Repairing laminate worktop

[CHIPPYAL]

Just completed a small kitchen and I get a call. There is damage to the laminate around the sink. Now I know its not me because I cover all my work when finished to prevent these issues. Anyway the laminate has cracked and lifted and whoever did it has tried to stick the pieces down and has overlapped them so we have a crack and an edge.
Its a black granite look worktop. Is colourfill the option or is there an alternative, black colourfill looks more slate to me.

The customer is ok with it but I dont want to leave a job with my name on it looking like that

Any advice welcomed

Al

[big-all]

imho a waste off time and not your problem
but customer satisfaction get who ever damaged it to buy the worktop and you can fit

[CHIPPYAL]

Its not that easy I'm afraid, although everything points to the plumber, the customer was in a hurry and in one day had, me, a plumber, an electrician, a tiler, lino layer, and removal man. It was like 60 minute makeover.

Al

[royaloakcarpentry]

Had the same problem a couple of months ago.............a few weeks after the high gloss work tops were fitted, the old chestnut ' my cleaner has found a scratch'.

repair firm in to sort it out and client not happy. Then he decides that the cleaner has now found a scratch to another worktop and wants both replaced.

The moral is...........Just replace it and get the client to send you an email to confirm he is happy with the new work top, BEFORE you leave site.

Should have added, that if the client knows it was not you that did it then you need to charge him the full amount to replace.

[CHIPPYAL]

Bloody thing has been tiled already, and I got a good fit so not going to be easy to take out and replace. For my part i have a written receipt of completion so shouldnt worry but if I dont put it right it will feel unfinished.

I have a piece of worktop left over so may practice a little on repairing that, even considered colouring some wood filler to get into the breakout

Al

[royaloakcarpentry]

Bloody thing has been tiled already, and I got a good fit so not going to be easy to take out and replace. For my part i have a written receipt of completion so shouldnt worry but if I dont put it right it will feel unfinished.

I have a piece of worktop left over so may practice a little on repairing that, even considered colouring some wood filler to get into the breakout

Al

There is no need for it to 'feel unfinished'. You have been paid and at that time there was not any damage. It isn't down to you to repair it unless the client pays for it to be done and for any other works which follow on, such as hacking off tiles etc.

[Robert Clark]

Hi Al - In my experience there is no decent way to permanently repair a laminate worktop. The problem with using colourfill or similar is that the repair will be so shallow that the filler is likely to pop out in no time at all and that you will be forever refilling the damaged area.

To be fair to everyone concerned I would write to the customer explaining that when you left the job the worktops was in perfect condition, and that you took reasonable care whilst on site (you can mention how you cover the surface etc)

I would also mention the fact that someone has attempted to repair the damage (badly), and that you can not attempt a repair for the reason stated above.

I would then give the customer the option to have the worktop replaced and provide a quote for that work.

The decision is then the customers on whether to have the worktop replaced or to live with the damage.

Hope this helps

Robert