Kevin M. Padden
AZ School of Rock & KM Padden Consulting

WHY DO YOU NEED TO BE ADAMANT IN YOUR REQUIRING THE COOKTOP ON THE DAY OF INSTALLATION? WELL, HERE’S A COUPLE OF INSIGHTS INTO WHY I ALWAYS REQUIRE THEM FROM MY CUSTOMER:

When you do a kitchen countertop application that requires a cooktop cutout, you are essentially cutting a big hole for the cooktop to fit down into (this is a no brainer), but what many fabricators and their customers fail to realize (if they have not become victim to the “cut dimension diagram and the evil screws” syndrome), is that “cut dimensions” are not always accurate.

Regardless of whether a cooktop is gas or electric, many manufactures “house” or “envelope” the working guts of the unit. That means they’re placed in a sheet metal housing that fits down into the hole, in the underside that is not visible when the unit is installed.

Most of the cooktops in use today come with cut dimensions that offer some measure of guidance from the manufacturer, that give guys like you and me a “heads up” for the size of the opening that we are supposed to be creating, in order for said cooktop to sit in the kitchen and look great.

The problem with “cut dimensions” is that they are not always accurate. I am speaking for myself in this department, as I have been the victim of the “evil screws” that created a callback to the jobsite – when I really did not need to have a call back.

Here’s why I am so adamant when it comes to having the cooktop on the jobsite, on the day of installation: When I use “cut dimensions” to make the hole for the cooktop, the engineers at Viking, Kitchen Aide, Jennair, GE, Kenmore, et al, will give me the dimensions of the steel box that surrounds the guts of the cooktop, but many of these guys fail to take into consideration the screw heads that stick out (that are used to contain the sheet metal box on the underside of the cooktop).

After about the third time of the customer calling me after the job was done, but informing me that I cut the cooktop too small, it dawned on me that the screws that stick out on the steel box were “hanging up” on the opening (cut exactly to the “cut dimensions” provided by the manufacturer). I would cut the opening “to the specs” of the manufacturer, the get a call back because the appliance guy who was at the home days or weeks after I had installed the countertops, said I “cut the opening wrong” and needed me to come back and make the opening larger, because the little screws on the outside of the steel box of the unit were hanging up on the opening!

After about three times of this same scenario playing out, I decided to be more assertive and eliminate the call back calls by insisting that my customer physically had the unit on the jobsite on the day of install.

Yes, it’s an extra hassle for the customer. Yes, it is an extra step they have to do for you, but if you can explain that it’ll save them a $250 “call back fee,” you will see a mad rush by your clients to have that cooktop on the jobsite for you to test fit into the opening on the day of install. This will save you time and effort, especially since the potential of a call back to make room for the “evil screws” will be eliminated! I have been using this technique to save me time for over ten years and it works every time.

Have the cooktop unit on the jobsite on the day of installation and your customer will save themselves a call back fee, and you will have more time to devote to the next job, instead of going back to make room for “the evil screws.” LOL!

Until Next Month – Best Regards & Happy Fabricating!

“Cooktop Cutouts” is a Hands-On Fabrication topic that is taught each month by Kevin M. Padden at the AZ School of Rock in Gilbert, Arizona. For more information on classes, contact Kevin at 480-309-9422 or online at www.azschoolofrock.com.