Installing a new Microwave/Oven Combo - help?!

8 years ago

Long story. My apologies. Purchased new wall oven / microwave combo from Lowes. Installer came out, removed old unit, dropped in new unit (dropped in operative words here). It is now sitting on the floor of the opening behind a lip and we have a 4" gap at the top (you can see in the photo). The installer said this was right and the trim kit will take care of it? It is wrong. We got our money back from Lowes on the install. My husband said he could correct it by cutting the lip down and sliding the oven out on to a hydraulic lift cart we own, placing 4x4s underneath the oven as the platform to return it to the original height and put the trim kit on the bottom. The trim kit looks hideous if we put it at the top. To you appliance install experts, what do you think? It weighs 200 lbs. can you easily cut away a two inch lip and slide the oven out? What kind of platform should it sit on?

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Comments (5)

User
8 years ago
Your cabinet should have a drawer below and a wooden platform at the correct height so that the securing screws go through the faceframe of the cabinet above. Why is there no drawer or platform in the existing cabinet? This was a replacement, right?
dapperdannybaseball
8 years ago
It always makes me nervous when little ones can reach oven and microwave. Could it be heightened at bit?
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Thanks all. Indeed when I posed my initial question I hadn't really been thinking about appearance, it was more to see if anyone else had done it and to check that there weren't any incompatibility issues eg with installation, different controls, or perhaps other things I might not have considered. It's been great to hear people's constructive input and experiences of having done exactly this! It's an iterative process and great food for thought (pardon the pun). Many thanks.
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btydrvn
8 years ago
This doesn't sound like a do it yourself project...have it done properly by a recommended technician...try your local appliance store for a referral..also in most kitchens an extra drawer is always useful so if possible include that in your plan...I love big drawers like this for tin foil..plastic wrap...seldom used kitchen utensils...cooking trays...etc
Jeannine
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks for the responses. I realized when I posted I wasn't completely clear on what we are dealing with.

This is a replacement that is four inches shorter in height than the previous unit we had.

The installer removed the old one and dropped this one in without raising it to the top of the opening. Meh said we need a trim kit to cover the opening at the top. The trim kit needs to go on the bottom.

There are two cabinet drawers beneath the unit.

The big issue is the lip at the bottom of the opening and the unit is sitting in the opening down below the 2" lip. For us to raise this the lip has to be cut away. We cannot get the unit out without cutting away the lip to raise it.

The guy that Lowes sent for the install said it was done correctly. It's not...

Ugh.
Theresa Holt
8 years ago
Take the upper oven door off. call your church pastor or local high school principal and have him or her give you the names of two high school boys who are weight lifers. This would be a variation of a clean and jerk lift.

Installing a new Microwave/Oven Combo - help?!

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Installing a new Microwave/Oven Combo - help?!

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