Joiner broke worktop by hacking grooves with a saw

rach_k

Yikes! I'd agree with previous posters that it may be a blessing in disguise - I wouldn't drain anything on my oak worktops, with or without grooves, as even when treated you still need to wipe up spills fairly quickly to keep the wood nice. In fact, I think grooves would make it more difficult to care for as it'll be hard to dry them properly.

Could you get a different work top for just around the sink? I've seen that done and it can look nice if you go for something that contrasts with the wood. Or get a drainer with a tray, or one that sits in/on your sink if it's big enough. I use one of these: http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/kitchen-products/kitchen-taps-sinks/domsj%C3%B6-colander-stainless-steel-art-20267338/ (says it's a colander but perfect as a drainer in my Ikea sink!), or you can get ones that hook into a bar on the wall with a tray underneath.

Richard_Overton_2911

Can't add much more than hasn't already been said.

The issue with these types of worktops is they are constructed from poor grades of timber and you should never ever use Sapwood because it rots very easily and before you know it you will have black mould . The Oak end grain around an underslung sink is asking for trouble because water will easily be drawn up the end grain and before long you will see black stains which is the tanic acid in the Oak and you cannot get rid of it.. If good quality Oak is used and made from long wide boards it can work well, look good and have the advantage over granite etc of being able to re-sand ,oil and look like new.. The problem is all these companies that sell "cheap solid Oak" worktops which just won't stand up long term. Any company selling Oak worktops that contain sapwood should be run out of town. With underslung/Belfast type sinks I would avoid all timber worktops apart from Iroko and only use other timbers for worktops with insert sinks.

The "Joiner" or "Carpenter" who did the job is not a tradesman because every Joiner or Carpenter would work out how to run drainage flutes even if he had never done them before. Even You tube can teach someone how to run them with a router with a guide bush ,flute cutter and straight edge.

Sorry OP that you have had a bad experience and hope you get it sorted...... Just to add I would recommend OSMO Worktop Oil for all timber worktops which is an excellent product and comes in either Matt or Satin finish.

Slinky

IMO wooden worktops in kitchens look lovely in pictures... and that's where they are best left. Life's too short for the maintenance required.

Help1234

Update - for anyone interested. He came back and fitted the new worktop without any grooves. He estimated this job would take him and his colleague 2 days but he is on day 4 and it!!!8217;s still not complete. He hasn!!!8217;t done the upstands and we also asked him to install a windowsill and box in the pipes with wood we bought. After day 3 he asked for £500 out of the £800 for the job which I paid. He has now asked for the full remaining balance and is very unhappy the job has taken so long and said he has made no money from this job. I can get someone else to do the window sill and box in the pipes but I really want him to install the upstands. He!!!8217;s paying for the worktop and has charged me £50 for some bits and pieces he had to buy so the remaining balance left to pay was £215. I!!!8217;ve paid him £115 and said the rest will come when the job is finished. He!!!8217;s not responded. He also took all his tools so I!!!8217;m not sure he!!!8217;s coming back. Worryingly though he didn!!!8217;t give our key back so I think we may need to change the locks.

Furts

Help1234 wrote: »

Update - for anyone interested. He came back and fitted the new worktop without any grooves.

Which means your draining board will be discharging water down the front face of your base unit doors and drawers. A recipe for a short life kitchen.


Was the overhang sorted at the Belfast Sink?

Jackmydad

Help1234 wrote: »

Update - for anyone interested. He came back and fitted the new worktop without any grooves. He estimated this job would take him and his colleague 2 days but he is on day 4 and it!!!8217;s still not complete. He hasn!!!8217;t done the upstands and we also asked him to install a windowsill and box in the pipes with wood we bought. After day 3 he asked for £500 out of the £800 for the job which I paid. He has now asked for the full remaining balance and is very unhappy the job has taken so long and said he has made no money from this job. I can get someone else to do the window sill and box in the pipes but I really want him to install the upstands. He!!!8217;s paying for the worktop and has charged me £50 for some bits and pieces he had to buy so the remaining balance left to pay was £215. I!!!8217;ve paid him £115 and said the rest will come when the job is finished. He!!!8217;s not responded. He also took all his tools so I!!!8217;m not sure he!!!8217;s coming back. Worryingly though he didn!!!8217;t give our key back so I think we may need to change the locks.

I'd definitely change the locks. I'd bill him for them as well. Really!

Norman_Castle

Help1234 wrote: »

He also took all his tools so I!!!8217;m not sure he!!!8217;s coming back. Worryingly though he didn!!!8217;t give our key back so I think we may need to change the locks.

I'd change the locks to stop him coming back. He doesn't know what he is doing.

Furts

Help1234 wrote: »

Update - for anyone interested. He came back and fitted the new worktop without any grooves. He estimated this job would take him and his colleague 2 days but he is on day 4 and it!!!8217;s still not complete. He hasn!!!8217;t done the upstands and we also asked him to install a windowsill and box in the pipes with wood we bought. After day 3 he asked for £500 out of the £800 for the job which I paid. He has now asked for the full remaining balance and is very unhappy the job has taken so long and said he has made no money from this job. I can get someone else to do the window sill and box in the pipes but I really want him to install the upstands. He!!!8217;s paying for the worktop and has charged me £50 for some bits and pieces he had to buy so the remaining balance left to pay was £215. I!!!8217;ve paid him £115 and said the rest will come when the job is finished. He!!!8217;s not responded. He also took all his tools so I!!!8217;m not sure he!!!8217;s coming back. Worryingly though he didn!!!8217;t give our key back so I think we may need to change the locks.

We still do not know about materials supply in particular who chose, and who sourced the appalling worktop.

What we do know is the job was meant to take four man days. In these days the crew paid for transport, insurance, holidays, sickness, accountants charges, an income, everything else and were meant to show a profit. This was to all be achieved by OP paying £200 per day.

The job is bad, but come along OP either be more up front with everybody on the costings or simply accept that if you pay peanuts you run the risk of monkeys doing your work.

Help1234

Furts wrote: »

The job is bad, but come along OP either be more up front with everybody on the costings or simply accept that if you pay peanuts you run the risk of monkeys doing your work.

What are you talking about? I got 3 different quotes for labour only and all came in at that price. Nice try turning their botch job round on me and making me the bad person. I gave them the job in good faith that they wouldn’t hack my worktop to death. At no point have I “not been up front” about money. No one has at any point asked me about costs but I have volunteered that information myself anyway earlier on. £800 for what was supposed to be for 2 days I did not think was bad and I didn’t know when this was quoted to me that two men would be doing the job. This is my first home and I apologise for being a novice, but you Furts are an internet troll.

Pdbaggett

Help1234 wrote: »

What are you talking about? I got 3 different quotes for labour only and all came in at that price. Nice try turning their botch job round on me and making me the bad person. I gave them the job in good faith that they wouldn’t hack my worktop to death. At no point have I “not been up front” about money. No one has at any point asked me about costs but I have volunteered that information myself anyway earlier on. £800 for what was supposed to be for 2 days I did not think was bad and I didn’t know when this was quoted to me that two men would be doing the job. This is my first home and I apologise for being a novice, but you Furts are an internet troll.

I wouldn't pay a great deal of attention to be honest, people seem to regard anything that doesn't cost absolute thousands as paying peanuts on here for some reason. Also some posters just seem overtly angry in general.

£270 a day for a chippy and helper is average in my area so your price seems fair.