Replacing kitchen laminate worktops

TUS

OK, so the wife put a hot pan down on the laminate worktop in the kitchen of our rented house last night and it has left a big burn mark. It's not just a brown mark but has actually melted through the laminate.

Obviously we need to do something about it. Will be informing the LL shortly, but wanted to have a couple of ideas about how I can sort it first - as would prefer to keep it as cheap as possible.

Here's the options as I see it:

1/ Replace the 1 section that is burnt, like-for-like. Pro is that this is probably the easiest fix. Con is that I wouldnt know where to start in finding a matching worktop :-(

2/ Cut a hole out of the worktop and replace with a wooden chopping board. Not sure LL would go for this and the burn may be too close to the edge of the side to make it look decent.

3/ Replace ALL the worktops in the kitchen. I suspect this is what LL will want done, and probably fairly so. If we have to pay for it all (again, am assuming we will have to) I have seen some cheap but nice looking worktops at Ikea which I'd buy. Probably looking at about £70 for enough worktop to do the lot as it isnt a massive kitchen.



... so I am leaning towards option 3, despite it probably being more expensive. Next issue is installing it. I've never done this before, don't have the tools and dont want to waste worktop by messing up. So do I hire in tools, read up like mad, get a competent relative in to help and have a crack. Or do I pay a kitchen fitter to come in and do it all for me?

I guess I want to know HOW DIY-able it would be, and roughly what a fitter would charge to do it. If it gets close to tool hire, it makes sense I guess.

We are talking about 3 sides, each about 1.5m long. One with a sink and one with a hob. The existing sides seem to slot under the tiles and I dont think the tiles would be affected by removing them. And they can be used as templates for cutting the new ones.

All advice is appreciated!

sooz

Do you have accidental damage as part of your contents insurance?

If so, I'd consider making a claim.

I would not try to DIY worktop fitting if you've never done it before. Even my very good builder calls his carpenter in for worktops. With 3 lengths you'll need 2 joins, if it's a C shaped kitchen

Talk to your landlord & explain the mistake, & that you want to put it right before you move (even assuming you are not planning on moving soon, you don't want to look at a brown burn)

Then ask how old the worktop is. The LL must make allowances for wear & tear, so if not new, you shouldn't have to pay for new worktop. Not that you can put old stuff in, but you pay for the remaining life expectancy of it, & your LL pays the rest up to new value.

The tiles will have been fitted after the worktop, so it may not slot under it so well, even if you buy exactly the same thickness. Some retiling may be necessary, however careful you or the fitter are.

poppasmurf_bewdley

Insurance is probably the best way to go. Even if you don't have contents insurance, the Landlord may have for his fittings and fixtures.

TUS

Thanks both - certainly going to ask the LL about insurance. Contents insurance (with accidental) doesn't cover this sort of thing apparently - you need building insurance with accidental which I obviously don't have.

I hadn't thought about paying the remaining life expectancy of the the worktop - although the LL only bought the house in 2008 and they are definitely older that than, so I'm not sure how either of us would be able to judge their age. What is the life expectancy anyway - 10 years?

Turns out we have a carpenter in the family who may be able to fit them for free for us ... so that is still a possibility. I could manage with footing the cost of new tops from Ikea. The tiles are worrying me now though ... I'll have to get him around to take a look I suppose.