South East Kitchens Warranty
Cabinets and accessories manufactured and sold by South East Kitchens are warranted to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of three (3) years from the date of shipment, subject to the limitations provided below. As used herein, the term “defects” shall mean a deficiency or imperfection, which causes cabinets or accessories manufactured and sold by South East Kitchens to fail in the performance of their essential purpose.
The Drawer System
The structure of the drawer box and its overall ability to store items is warranted to remain suitable for the storage of items normally found in kitchen and bathroom cabinet drawers. While the drawer slides may loosen or tighten over time, the slides are designed to allow an average person to open the drawers with a reasonable amount of effort. Drawer slides that cause an average person to jerk or snatch the drawer in order to open the drawer may be suitable under the warranty for adjustment or replacement, at our discretion. The Australian Cabinet & Furniture Association (ACFA) rates the drawers of cabinets capable of holding 6-8kg per square foot, evenly distributed within the drawer box. Loading the drawers with items that weigh more than 6-8kg per square foot will not be covered by this warranty. The manufacturer of the drawer slides dynamically rates them at 30kg. We will consider both the kg per square foot rating and the drawer slide rating in determining if this warranty applies.
The Hinge System
The hinges used on our cabinet doors may loosen or tighten over time, but they are designed to allow the owner to open and close the doors with a reasonable amount of effort. Hinges that cause an average person to tug at or yank a door in order to open or close it may be suitable under warranty for adjustment or replacement, at our discretion.
The Cabinet Box
The structure of the cabinet box (or carcass) and its overall ability to store items is warranted to be suitable for the storage of items normally found in kitchen and bath cabinetry. This portion of the warranty refers solely to the box (carcass) and does not apply to doors, drawer fronts, shelves, accessories or optional enhancements.
General Limitations of Our Warranties
The limitations in this section are applicable under all circumstances. Our warranties only apply in the case of normal use of our cabinets in single-family, non-rental, non-commercial residences, for interior use in areas with regulated heating and cooling. Our warranties apply only in the case of normal use. Our warranties are not applicable if there is any evidence of abuse, misuse, abnormal wear & tear, improper storage of items, any items attached to the cabinetry, or failure to properly care for our cabinets. Our warranty is conditioned on your proper handling of the cabinets.
Examples of abnormal wear & tear and/or abuse that are not warranted include:
Variations and changes in finish colours due to direct exposure to sunlight.
Heat damage that may occur on cabinets in contact with or near ovens when the self-cleaning cycle is used.
Damage to cabinets, which results from exposure to water (See below for care and maintenance).
The Australian Cabinet & Furniture Association (ACFA) rates adjustable shelves to 6-8kg per square foot, distributed evenly upon the shelf. Because we cannot control how shelves will be loaded, we do not warrant our shelves or the shelf clips against shelf sag or failure. It is the owner’s responsibility to take proper precautions against shelf sag or failure. If a shelf begins to sag, the load should be lightened. Heavier objects should be moved away from the centre of shelves, where sag is most likely to occur. As provided below, unless limited by applicable state laws, we are not responsible or liable for incidental or consequential damages you may suffer as a result of shelf sag or failure.
We further do not warrant our products against the effects of normal wear & tear. Our Warranty is applicable only if South East Kitchens has been paid in full for the cabinets and accessories.
Limitations of our 3 Year Warranty
General Cosmetics
Beyond three years, no cosmetic aspects of any of our products are warranted. As used here, the term “cosmetics” shall mean the manner in which a given product or part appears to the senses of sight, sound, touch, smell or taste.
Cabinet Finishes
Even under the best of care, cabinet finishes, including vinyl and printed finishes, will naturally deteriorate over time and as a result of normal use. Cabinet finishes will also change color over time. We do not warrant any aspect of cabinet finishes beyond the three-year warranty.
Wood Characteristics
Inherent ageing characteristics of wood, such as splits, checks, warpage, shrinkage or rotting, are not warranted beyond our three-year warranty. Wood is subject to certain variances which are outlined in the section titled “Woods and Finishes” below.
Laminated Materials
Laminated materials, or materials which have been bonded together to form a particular component, are not warranted against de-lamination, or the separation of one layer of material from another beyond our one-year warranty, unless the de-lamination threatens the structural integrity of the cabinet box or case.
Woods and Finishes
Natural Hardwoods – What to expect
South East Kitchens use the finest, furniture-grade, select hardwood available. Because these hardwoods are a product of nature, variations in color and grain are to be expected. Some species of wood have unique grain characteristics that may cause the final finish to look darker in some areas. Therefore, while your cabinetry will have the same basic appearance as our door samples, they will be absolutely unique and perhaps noticeably different. You can anticipate the consistency of quality and craftsmanship as well as the character of natural wood in our cabinetry.
2-pac & Clear Coat Finishes
Our finished samples are a close color representation of what an overall kitchen will look like and are not meant to match every door or cabinet. The artistic nature of the hand-applied finish, along with the unique qualities of natural or manufactured wood, can create an unbalanced or inconsistent look. The differences in the final look from door to door are part of the design and the art of the 2-pac or clear coat process, combined with the differences created by the natural characteristics of wood. These differences should be expected.
Discolouration: All finishes are susceptible to discolouration due to airborne particles such as cooking, grilling, smoke, fireplaces or candles. Prolonged exposure to natural or artificial light and/or moisture may alter the finish color as well. Touch up or replacement items completed after installation may not result in an exact match due to discolouration.
