Most installation disputes are scope disputes. Write an eight-line matrix before the quote: carcass, doors, benchtop, appliances, plumbing, electrical, waste removal and snagging. Mark each line as included, excluded or by others. A single ambiguous line can cost 10–18% of the project.
Eight scope lines, each marked included, excluded or by others.
Installation is 10–18% of project cost.
Benchtop and services are usually by others.
A scope matrix prevents most disputes.
Snagging is part of the scope, not an extra.
1. Why scope matters
Installation is a sequence of tasks, and each task can sit with the cabinet installer, another trade or the client. If the matrix is not written, each side assumes the other. The dispute surfaces at handover, when it is expensive to resolve.
2. The eight lines
| # | Ligne | Propriétaire typique | Vidéo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carcasse | Cabinet installer | Level and fix |
| 2 | Portes et tiroirs | Cabinet installer | Hang and adjust |
| 3 | Benchtop | Specialist or installer | Template and seal |
| 4 | Électroménagers | Par d'autres | Opening and fixing |
| 5 | Plomberie | Par d'autres | Évier et robinet |
| 6 | Électricité | Par d'autres | Sockets and lights |
| 7 | Enlèvement de déchet | Installer or client | Packaging and offcuts |
| 8 | Accroc | Installateur | Liste fermée |
The matrix is the contract. If a line is not marked, it is not clear, and unclear lines become disputes.
3. Carcass and doors
The cabinet installer positions, levels and fixes the carcass, then hangs and adjusts the doors and drawers. That is the core scope and should be explicit. Anything beyond it, such as moving services or cutting the benchtop, is a separate line.
4. Paillasse
Stone benchtops are usually templated and fitted by a specialist after the carcass is fixed. Laminate may be fitted by the cabinet installer. The template timing and the sealing responsibility should be stated, because a delayed template delays the whole kitchen.
5. Appliances and services
The cabinet installer provides the opening and the fixing, not the connection. Plumbing, electrical and gas connections are by others, and the certificates are theirs. If the client expects the installer to connect, it should be stated and priced, because it changes the liability.
6. Waste removal
Packaging and offcuts have to go somewhere. On a city site, waste removal can cost more than the installation of a small unit. Mark it as installer, client or by others, and price it.
7. Snagging
Snagging is a walk-through with a written list, closed before handover. It is part of the installation scope, not an extra. The snag list template gives the format.
8. Writing the matrix
One page, eight lines, three columns: included, excluded, by others. Attach it to the quote and the purchase order. The séquence d'installation shows the order the lines are delivered in.
9. Une liste de vérification avant de s'engager
Avant de signer, veuillez confirmer six points : la qualité du circuit imprimé, le modèle de matériel, le système de finition, les normes d’emballage, le périmètre d’inspection et les modalités de paiement. Chaque point doit être confirmé par écrit, et non par téléphone. La liste de vérification du devis permet de synthétiser ces six éléments en un tableau comparatif d’une seule page.
10. Erreurs courantes
L'erreur la plus fréquente consiste à comparer le prix d'usine avec le coût final. La deuxième est d'omettre l'inspection du budget. La troisième est de payer le solde avant la validation de l'inspection. Chacune de ces erreurs est évitable grâce à un cahier des charges écrit et une inspection avant expédition.
11. Comment mesurer la pièce
Mesurez chaque mur en trois points : en haut, au milieu et en bas, et retenez la plus petite mesure. Les murs sont rarement d'équerre, et une courbure de 10 mm sur trois mètres modifie le remplissage. Mesurez le plafond à chaque angle et repérez les prises électriques, les radiateurs et les canalisations d'évacuation avant de dessiner. Un relevé précis est plus rapide qu'un dessin, et le guide de mesure est fourni avec une fiche imprimable.
13. Liste de contrôle des spécifications
Pour chaque matériau, indiquez quatre lignes : le nom du produit, sa nuance, son épaisseur et le traitement de surface ou de bord. Si le matériau est uniquement désigné par son nom, la nuance est laissée à l’appréciation du fabricant ; or, c’est la nuance qui détermine le coût et les performances.
14. Questions que l'usine posera
Attendez-vous à quatre questions : quelle nuance, quelle épaisseur, quel type de chant et de lot. Les réponses devraient déjà figurer dans le cahier des charges. Dans le cas contraire, l’usine choisira la solution la moins chère conforme au plan.
Foire aux questions
What should installation include?
Carcass position, level and fix; doors and drawers hung and adjusted; benchtop template, fit and seal; and a snag walk. Appliances and services are usually by others unless stated.
Is benchtop installation part of cabinet installation?
It depends on the contract. Stone benchtops are often by a specialist; laminate may be by the cabinet installer. Write it down.
Who connects the sink and tap?
Usually a plumber, not the cabinet installer. If the installer is expected to connect, it should be stated and priced.
Who connects the appliances?
Usually an electrician or an appliance fitter. The cabinet installer provides the opening and the fixing, not the connection.
What is a snag list?
A written list of defects found at the walk-through, agreed with the installer and closed before handover. It is the step that protects the handover date.
Why do installation disputes happen?
Because the scope was not written. One side assumes fitting, the other assumes delivery. A scope matrix prevents most of them.
