Get new fridge through door!!!!

[oldberkeley]

Man I hope I haven't screwed up on this one!

I'm having Sears deliver a new refrigerator tomorrow. They sent me an email reminder, also said to make sure I've checked the dimensions.

Duh! I hadn't.

The doorway--after removing the door, all weatherstripping, both side stops--from casing to casing is 32". The refrigerator width is 32 3/4", the depth (as it's going to be delivered) is 34 7/8". It has french doors, with the handles removed the depth is 32 3/8".

I really don't even want to get into taking off the handles, and I don't trust the delivery guys to.

With the doors off the measurement is 28 1/4", which would work.

Any alternative ideas? How difficult is it to take fridge doors off? Does the bottom freezer part slide completely out, or does that door also have to be removed?

 

[Stuart in MN]

Don't know about your specific refrigerator but on most of them it's very easy to remove and replace the doors.

 

[Chris705]

Doors come off super easy. The delivery guys should do w/o any issue.

 

[bmh]

It's easy to take off the doors, even with a water dispenser. Usually about eight bolts and some plastic covers. There is a disconnect for the the water line and the electrical connections if it has them. The delivery guys should not have a problem.

 

[oldberkeley]

I hear what you guys are saying but damn...

First someone in China put these doors on, that's worrisome enough. Now I'm going to have a couple of Sears delivery guys take them off and put them back on.

Not happy about the whole thing. Considering just canceling the purchase and trying to find something smaller, but my wife is freaking out about that.

SUPER EASY to take off, you say???????

 

[Thumper68]

I hear what you guys are saying but damn...

First someone in China put these doors on, that's worrisome enough. Now I'm going to have a couple of Sears delivery guys take them off and put them back on.
Not happy about the whole thing. Considering just canceling the purchase and trying to find something smaller, but my wife is freaking out about that.

SUPER EASY to take off, you say???????

Just remember these delivery guys do this several times everyday, they know the tricks and the in's and outs.

When the HD guys delivered my new stove a few months ago I was hoping like hell that they would have put a nice big scratch in the side and I could get a discount, but no such luck, they had it in the house and hooked up in under 15 minutes.

 

[p_mori7]

First someone in China put these doors on, that's worrisome enough.

Kenmore fridges come from Mexico nowadays. Along with many other brands.

 

[oldberkeley]

Most come from Mexico nowadays.

Well now I feel better about the whole thing.

 

[thewatusi]

Delivery guys do this every day. Let them do their job and drink a beer while you watch them carry that heavy *****.

 

[domain]

who said it was a kenmore? lol sears sells other brands. ahha. they will take the doors off. and ablout the handles.... dont worry they come uninstalled

 

[Randy_che]

They just opened the doors on my refrigerator and and wiggled it through the doorway. No problem.

 

[oldberkeley]

It's a GE.

I have to think that these days with the behemoth size of some of these fridges (ours is not supersized) you guys are right, they probably take doors off and on all day.

Oh, and I'm going to go with the beer suggestion: just told the wife that you guys said it's mandatory.

 

[CNGsaves]

Lessen learned huh OP ?? 32" door is limiting factor for lots of things like moving in big furniture including couch, bed, entertainment center, etc.

Next house you'll want 36" wide (or larger) main front door. I've got older house and also learned that 32" wide doors are WAAAAAY too small.

+1 to let the delivery guys take off doors and re-install. Piece of cake routine job.

 

[Homebody]

They just opened the doors on my refrigerator and and wiggled it through the doorway. No problem.

Same here last week. French door makes it harder though..lol
Did you know they use a sling between two guys now instead of dollies?
What an ingenious idea! Looked much easier!

 

[67carl]

Run to harbor freight, pick up an electric planer, put planer back on shelf and run back home to get the 25% off coupon you forgot, run back to harbor freight and buy the planer, run back home and plane the 7/8" off. Forgot your free tape measure! Run back to harbor freight and get tape measure. Fridge will slide right on in. Reassemble door and use spray foam to fill in 7/8" gap. Easy peasy.

 

[ScottsGT]

Cut hole in roof, use crane to lower into place.

 

[oldberkeley]

Sell stuff, sell house, buy RV.

Two more years.

 

[toplessHO]

Hire 2 Mexicans from the GE plant to take it apart and put back together.
Invite them to stay...

 

[mobiledynamics]

Wait till ya'll need new water heaters .... I just replaced mine about 2-3 weeks ago due to clearance concerns.

 

[SchuLace]

I used to work at an appliance store and did deliveries occasionally. Pretty much every fridge has to have to doors taken off. usually takes 10 minutes or so to get everything off and back on again. I wouldn't be concerned at all. A couple bolts is usually all it is.

 

[C96]

Please let us know the outcome of this ordeal; I’m sure it will be positive with some extra effort

Good Luck

 

[No Noise Dude]

Back in 1998, I had a new GE Profile side-by-side refrigerator delivered to the house. Delivery guys opened up both the freezer and refrigerator doors and walked the fridge right through the front door and into the kitchen. A little cumbersome with two swinging doors, but they managed!

