Worktop query!

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Michelle Edwards

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Hi I have just had a kitchen extension and the builder also fitted my kitchen. I have square edged laminate worktop which he bolted together but not scribed. Is this normal as you can see the joints? Thanks in advance
 

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No, they should scribed.

the joint should be laminate to laminate -a half a mm gap is acceptable as the chipboard can fluff up making it difficult to pull tight - but the joint should be near on invisible.
 
Thanks for your quick response. He has said he could replace them if that’s what I want but that how they do square edge worktops. The trim edging has been left on which is why the gap is so big. He said he could replace or take the edging out and push back together but everything will be out mms. I wasn’t sure whether to live with it or get it replaced. Had no kitchen since April and I’m at the end of my tether now. He’s also replacing a damaged end panel and the worktop on my back units. I don’t think this is acceptable either. What do you think?
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Michelle Edwards said:
Thanks for your quick response. He has said he could replace them if that’s what I want but that how they do square edge worktops. The trim edging has been left on which is why the gap is so big. He said he could replace or take the edging out and push back together but everything will be out mms. I wasn’t sure whether to live with it or get it replaced. Had no kitchen since April and I’m at the end of my tether now. He’s also replacing a damaged end panel and the worktop on my back units. I don’t think this is acceptable either. What do you think? View attachment 242353
Click to expand...

Was it a kitchen fitter you had? why is there all that clear silicone at the bottom of the upstand?
 
He did ask if we wanted white or clear and we chose clear. Not too sure now. He was our builder who said he has fitted loads of kitchens
 
That's a "cheap" job not up to normal kitchen fitting standards. If that's what you asked for then... "It'll do". At a pinch.
Did you choose a non-rounded worktop edge to save money, or just because you preferred it?

Leaving the front edge strip going across the worktop a the joint is pretty nasty because it has a rounded top corner so you get an unnecessary groove. Silicone always looks grubby after a while. It looks like they don't match either - yuk, it looks tatty . Normally you'd use a "worktop jig" so the immediate corner has a joint at 45° then straight so a thin strip of worktop front edge is removed. Google the router jigs... like https://www.toolstation.com/trend-kitchen-worktop-jig/p94888

Yes it would need a slightly longer bit of worktop to get the right length with the right joint - but if it was his choice to do it on the cheap then he's a a bodger and you shouldn't let him get away with it. HE would need to buy new worktop to get the lengths right.

That silicone on the upstand is errrrrr - crap. As Notch says, all the lines should be straight clean and shut so when they're pulled up tight there isn't ANY gap to fill. OK you'd put some white silicone in the joint to stop water getting in but if the laminate doesn't have a texture that's all it's for.

Two routered scribed joints is a couple of hours (4 cuts), less for the upstands.

Usually in a U shaped kitchen worktop the walls aren't millimeter parallel/square so you can angle the scribed joints a tiny bit so there aren't gaps to the walls as you go down the lengths away from the corners. That's a big benefit of using them.
 
Thanks for your response. I chose the square edge as I preferred it and it was actually more expensive. I didn’t think it would come with an edging strip though….I thought it was a solid edge but was my choice I guess. It’s the joining that my main concerns are. I expected butt & scribe but the fitter has confirmed he didn’t scribe it. He doesn’t do that with square edge work tops ‍♀️ He did advise if he will either change the work tops and butt & scribe them or take the edging strip off and push them together. I decided to go with new tops and butt & scribe as I originally expected. He’s not replied to me yet
 
I’ve paid half already. Really don’t want him back so gonna have to leave it the way it is. Only really noticeable to us but still it should be done properly. I’m gutted
 
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