Solid laminate faucet installation and others

Discussion in 'Kitchen Fitters' Talk' started by hotdogdog, Mar 3, 2021.

  1. hotdogdog

    hotdogdog New Member

    Hey everyone,

    I come with some questions regarding the installation of our kitchen. We have a solid laminate worktop (12 mm) and our contractor has already installed it. The sink was installed today, but now he says that our original plan of having the faucet plus two soap dispensers and a drain button would be too much for such a flimsy worktop. Besides, the pull down faucet that we chose is too big and heavy, so the worktop would also not stand its constant movement. We were told to buy another normal lightweight faucet (something like this).

    Is this right? Our contractor saw our products and what we wanted to install before, but only now is he saying this, and has no previous experience with solid laminate, so this is why we are not so sure of his advice. I would really appreciate some input from people who have already installed this kind of worktop, since other internet pictures have similar faucets to ours. Is it really that fragile? I have attached some pictures too. We can also install one dispenser instead of two, but we would really like to have our chosen faucet.

    Worktop: Solid laminate 12 mm
    Cabinet: 60 cm
    Things to install:
    -Faucet: link from Amazon, photo attached
    -Two holes for soap and dish soap
    -Hole for drain button (this thing)
    Space between wall and sink: 14,3 cm

    As an extra question: we saw in online videos that you are supposed to cut the holes for basically everything before installing the worktop. But ours was first installed, and now are the holes being cut. Should we prepared to have it break in the process : ( ?

    Thank you!!
     

    Attached Files:

  2. kitfit1

    kitfit1 Screwfix Select

    There will be no problem with 3 35mm holes in your proposed positions. I'm not sure why the sink was fitted as an Inset sink, rather than an underslung sink though ?
     
  3. hotdogdog

    hotdogdog New Member

    Thanks! We wanted an undersink, but the person building it said it was too risky, it would fall, and was afraid of drilling through the worktop. We accepted because we trusted his judgement, although seeing so many photos online I don't believe that all installed undersinks will eventually fall.
     
  4. Jiml86

    Jiml86 Screwfix Select

    The worktop isn’t heavy duty but once it’s adequately supported from underneath I can’t imagine it would be any issue.
     
  5. hotdogdog

    hotdogdog New Member

    silly question, but what would be the support? you mean for an undermount sink or the plate itself? (the plate was glued to the IKEA metod cabinets)
     
  6. Jiml86

    Jiml86 Screwfix Select

    The cabinets are the supports essentially. Imo once the counter top is not suspended over a large span strength, as your installer mentions isn’t an issue. In short I think he’s talking out his rear as regards the drain you want.
     
  7. hotdogdog

    hotdogdog New Member

    That's what I thought :/ Thanks for the info!
     
  8. Jiml86

    Jiml86 Screwfix Select

    *drain, I’m meant drawing. IMO it would have been much easier drill or jigsaw out holes before it went on but it should still be possible.
     
  9. I-Man

    I-Man Screwfix Select

    If the sink was mounted underneath, it was leave exposed worktop - never used laminate worktops before, so not sure if suitable for that??
     
  10. Max22

    Max22 Member

    12mm zenith tops are ideal for undermount sinks as they are solid throughout.

    No idea why the fitter would say its too risky??? The sink should be fitted with battens spanning the cabinet to support the sink and then silicone around the top when fitting worktop.

    Are you sure he is a kitchen fitter? Doesn’t sound very confident
     
  11. hotdogdog

    hotdogdog New Member

    Yeah, all his other work is actually great. I think he just never had to work with solid laminate (didn't know about it?) and underestimated how much work it would be to cut and fit it
     
    Tilt likes this.
  12. kitfit1

    kitfit1 Screwfix Select

    Unfortunately at the moment we are seeing more and more of this sort of thing. One thing that all sorts of people looking for work to be done completely seem to forget is, has the person that is doing this ever done it before ? As a kitchen fitter myself, yes i have. But when i want to have my BMW serviced, would i go to Kwick Fit ? I think not.

    More and more we see people coming on here because of bad workmanship, or frankly just incompetent and overpriced workmanship.
    What it would be nice to see on here is people just looking for advice before even stepping out on the path to having it done in the first place. Because it would certainly save a lot of stress and probably a lot of money as well.
     
    longboat likes this.
  13. Tilt

    Tilt Screwfix Select

    I like that...... you are not slating the fitter.

