Howdens 600 sink unit

Kakes88

Hi all,

Recently had a Howdens kitchen installed and today we noticed that the kitchen fitters have cut a small piece out of the wood across the top to make space for the door hinge which does not look right to us. Unfortunately we fell out with the fitters so can’t ask them. 

It definitely seems to be in the way of the door closing properly, but it doesn’t seem to make sense from a design perspective to have to do that - can anyone explain why this may be?

Thanks 🙂

grumbler

Most likely, they used an incorrect part. Possibly, the small horizontal 'shelf' from the back.

Neil49

I am absolutely no expert on kitchen fitting but my immediate thoughts are that the sink unit is being supported by the cupboard frame whereas a typical pressed steel sink would be supported by the work surface.

I'm guessing that the extra deep horizontal section (with the cutout) is there for strength. Normally that piece would be the same depth as the side pieces of the unit (less than an inch). 

Kakes88

grumbler said:

Most likely, they used an incorrect part. Possibly, the small horizontal 'shelf' from the back.

Thank you for your reply.  

It came already assembled and we still have that back bit waiting to be put in, so that doesn’t seem to be the issue. 

mi-key

Probably just a design mess up when they had them manufactured then realised the hinge didn't have quite enough clearance. It really doesn't make any difference though. From the look of the pic it looks like the hinge plate on the door would very nearly clear it

mi-key

Actually looking at yours it looks like the hinge would clear it, but it wouldn't do or could catch if the hinge on the cabinet was adjusted slightly higher. It could be they cut them all off before delivery, or they just do it as a matter of course when fitting them.

 

grumbler

mi-key said:

...if the hinge on the cabinet was adjusted slightly higher.

I don't think that these hinges can be adjusted in vertical direction.

FreeBear

grumbler said:

mi-key said:

...if the hinge on the cabinet was adjusted slightly higher.

I don't think that these hinges can be adjusted in vertical direction.

The backplate fixed to the carcass has slots in it, so there is a small amount of vertical adjustment.

Leon_W

The problem isn't with the carcass but the door that's fitted to it.  It's obvious that the door has the hinge location too high and the only way to get the hinge to close properly is cut the carcass.  The only other way of doing it is to lower the hinge location on the door but that would leave an ugly routed rebate visible when you opened the door.

If it were me, I'd have cut another rebate in the door lower down to fit the hinge and clear the carcass, then fit a plastic blank into the original door hinge location point (like on the front leading edge of the door in your photos) .  That cutout in the carcass is quite ugly but in the grand scheme of things, when the doors shut who's going to notice ?

Kakes88

Leon_W said:

The problem isn't with the carcass but the door that's fitted to it.  It's obvious that the door has the hinge location too high and the only way to get the hinge to close properly is cut the carcass.  The only other way of doing it is to lower the hinge location on the door but that would leave an ugly routed rebate visible when you opened the door.

If it were me, I'd have cut another rebate in the door lower down to fit the hinge and clear the carcass, then fit a plastic blank into the original door hinge location point (like on the front leading edge of the door in your photos) .  That cutout in the carcass is quite ugly but in the grand scheme of things, when the doors shut who's going to notice ?

Thank you for your reply. 

We hate the cutout a lot and just trying to figure out what to do. We’re meant to be having the worktop installed on Monday, but now we’re honestly considering pushing it back in order to get the carcass replaced. 

Oh the joys of a renovation 🙃

Leon_W

What I don't get is that the carcass would usually have the holes pre-drilled to locate the hinge screws.  There is no way on earth those holes would have been in such a position that you have to make a "cut out".

Equally, door hinge spacing is pretty standard, but in your photos the hinge location seems quite high up on the door ?

Are the doors from somewhere else other than Howdens ?  I can't see Howdens making such an error but maybe they have.  Perhaps your issue is with them rather than the fitters who've only done thier best with the door and carcass they were supplied with.