Help - Laundry bench height too low for front loader

It’s a new build. Moved into house 5 months ago and have an existing front loader which would not fit into under the laundry bench.
We realised what the problem was eventually as the order of events was as such:
1. Cabinet maker measured current front loader to fit under bench

2. Water proofing layed

3. Cabinet maker came in and installed bench

4. Builder layed down ‘bedding’ (which is an inch step up from the natural floor – this is required because it is a full bathroom (with shower)/laundry combined

5. Now front loader would not fit due to the ‘bedding’ which raised the natural floor up at least an inch

As goodwill, cabinet maker will fix for free by taking the bench out and raising it and re-install it an inch higher over the existing tile splashback (easy and cheaper fix than to rip tiles out which has power points and wall mounted taps and retile) – trouble is what if a tile broke in future and needs replacing in which case we’d have to rip the bench out to replace broken tile.

Builder won’t have anything to do with it.

If the order of 3 & 4 was flipped around – there would not be a problem. This is my cabinet maker (my builder let me go with my own with reluctance before signing the contract to build). But even if it's his cabinet maker I would think they would do the easy fix too.

What should I do – go with the easy fix? Or take it to a 3rd party. I have only spoken to BSA and they may not be able to do anything because it is not defective as such that it’s not leaking or not structurally sound but that I should take it to a lawyer for something like this?

Any feedback you can give will be appreciated.

Thanks.

What does your contract state? Do your plans show heights of finished benches? If so they have to furnish what is specified.

I think it sounds like a practical solution. It is a laundry area so not likely to have a lot of water splashed around to be a problem getting down the tiles behind the benchtop. And, I've never had a broken tile in any house I've lived in. Perhaps if it was going to be a rental property the risks are higher but still not that high a risk.

[quote="kyton"]What does your contract state? Do your plans show heights of finished benches? If so they have to furnish what is specified.[/quote]

unfortunately specs don't specify down to height level. The cabinet maker had the height measured but the bedding put down by my builder went down after cabinets were installed/finished/payed for. My cabinet maker is willing to fix it the cheaper way but obviously as the home owner we'd prefer to have it fixed properly by tearing out the splashback tiles and retiling (a very expensive fix as all trades will be involved). I'm at a loss

[quote="kb46"]I think it sounds like a practical solution. It is a laundry area so not likely to have a lot of water splashed around to be a problem getting down the tiles behind the benchtop. And, I've never had a broken tile in any house I've lived in. Perhaps if it was going to be a rental property the risks are higher but still not that high a risk.[/quote]


Thanks - i would love to go down this way too - as i really don't have the resources to take it any further!

Unfortunately, sounds like a lack of communication



You did know this was going to happen, as it's required?





Sad but can understand why, really, he reluctantly agreed to you using your own joiner and it probably wouldn't have happened if you hadn't

I'm truly sorry for your situation but honestly don't see how you can hold the builder responsible

......and I would have to get it fixed properly myself.

[quote="suh"]Unfortunately, sounds like a lack of communication

[quote="su ann"]
Builder layed down ‘bedding’ (which is an inch step up from the natural floor – this is required because it is a full bathroom (with shower)/laundry combined[/quote]

You did know this was going to happen, as it's required?

[quote]This is my cabinet maker (my builder let me go with my own with reluctance before signing the contract to build)[/quote]

[quote]Builder won’t have anything to do with it[/quote]

Sad but can understand why, really, he reluctantly agreed to you using your own joiner and it probably wouldn't have happened if you hadn't

I'm truly sorry for your situation but honestly don't see how you can hold the builder responsible

......and I would have to get it fixed properly myself.[/quote]

i have had a construction lawyer's opinion and he said it would be the builder's fault as it was he who was the only one who can allow the cabinet maker to go ahead at that time - he should have had the bedding down first (but apparently this can be put down before or after the cabinets). I didn't realise bedding existed till now - i knew about water proofing. agree it's a communication issue.

Good point..... the builder had to let the cabinet maker into the house to measure? personally? and didn't bother to mention the floor and the cabinet maker didn't think to ask whether the floor would need screeding

A tiler who nearly did our house was going to screed our kitchen/lounge/dining and hallway which is on the top level, he said it was the only way to get the floor level. I said, sorry but if you do that it will put the level of the floor up the skirting and the kickboard in the kitchen ...and there was no way that was happening. He wouldn't do it any other way. Fortunately for us he couldn't start when we wanted him to and we found another brilliant tiler, obviously with more experience than him. New tiler didn't even mention screeding, and the tiling job is fantastic. If we hadn't discussed it, and he had just gone ahead doing it his way, I would have been moritifed

If I have learnt anything with building, it's to ask about every.....little.....thing. Sorry su ann it doesn't help you, just a story about communication I guess. Maybe if you put a bit more pressure on the builder he would go halves in fixing it properly.