Our kitchen is still on hold

[popcorn]

So we ordered our kitchen from Ikea about 8 weeks ago. Yeah, I think it ws 8 weeks ago. They called after 5ish weeks (we had to get our countertop custom cut which takes longer) they called to arrange delivery and installation for three weeks later. Well, today was supposed to be the installation. Everything was delivered yesterday.

The guy got here and told us that we need a different/new wire to be able to hook up the oven and the stove at the same time. We also need a new pipe connection for the sink. WTF! The worst is that when we spoke to the Ikea person on the phone who spoke English he told us we should've paid for someone to come out and inspect the kitchen--take measurements and make sure everything is prepared for a kitche installation--but we did that! We did that before we even ordered the kitchen. And we paid 70 euros for it. At first he didn't even believe us and we had to pull out the paper and give him the order number before he realized we were telling the truth.

So anyway, we need these things before the kitchen can be installed and our hausmeister (sp?) is supposed to find an electrician to come fix these problems. But not today. And if it's not today there is no way in hell we are getting this kitchen in before I leave for the US on MONDAY.

I cried when I found this out. Chalk it up to hormones, but I am so unhappy about this. In case you haven't noticed we've been living here for 10 and a half weeks without a kitchen. And now we will have to wait for it to be installed probably another four weeks based on our availability in the upcoming weeks.

I will never buy a kitchen from Ikea again. If we had the chance to do this over we would buy a kitchen at Toom (a hardware store like Home Depot) where they accept freaking credit cards (Ikea doesn't) so we could get points for the purchase and they probably would've been faster.

Sorry if I've been complaining about being kitchenless too much, but I try not to be super negative about it with DH because there's just no point to that. We are both frustrated and I won't complain to him about it when he's dealing with the same thing. So here is one of my only outlets.

Oh well, at least I am leaving soon for a month and will get a break from all this shiit.

[allibally]

Oh my god. 0.0 Your Hausmeister can't let the worker in while your gone?

This is why taking your kitchen with you is the dumbest thing about apartment life in Germany.

[travelingturtle]

This is ridiculous. And to be honest, I would doubt that the other place is much better (except for the credit card thing). We had a similar, but much smaller, situation when we moved with our internet. We had to wait quite a bit for the internet and then they came to the apartment and told us that not only did we not have the connection the landlord told us we had, but we had to wait again just as long as we had the for the first appointment. Then, when they finally came and did it all, they left all the mess/boxes/dust they made on the floor. So... be prepared for that, too.

And I agree with Allibally, the kitchen is the most annoying thing. Our place came with a kitchen. We had a friend who had to get a kitchen installed. It was in an open floor plan room. There was a small area that was tiled, whereas the rest was wood floors. Ikea wanted to charge them several thousand more than they were expecting it to be. It turns out the tiled area was a few inches smaller than what the cabinets would fit and instead of talking to them about it, they were going to make a more custom design so that the kitchen would be within the tile area. They were able to get it sorted and the kitchen extends to the wood area and you can't even notice it at all. Even though I know that it's not right, I can't even tell.

Oh, and I don't think it's hormones. I think it's the need to have a kitchen and being reasonable in your expectations that aren't being met. 10 weeks is too long. 10 days would've been too long.

[americaninoz]

That stinks

[popcorn]

Jul 10, 2012 3:08:36 GMT -5 allibally said:

Oh my god. 0.0 Your Hausmeister can't let the worker in while your gone?
.

Hmm, I don't know about that. I know we'd like to be here during the installation just because we don't like the idea of people in our house when we're out. Paranoia probably. Anyway, it doesn't matter a whole lot for me if it takes weeks more because I'll be out of the country, but DH will be here most of that time. I'm sure something will get figured out soon, but I am just feeling hopeless and helpless about the whole situation.

travelingturtle You are probably right that it wouldn't be any better with the other company except for the credit card issue. And yes, I agree 10 days was too long and 10 weeks is insane. I just don't know how we could've done things differently to have a kitchen ordered before we moved.

[travelingturtle]

I know (re: what you could've done differently). That's what's frustrating, too. You can't even have something like this happen and think "well next time I know x, y, and z". I'm sorry you have to deal with it. This is one of the 100s of reasons I don't want to move from my small apartment to something a bit bigger.

What do you have at your house that allows you to cook? Do you have anyway to keep things cool or warm things up?

[popcorn]

Jul 10, 2012 3:46:48 GMT -5 travelingturtle said:

I know (re: what you could've done differently). That's what's frustrating, too. You can't even have something like this happen and think "well next time I know x, y, and z". I'm sorry you have to deal with it. This is one of the 100s of reasons I don't want to move from my small apartment to something a bit bigger.

What do you have at your house that allows you to cook? Do you have anyway to keep things cool or warm things up?

We have a fridge, microwave, crock pot, and blender. I've made some fresh salsa and hummus recently and I can make smoothies. And I can cook things in the crock pot and they will freeze for a while so I've done some big batches of chili and some chicken. But I am so lazy for cooking in the crock pot because then I have to wash it in the bathtub. I feel like some backwoods hillbilly washing things in the bathroom! I think the biggest issue is not having one single room where all our food, washing area, and cooking area are. Right now when I want to make a salad I have to take all the veggies to the bathroom to wash them then chop stuff in the living room. Most of our dry ingredients are in the living room so things are assembled there. But cold things are in the fridge. It's just a big old mess and I was so much more than ready to have the nightmare be over.

I think I am going to go to the mall to get my mind off things. Staying at home might make me more upset.

[allibally]

Jul 10, 2012 3:36:53 GMT -5 popcorn said:

Jul 10, 2012 3:08:36 GMT -5 allibally said:

Oh my god. 0.0 Your Hausmeister can't let the worker in while your gone?
.

Hmm, I don't know about that. I know we'd like to be here during the installation just because we don't like the idea of people in our house when we're out. Paranoia probably. Anyway, it doesn't matter a whole lot for me if it takes weeks more because I'll be out of the country, but DH will be here most of that time. I'm sure something will get figured out soon, but I am just feeling hopeless and helpless about the whole situation.

Totally get that. I'm the same way.

[irish]

Oh my god! That is horrendous!!! So much for German efficiency!!!! 10 weeks is crazy even if a) you weren't pregnant and b) you didn't have an 8 month old baby!!! You have a lot more patience than I do.

I remember when I was younger (like 13) we had work done in the house and the kitchen was being totally gutted - we had no kitchen for a couple of weeks and everything was microwaved basically... drove us nuts with the washing up too... and I was the eldest of 5 kids, my youngest brother was only a few months old...

Take solace in the fact that you have an escape on Monday!!!

[crimsonandclover]

Oh my gosh. :- ( I'm so sorry you have to deal with that. And amen to allibally's comment about taking your kitchen with you. Absolutely idiotic. I hope that at least by the time you get back, it's all sorted out and you have a kitchen!!!

[Wanderista]

Wow that sucks. I'm really sorry to hear about it. I'm glad that you'll get a respite in the US though sorry if the problem isn't solved before then.