Unfinished Cabinets
South East Kitchens guarantees to provide a properly functioning product free of manufacturing and/or workmanship defects per industry standards. After installation, South East Kitchens cannot extend warranty coverage for issues resulting from job site environmental conditions, exposure to moisture, staining or painting modifications or homebuilding processes beyond our control. Warping, swelling, splitting, cracking, water damage, trade damage and painted or stained hinges are all factors beyond our control once installation is complete. We highly recommend an installation verification prior to painting or staining your cabinets to identify warrantied items so they can be corrected.
Expansion and Contraction:
Please be aware, wood expands and contracts due to environmental changes in temperature and humidity. Five-piece cabinet doors (and multi-panel cabinet doors and wainscot) are constructed with a small amount of space in the frame groove. This space allows the panel to float slightly within the frame, allowing for expansion of the panel due to changes in the environment, without causing the frame to split or crack.
The natural process of expansion and contraction can create open joints in the finish. An open joint line related to expansion or contraction is not considered a defect. The finish will still protect the surface, and the structural integrity of the joint will not be affected. Wood may expand and contract differently from cabinet to cabinet and even joints within the same cabinet may behave differently. Some joined wood may not show any joint lines, others may be slightly visible, while others may display easily visible joint lines. Joint lines also may occur due to repeated impacts from normal everyday use. An exposed open wood joint can be damaged from prolonged exposure to water or heavy moisture. Therefore, wipe off any excess moisture from cabinet surfaces as soon as possible.
Tolerances: We manufacture our cabinets and cabinet components to exact sizes, however wood products contract and swell as temperature and humidity in the environment change.
Tolerances have been built into our products which allow for normal expansion and contraction in a controlled, indoor environment and take into consideration necessary operating clearances. Due to these factors, alignment variance between doors and drawer faces up to 3mm is considered acceptable.
Moisture Control: Damage from moisture will have many different symptoms: blushing of the topcoat, deterioration of the finish, or black stains in the wood. Moisture damage is easily minimised or even eliminated simply by being aware of certain items:
Sink cabinet: Take the time to wipe away all water that splashes over the front of the cabinet.
Cabinetry around a coffee maker: It is possible that steam coming from a coffee maker being vented directly onto the overhead cabinetry may blush the finish. If possible the coffeemaker should be located with clearance overhead.
Cabinetry around dishwashers: Loading or unloading a dishwasher can cause water to splash onto the nearby cabinetry. Take the time to wipe away all water.
Bath cabinetry: The main awareness here is to ensure your bathroom is properly vented. Venting that meets current code is adequate and satisfactory.
Seasonal changes: While excess humidity from wet seasons will not directly affect the finish, it can contribute to other situations, possibly aggravating them. More likely, wood being the natural product that it is, you might see some seasonal movement; i.e., swelling of doors and drawer fronts in the warmer, humid months, and shrinkage when the weather turns cooler and drier. If this normal condition is unacceptable, climate control in the form of a dehumidifier can help. At the other end of the spectrum (with dry weather, wood stoves, certain heating systems) is a lack of moisture. Although the cabinetry finish is unaffected, extreme dryness could lead to excessive shrinkage, splitting or even popped joints. A humidifier is recommended to help correct this situation.
Relative humidity of 40-60% is considered ideal for woodwork in the home.
How We Remedy Warranty Claims
After we or one of our representatives have had an opportunity to inspect the cabinets and accessories, we will, at our discretion, either replace or repair our defective cabinets, our defective accessories, or the defective parts. Only the actual defective items will be replaced or repaired. Our warranties are for our parts, cabinets, and/or accessories only, shipped to the original point of delivery. Our warranties include labor for the reinstallation of the defective cabinet, part or accessory, only if South East Kitchens had originally installed it. If South East Kitchens did not install the original product we will ship to the original point of delivery. We will not be responsible for any other expenses which may be incurred as a result of making the said replacement, (installed or uninstalled) such as countertop replacement, painting, plumbing, tile work, or the like. Because of changing technology and fashion, we cannot guarantee that replacements will be exact duplicates of the defective item/s/. In cases where items to be replaced have been discontinued by us, we will use as replacements the item/s/ we carry that we deem closest to the item/s/ to be replaced. Please be advised that door styles, finish colours, hinges, drawer slides, etc are updated and changed on a regular basis. The very real possibility exists that the cabinets which you have selected, or the color you have selected may be discontinued during the next few years. The “closest thing that we have” to your cabinets or accessories may differ or vary from the cabinets or accessories that we replace. We reserve the right to update our products and manufacturing processes at will. We also will only replace the defective component or accessory and all components or accessories other than those replaced will remain as is.
Limitation of Implied Warranty / Incidental and Consequential Damage
ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE LIMITED TO THE DURATION OF OUR ONE-YEAR WARRANTY. SOUTH EAST KITCHENS SOLE RESPONSIBILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE CABINETS AND ACCESSORIES, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OR OTHERWISE IS AS STATED HEREIN. SOUTH EAST KITCHENS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES FOR SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM A BREACH OF THIS WRITTEN WARRANTY OR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY.
South East Kitchens does not assume responsibility for any undertaking, representation, or warranty made by any retailer seller, its agents, salesman, representative, employees, or any other persons. This warranty represents the entire warranty of South East Kitchens and may not be altered verbally. The failure of South East Kitchens on one or more instances to insist upon the performance by the original purchaser of any of the requirements of this limited warranty as set forth herein shall not be construed as a waiver of any such requirement, but the same shall continue and remain in full force and effect the same as if no such failure or waiver had occurred. Should any portion of this warranty be void or voidable under applicable federal or state law, such portion of this warranty which is void or voidable shall be severed here from and the remainder of this warranty shall be unaffected thereby and shall remain in full force and effect. This warranty is limited solely to work performed and material supplied by South East Kitchens. It excludes any work or materials supplied by any dealer or any other person.