    Hindsight would have done some research on fitting this stuff before...... that is both you AND the fitter, by the sounds of it. but moreso the fitter.

    We don't know if the work was overpriced, but yes I will agree that even if a contractor has underestimated the job, THAT SHOULD BE ON HIM, and not to detriment the finished work.

    The fitter should at least have spoken to you (mid job) when he realised the excess of the work involved and discussed options with you.

    It sounds like you know this fitter..... I will call him a fitter, but maybe not so much of a professional one, or he would have spoken to you...... were you around during the works??????
     
  14. The Happy Builder

    The Happy Builder Screwfix Select

    I’d drill and fit all of those accessories for you, so long as you have supplied the complete kitchen including worktops and the accessories along with the installation drawings.

    If the worktops snap after it’s finished that would be your problem.
     
  15. hotdogdog

    hotdogdog New Member

    That's what we wanted to know, if it was for sure that it'd break or just a "I don't know and would rather not risk it", so we could avoid breaking the worktop.

    We were here, but the questions about the worktop started after he tried fitting it. We would have been fine if he told us at the beginning to take someone else for the job, but in the end he's doing it. I don't really think we're being overcharged at least, and read somewhere on the forum that fitting this kind of worktop costs more than a normal laminate one (expected). We are not hating on him since this part of the kitchen building is the only one that gave us some questions, but the rest looks good and we didn't have any problem with him.

    We thought we had informed ourselves well enough and chosen a person that could do the job, but we couldn't save ourselves from the stress : P The thing is that sometimes you don't even think you need extra advice about something (like our four holes in front of the sink) until you do. We saw kitchens with three, so what's one more? And faucets are always installed, so we have no way of knowing if a faucet is "too heavy" or whatever, or if it that doesn't even matter. At least we learn and are more prepared for whatever next work/renovation we might need at home.
     
    kitfit1 likes this.
  16. The Happy Builder

    The Happy Builder Screwfix Select

    Some years I went into a kitchen showroom on the Isle of Man that was part of a shopping centre that was effectively a department store, the guy who owned it laughed when I said they had made a good job of repairing the solid surface worktop where it had snapped across the hob cut out.

    He said I wasn’t supposed to notice that, the worktop had been fabricated in England at the same workshop as the firm I was working for used, then packed up and shipped to the Isle of Man by road and ferry, then they got it into the customers house and it snapped as they lift it into place.

    So they started all over again, got another worktop fabricated and shipped over to fit in the customers home and repaired the damaged one to use in the showroom. As far as he knew no one else had spotted the repairs, they were really good.

    I have seen other solid surface worktops that have snapped as well as granite, it happens, usually when there’s a large cut out for a job or sink.

    There are rather a lot of holes in that slip behind the sink, I am not surprised the fitter is being cautious.

    At the very least I would want to get a support bracket onto the bottom of the taps.
     
  17. kitfit1

    kitfit1 Screwfix Select

    Because you keep using the word "Faucet" i presume you either live in the USA or are an American living in the UK ?

    Solid laminate worktops are actually the hardest worktops there are other than solid Granite. Because of that they do need some knowledge to actually machine them. The best way is using diamond tip cutters, very fast and and very safe for the fitter. Anything else will be very labour intensive and will blunt a blade within seconds.
    One would have expected your fitter to have have known that, or at the very least said "i'm sorry i cant do that" and ask you to get someone else to do it that was experienced. The amount of holes behind the sink by the way are for all intent and purpose neither here nor there. The worktop will not break because of 4 35mm holes.
     
  18. hotdogdog

    hotdogdog New Member

    Thanks for the info! And actually English is not my mother tongue and I'm living somewhere that uses another language (not mine) so for these things, it's an adventure of translating and retranslating terms (it took a while to find "solid laminate").

    Oh good to know that it can be fixed! But for sure we would like to minimize that risk, thanks for tip
     
  19. Clarky94

    Clarky94 New Member

    I have just had a Zenith worktop fitted by a bit Shed Store - they supplied the kitchen and the fitter so you would expect that you would get someone that has fitted this before - There are burn marks underneath the induction hob where the recess has been cut, both the butt joints have lips and are not smooth, the is a high spot in the worktop where you can rock a spirit level - so we got the fitter from the store and its still hasn't been done correctly
     
  20. kitfit1

    kitfit1 Screwfix Select

    What big shed store was it ? None of them use their own fitters, so they wouldn't have a clue if any given fitter had ever done the job before.
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice