :-

[Blue Mermaid]

The worktops are Desert Sand from the Duropal range.

Meant to say thanks so much again to Colour Republic for suggesting a breakfast bar and to everyone else for their help as well of course.

Another question. Anyone know where can we get 2 gas vents in a chrome or stainless steel finish please? Builders have only found them in white so far. Our old white ones are 9" x 4". I've seen lots on the net but they don't always say whether they're suitable for gas or not? We have a really big old boiler in a cupboard in the kitchen (getting a new louvre door - builders fitting it - omg!) and it has 2 vents on the outside of the cupboard. Wanted to see if we could get some new ones in metal finish.

Thanks guys

[thescruff]

What a difference, I hope Dad can appreciate what the guys have been saying now.

[thescruff]

Whats the make and model of the boiler, and are there vent to atmosphere.

I'd like a pic of the big old boiler in the cupboard.

[Blue Mermaid]

So glad you approve thescruff (was nervous you might say they still weren't any good!).

My dad is very stubborn (me too!), so he would never voluntarily say you were right all along! I have pointed it out a few times though! He was wowing just as much as my mum and I at the new worktops today. Although he had to pay out even more money, he said at least it was worth it this time.

He was looking very down later on though. He still feels like the whole thing is out of control. I tried to cheer him up by saying he might get some compensation with the complaints I'm pursuing with Wickes but he doubts it. I'm a very determined woman though!

All I know is the boiler is a Vulcan as you can see from the pics. Don't know the model. It was here when we moved in over 30 years ago! British Gas tried to get my dad to change it many times! I've showed you the cut outs where the old vents were and the vent by the back door as well.

[Blue Mermaid]

PS Excuse all the dust We'll be cleaning the house from top to bottom when everything is finished.

[Blue Mermaid]

oops, missed out a pic:-

[thescruff]

Wish you'd shown it earlier.

The model/data should be on the plate inside.

Does that flue go into a chimney or up the outside.

I assume there was a full height louvre door on before.

You can change the vents for satin/chrome, either louvre or plain grill, but not hit and miss, once the door is fitted, in the meantime don't shut the door if it's not a louvre door, there's no where near enough ventilation in the pics.

What vents have you to outside.

When did BG last service it. Next time they'll condemn it, unless you can get more air in, ok I don't know the details or what you have at the moment, and it's important we do.

[Blue Mermaid]

We have a Corgi registered plumber who services it for us. We still have the old louvre door on at the moment (it is full height). I just had it open when I was taking the pics.

The plumber was here getting rid of old pipework in kitchen from radiators we took out and the builders did ask him about the ventilation. He said what we had was fine as long as we were having another louvre door. Said if we got a solid door, we would need an extra 2 vents.

He did say the vent by the back door should be bigger these days. British Gas fitted that one when we had the extension built 20 years ago.

[wine~o]

Worktop fitter has done a good job there...and in the corners I can't see the join..
As for the tiling I wouldn't use the beige one on the right, go for mostly the neutral one in the middle, and use the other two colours as random "accent" tilles

[thescruff]

He did say the vent by the back door should be bigger these days. British Gas fitted that one when we had the extension built 20 years ago.

It should be bigger now to meet the current regs. The RGI should either turn it off or provide a bigger vent.

That space where the unit is off the wall would have been ideal place to hide it.

[Blue Mermaid]

Thank you wine-o and glad you agree the worktop fitter did a good job.

I was telling my mum about the vent thescruff and have found out my dad is being subborn again (for no good reason). Mum told me the builders told my dad that the plumber said we need a bigger vent to meet current regulations and my dad refused, saying the plumber didn't know what he was talking about! Ummmm, he usually sings our plumbers praises! He was the same when British Gas said we needed that vent in the first place. Said they didn't know what they were talking about either! I shouldn't be so disloyal telling you all this but he drives me crazy! I have to fight him every step of the way as well as Wickes and the builders.

Years ago, he didn't get the boiler serviced for years (probably because he knew BG would condemn it). My mum and I were worried, so got a corgi registered person behind his back. He dismantled the workings of the gas fire in the lounge so that we couldn't turn it on, as it was dangerous (on carpet). My dad went mad when he found out. We had an awful row. So you see what I'm up against.

I don't understand him. The work is still ongoing anyway, so why not have all the right ventilation fitted now. Really, we should have had a new boiler fitted while we were having the new kitchen but if he doesn't want to do that, he should at least make the old one safe with adequate ventilation.

I wish, as you say, the plumber had spoken to him and said he would have to condemn the boiler if he didn't agree to adequate ventilation but I guess he assumed the builders would follow his instructions. I was actually there when he was telling them what was needed but I didn't know they'd told my dad and he'd refused. Even if the plumber has said this to my dad, he probably would have just told him to go. He won't be told what to do.

[thescruff]

The correct procedure, is for the RGI to say the ventilation isn't to current standards and request permission to turn it off, if however your Dad refuses, he will/should contact the gas utility supplier and they will cut the meter off, whether your Dad likes it or not.

I should say it's an offense and if anything goes wrong the RGI serves time in an HMS hotel.

[Blue Mermaid]

I had a call from the Wickes senior customer service guy today. I had previously told him all the mistakes the designer made. One of them was that he didn't see we had a gas meter at the end of the room where the broom cupboard is now situated (next to the washer and dryer). The designer told the guy today that he pointed that out when he measured up. Outright lie! Anyway, that was just one of the mistakes and I've explained all of them.

They're sending in the installations manager, so that he can go around the kitchen with me and see what happened for himself. I have all the evidence from the computer generated pictures the designer gave us at point of sale. He'll be able to see the gas meter was not noticed and that the beam going across the ceiling isn't even in the picture. He wants to talk to the builders about everything too. If from his feedback, they agree the designer made mistakes, they will pay towards our building costs.

Also, they have agreed to send the in-frame decorative end panels and some extra pelmet free of charge (yippee!). Only problem there is one of the builders said the other day, they wouldn't fit them on the larder cupboards, as it would mean dismantling them again and also the tiler might be here by then or something. Also, the guy who fitted the new worktops has neatly glued between those larder cupboard end panels and the worktops, so it would mean mucking that up. Not to mention, where the broom cupboard is and the designer refused to send a decorative end panel, that would have to be dismantled again and the top cupboards there moved a third time (plus the board inside the top right cupboard where they've made a little window to show the meter, which they had to do twice because the designer wouldn't send that end panel). I'll see what the installations manager says to them about all of that. Nervous about them doing them though, cos they'll probably bodge them! Also, that little cupboard under the beam would be a problem wouldn't it? The frame would be too long for it?