 

[Just_George]

They just opened the doors on my refrigerator and and wiggled it through the doorway. No problem.

This. Open both doors, carry thru the doorway with no problem. Watched a couple of delivery guys do this and thought "why didn't I think of that?" Piece of cake...

 

[oldberkeley]

I was thinking the same thing, but what about the bottom freezer compartment? Does that whole thing slide all the way out?

 

[NUTTSGT]

I was thinking the same thing, but what about the bottom freezer compartment? Does that whole thing slide all the way out?

That door will come out like a tool box dreawer if I remember correctly on ours.

If that fails, just get a running start or a BFH, it'll fit.

 

[Moose02]

try getting one of these thru the door we had to use a movers hand truck and 4 guys sucker was heavy to say the least I think its 7 ft tall and motor and all in on the top. talk about top heavy

 

[ADSR]

lmao! some of the responses are hilarious.

 

[cdestuck]

You need to relax. These guys take off the doors in prob 75% of their deliveries. Relax, get your fridge and relax.

 

[Kevin54]

oldberkeley....welcome to Garage Journal. I see that you are over in Columbus. We have a few other members over your way, and I'm maybe 40 miles from you in Urbana. I sent you a PM

 

[KCarGuy]

I just ran into this a few months ago.
Luckily I had just ripped the back wall of my House completely off and re-framed it, and added French Doors.
Because, the Delivery team were not going to get the New Fridge through the Front Door.
Brought it Up the Back steps, and through the French doors no problem.

When they tried the Front, they opened one Fridge door (side by side), tried door first, then fridge, then twist and open the second door while turning fridge.
Smart way to do it, but I have and entrance that wouldn't give then the room to turn it all the way around. So...brought it around the long way.

Its definitely much bigger than our old Kenmore

 

[kelpaso1]

I believe most appliances are made to fit through standard size doorways eg. 32-34-36. Owners or instruction manual should say so.

 

[txturbo]

Most refrigerator doors come off pretty simple since they are reversable.

 

[cabin fever]

I feel your pain. When I had our fridge delivered I was 100% sure they couldn't get it in. I even told the guys to come measure before they unloaded. they kinda laughed, and said they would "humor" me. So they measured, and said yep no problem.

15 minutes later the fridge was in the kitchen, and doors back on.

its really no big deal.

 

[Labradorian]

lmao! some of the responses are hilarious.

Yes! but what he really needs is a Door Stretcher

when I moved a few years ago and saw the mover fit all my house and garage stuff into a 12x12x12 space In the moving truck and one of the guys had only one full arm with no hand on the other, i was truly impressed and try to not underestimate the thick of the trade anymore.

I'm sure these guys will get this fridge through your door, no need to worry. Removing a door is a breeze. don't sweat it.

cheers

 

[NotSwedishChef]

Agreed. Doors coming off, handles coming off are beyond easy....most delivery guys these days are outfits anyways that do this stuff on contract.....thing movers with tools. Guys brought in 2 massive LG fridge freezers for my upstairs and downstairs units...doors and handles off to make them fit. Looked like it never happened after they finished the install.

If you're not happy with the fit & finish when they're done...don't sign off on it. Have them bring another or spot you $$ credit$$ for potential finish "damage/ marring"

 

[oldberkeley]

They did the job no sweat. Got the french doors and the bottom freezer door off in 4-5 minutes, moved it inside in 1 minute, put the doors back on in 4-5 minutes.

Couple of nice young guys. Both said that these days, with behemoth-size fridges going into older homes, they have to remove the doors 50% of the time.

EDIT: Well, new challenge, hopefully minor.

4 ft., 4-Prong, 40 Amp range cord (fairly thick sucker!) Attached in the back lower center of fridge. Outlet a few inches off to the side, no problem with clearance there and it plugs in easy.

However, when we push the range to the wall the cord does not want to fit in the allotted space, keeps pushing the bottom drawer out.

Suggestions?

 

[Kaizen]

that refrigerator is 240?? put a string on it over the top of the fridge pulling it up as you push it in

 

[ADSR]

They did the job no sweat. Got the french doors and the bottom freezer door off in 4-5 minutes, moved it inside in 1 minute, put the doors back on in 4-5 minutes.

Couple of nice young guys. Both said that these days, with behemoth-size fridges going into older homes, they have to remove the doors 50% of the time.

EDIT: Well, new challenge, hopefully minor.

4 ft., 4-Prong, 40 Amp range cord (fairly thick sucker!) Attached in the back lower center of fridge. Outlet a few inches off to the side, no problem with clearance there and it plugs in easy.

However, when we push the range to the wall the cord does not want to fit in the allotted space, keeps pushing the bottom drawer out.

Suggestions?

Kick outlet into drywall. Plug in inside the wall.

 

[James-W]

How is the receptacle mounted to the wall? Is it a large black box attached to the outside of the wall, or is the receptacle mounted flush with the wall?

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Kenmore fridges come from Mexico nowadays. Along with many other brands.

Depends on manufacturer. Kenmores are made by multiple vendors...

Tommy