Finding a problem with your kitchen cabinets after delivery does not necessarily mean the entire project has to stop. However, what the customer and installer do next is important. If a cabinet is damaged, incorrect, or missing a component, identify, document, and report the issue to the cabinet supplier before assembling, modifying, or installing the affected cabinet, whenever possible.
At Factory Direct Cabinets & Granite, customers are encouraged to inspect their cabinet order carefully after delivery and communicate any concerns as early as possible. Clear photographs, cabinet information, and order details can help our team understand the problem and determine the appropriate next steps.
Most importantly, customers should not knowingly install a cabinet with visible damage and assume it can simply be returned or replaced afterwards. Depending on the applicable terms and policies, a cabinet that has already been assembled, drilled, cut, modified, or installed may not be accepted for a damage claim, return, or replacement.
What Should You Do If You Find a Problem With Your Cabinets?
If you notice a problem after delivery, follow these steps:
- Stop before installing the affected cabinet
- Check what the problem is
- Take clear photos of the cabinet and damage
- Find the cabinet label or product code
- Check your invoice or order information
- Report the issue to Factory Direct Cabinets & Granite
- Wait for instructions before assembling or installing the affected cabinet
- Keep all photos and order documents until the issue is resolved
These steps are simple, but they are important. Let's explain each one.
Stop Before Installing the Affected Cabinet
The first thing you should do is stop working on the cabinet that has the problem.
If you notice visible damage, an incorrect size, wrong finish, missing component, or another issue, do not knowingly allow the installer to continue assembling or installing that particular cabinet.
Avoid drilling, cutting, modifying, or attaching it to the wall until the problem has been reported whenever practical.
This helps preserve the condition of the cabinet so the supplier can better understand and evaluate the reported issue.
Check Exactly What the Problem Is
Before contacting the supplier, identify what is wrong.
Common cabinet problems can include:
- Damaged corners
- Cracked cabinet components
- Scratched or chipped doors
- Incorrect cabinet sizes
- Wrong cabinet style
- Wrong finish or color
- Missing shelves
- Missing panels
- Missing fillers
- Missing moldings
- Missing accessories
- Incorrect quantities
For example, all of the cabinet boxes may have arrived, but a finished panel required at the end of the cabinet run may be missing.
Identifying exactly what is wrong makes it easier to communicate the problem.
Take Clear Photos of the Problem
Photographs are very important when reporting cabinet damage.
Take one photo showing the complete cabinet and additional close-up photos clearly showing the damaged or incorrect area.
When possible, photograph:
- The complete affected cabinet
- The damaged area
- Cabinet label
- Product or cabinet code
- Damaged packaging
- Missing or incorrect components
The photographs should clearly show what you are reporting.
If the installer discovers the damage while opening a cabinet box, the installer should show the problem to the customer and take photographs before proceeding with the affected cabinet.
Find the Cabinet Label or Product Code
Cabinet orders can contain many similar-looking products.
For example, a kitchen might include several base cabinets and wall cabinets with only small differences in size or configuration.
When reporting a problem, look for the cabinet label, model, or product code.
Instead of simply saying:
“One of my cabinets is damaged.”
You can provide more useful information by identifying the exact cabinet and explaining where the damage is located.
This helps Factory Direct Cabinets & Granite compare the reported cabinet with the original order.
Check Your Order or Invoice
Keep your cabinet order information available.
This may include:
- Invoice
- Order confirmation
- Cabinet list
- Kitchen layout
- 3D design
- Delivery documentation
Compare the delivered products with the order.
If you ordered 15 cabinets, make sure the expected cabinet boxes were received. Also check separate items such as panels, fillers, mouldings, toe kicks, shelves, and accessories.
This is particularly important for contractors purchasing wholesale kitchen cabinets Near me, where a single project may include many individual cabinet components.
Report the Problem to Factory Direct Cabinets & Granite
Once you have identified and documented the issue, contact Factory Direct Cabinets & Granite promptly.
When reporting the problem, provide:
Order information: Give us your invoice or order information when available.
Cabinet information: Provide the cabinet model, label, or product code.
Photos: Send clear photographs showing the entire cabinet and the specific problem.
Description: Briefly explain exactly what is wrong.
For example:
“The cabinet door was damaged when the package was opened.”
Or:
“The cabinet delivered is a different size from the cabinet shown on our order.”
Specific information helps our team understand the situation more clearly.
Wait Before Installing the Affected Cabinet
After reporting the issue, avoid proceeding with the affected cabinet until you understand the appropriate next step whenever practical.
Factory Direct Cabinets & Granite can review the information provided, including the original order, cabinet model, size, finish, quantity, photographs, and description of the issue.
Additional photographs or information may be requested when necessary.
Our team can then explain the appropriate next steps based on the specific situation and applicable policies.
Why Should Cabinet Problems Be Reported Before Installation?
This is one of the most important things customers and installers need to understand.
Imagine an installer opens a cabinet and notices visible damage.
