Is There Skirting Behind Your Built-in Furniture/feature Wall?

[wind30 2]

Hi people,

I am doing marble flooring that comes with skirting. For places with built in furniture and feature wall, is it the norm to lay the skirting first then do the carpentry?

My contractor decided to put in all the carpentry FIRST and only add skirting at the exposed wall even though I EXPLICITLY told her not to.

now she says no solution. Cannot take down the carpentry and only will add skirting on the remaining exposed wall. She says this is the norm for all her projects. I am worried next time I change my carpentry, I have a wall without skirting.

[chronograph 0]

I am worried next time I change my carpentry, I have a wall without skirting.

U already know the answer.

The usual practice is to put up skirting first then carpentry.

How much have u pay her? If not alot, ask her to rectify or u won;t pay.

[wind30 2]

U already know the answer.

The usual practice is to put up skirting first then carpentry.

How much have u pay her? If not alot, ask her to rectify or u won;t pay.

I have not paid her much but she say it is impossible as she have to tear down everything and do the skirting...

she say she will give me the marble skirting to keep so if next time I decide to tear down the carpentry I can add the skirting myself.

That should be ok right? Putting up skirting is very simple anyway.

And she say it looks better as the joining is smoother, you don't have to fill up the gap with silicon. The skirting is curved and you have to cut the cabinet to fit the skirting and there be an ugly joining line.

Edited April 13, 2010 by wind30

[chronograph 0]

I have not paid her much but she say it is impossible as she have to tear down everything and do the skirting...

she say she will give me the marble skirting to keep so if next time I decide to tear down the carpentry I can add the skirting myself.

That should be ok right? Putting up skirting is very simple anyway.

And she say it looks better as the joining is smoother, you don't have to fill up the gap with silicon. The skirting is curved and you have to cut the cabinet to fit the skirting and there be an ugly joining line.

Haa haa.... sorry can;t help it. Really sales talk. BTW, walls are not 90 degree... some slanted.

If u r confident that u can put up skirting on yourself and agreed to whatever she said, then i see no point starting this thread.

If it is me, no payment until it is fix. Or remove all other skirting so it will be same throughout.

[Praveen 0]

I wish well on this. I just hope she's really an expert and she would meet your expectations. Good luck!

[chronograph 0]

She is making TS pay for her mistake.

Carpentry can be put up can also be taken down, maybe damaged surface need minor touch up. As long as the frame/structure is not broke it can be salvaged.

The thing is she has to pay the rectifying cost which eats into her coms, that;s why the sweet talk. Easy to put up skirting, u try and u will know it is not that easy.

[nosaJ 0]

Skirting should be done first, then carpentry. This is norm. But it is easier to do carpentry then skirting because they will not need to cut the wood to fit the skirting. I think your contractor is taking an easy way out, but you discoverd it, and they are now trying to convince you to accept it. Insist that they change.

[leechaorui 2]

Hi Wind30, I think this is quite minor. You can give chance to the contractor,if you wish. Cheers!

[wind30 2]

thanks for the reply so now I know it is normal to put up skirting first.

Actually, for the EC which I bought last time, when I tore down one of the built in wardrobe during my reno, there was no skirting behind too.

I have worked with my contractor before 5 years back and we had quite a good relationship. She even used our place to place adverts on magazines.

So in the end, I just accepted her solution. I think the end product is almost the same either way.

[therat 18]

I don't know abt EC but for condo.

It is standard not to had skirting or tile behind any build-in cabinet or wardrobe.

[summerflowers 0]

I don't know abt EC but for condo.

It is standard not to had skirting or tile behind any build-in cabinet or wardrobe.

I feel that furniture will look better without a cutout at the back. Just my opinion.

[wind30 2]

I don't know abt EC but for condo.

It is standard not to had skirting or tile behind any build-in cabinet or wardrobe.

so it is standard NOT to have skirting behind built-in stuff right? provided both the capentry and skirting is done at the same time, ie by developer.

Of course if you do carpentry after hand over, you have to cut out the cabinet to fit the skirting.

[bepgof 20]

so it is standard NOT to have skirting behind built-in stuff right? provided both the capentry and skirting is done at the same time, ie by developer.

Of course if you do carpentry after hand over, you have to cut out the cabinet to fit the skirting.

There is no fixed rule, but it is wise to have skirting in place, whether HDB, EC or Condo, simply you don't know when you will tear down the old & replace with a new one. ID/contractors tend to "save cost", so they will say whatever "reasons" or "excuses".

Another area is the tiles behind kitchen cabinet. Before the quotation, I told ID I want to see the tiles up before the kitchen cabinet....

Edited April 18, 2010 by bepgof

[jaskel 2]

There is no right or wrong regard about this issue. It can be install with skirting or not to have skirting behind carpentry. The cost to install is not much at all in this case. Your contractor is also not taking an easy way out too. Cos either the cutting of the skirting to be done by tiler (after installing of the carpentry) or cutting of the carpentry by the carpenter (after installing of the skirting)

For a layman to install the skirting (not too many skirting to do), just purchase a marble glue, mix and spread it behind the skirting and paste only. No nailing, no cement.

Anyway, its still up to the house owner to decide what they want cos in the end, they are the one staying and paying for it, not the ID nor the contractor.

[wind30 2]

Another area is the tiles behind kitchen cabinet. Before the quotation, I told ID I want to see the tiles up before the kitchen cabinet....

? don't you have a kitchen cabinet base? It is concrete base right and so you cannot really tear down your cabinet unless you do major reno.

For my dry ktichen, it is not tiled and I have stainless steel backsplash. The bottom of the cabinet is elevated concrete base and also not tiled.

For Wet kitchen, it is concrete structure and aluminium cabinet. Only the exposed wall is tiled.