Instead of reporting it, the cabinet is assembled. Holes are drilled into it, the cabinet is attached to other cabinets, and it is secured to the wall.
The customer then reports the original damage after installation.
At this point, it may be difficult to determine whether the damage existed when the cabinet was delivered or happened during handling, assembly, modification, or installation.
Because of this, a cabinet that has already been assembled, drilled, cut, modified, or installed may not be accepted for a damage claim, return, or replacement, depending on the applicable terms and policies.
That is why the safest process is:
Find the problem → Take photos → Report the problem → Wait for instructions → Then proceed with the affected cabinet.
Inspect the Entire Cabinet Order Before Installation
Finding one damaged cabinet does not mean you should only inspect that particular cabinet.
Check the rest of the order as well.
Customers searching for Kitchen Cabinets Near me should understand that receiving cabinet boxes is not the final step before installation. The products should be inspected and compared with the order before installation begins.
Check base cabinets, wall cabinets, pantry cabinets, drawer bases, sink bases, doors, drawer fronts, finished panels, fillers, moldings, toe kicks, shelves, and other accessories included with the order.
Identifying multiple concerns at the same time can make communication easier and help avoid discovering additional problems halfway through installation.
Check Shaker Cabinets Carefully
Customers purchasing shaker kitchen cabinets Near me should pay particular attention to visible components such as doors and drawer fronts.
Inspect the frame-and-panel doors, cabinet boxes, finished sides, panels, corners, and edges.
If you see a scratch, chip, crack, or other visible concern, photograph and report it before installing the affected cabinet rather than waiting until the kitchen is completed.
Check RTA Cabinets Before Assembly
Customers purchasing RTA Kitchen Cabinets Near me should inspect cabinet components before assembly whenever practical.
RTA cabinets may arrive as separate components that need to be assembled before installation.
Check the cabinet sides, bottom, back, shelves, doors, drawer fronts, and other included parts.
If you discover visible damage, document and report it before assembling the affected cabinet.
Once an RTA cabinet has been assembled, drilled, modified, or installed, evaluating a damage claim may become more difficult.
Contractors Should Inspect Wholesale Cabinet Orders
Contractors and remodelers often receive larger cabinet orders containing many individual components.
When purchasing wholesale kitchen cabinets near me, contractors should compare the delivery with the cabinet list and project layout before installation begins.
As cabinets are unpacked, installers should also inspect them for visible damage.
If something is incorrect or damaged, document the issue and communicate it before proceeding with the affected cabinet.
A missing panel or incorrect cabinet discovered early may be easier to address than a problem discovered after most of the kitchen has already been installed.
Keep Your Cabinet Documents Until the Project Is Finished
Do not discard your cabinet paperwork immediately after delivery.
Keep your invoice, order confirmation, cabinet list, kitchen layout, 3D design, delivery documentation, cabinet labels, photographs, and communication about reported problems until the project is complete.
These records can help identify products and clarify what happened if questions arise during installation.
Factory Direct Cabinets & Granite
At Factory Direct Cabinets & Granite, we supply kitchen cabinets for homeowners, contractors, remodelers, builders, and other professionals.
Whether you're searching for Kitchen Cabinets Near me, wholesale kitchen cabinets Near me, shaker kitchen cabinets Near me, or RTA Kitchen Cabinets Near me, checking your cabinet order before installation is an important part of the process.
When your cabinets arrive, compare them with your order and inspect them carefully.
If you notice a damaged cabinet, incorrect product, or missing component:
Don't install it first and report it later.
Take photographs, identify the cabinet, keep your order information available, and contact Factory Direct Cabinets & Granite before the affected cabinet is assembled, modified, or installed whenever possible.
Our team can review the information provided and explain the appropriate next steps according to the specific situation and applicable policies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do first if my cabinet arrives damaged?
Stop before installing the affected cabinet. Take clear photographs, identify the cabinet model or product code, and report the problem to Factory Direct Cabinets & Granite.
What photos should I take?
Take a photograph of the complete cabinet, close-up photographs of the damaged area, the cabinet label or product code, and any visible packaging damage.
Should my installer install the cabinet and report the damage later?
Visible damage should be reported before the affected cabinet is assembled, modified, or installed whenever practical.
Can an installed cabinet still be returned or replaced?
A return or replacement is not automatically guaranteed. Depending on the applicable terms and policies, a cabinet that has already been assembled, drilled, cut, modified, or installed may not qualify for a damage claim, return, or replacement.
What information should I send Factory Direct Cabinets & Granite?
Provide your order or invoice information, cabinet model or product code, clear photographs, and a brief description of the issue.
Final Thoughts
If you notice a problem with your cabinets after delivery, remember this simple process:
Stop → Check → Photograph → Report → Wait → Install
Inspect your cabinet order before installation, document visible problems, and contact Factory Direct Cabinets & Granite promptly.
Most importantly, report the problem before the affected cabinet is assembled, modified, or installed whenever possible. Following this process gives both the customer and supplier clearer information and can help prevent unnecessary confusion and installation delays.
