Water damaged MDF kitchen units

[edb49]

I'm after a bit of advise and thought there would be some good opinions on here.

Quite a lot of my kitchen units have absorbed water at the base due to a recent problem with a pipe flooding the kitchen. It's covered by insurance, but there are two different points of view between my surveyor and their surveyor.

Essentially my surveyor thinks if you attempt to repair the MDF by patching it, then the repair will not look nearly as good as it was before. Insurance surveyor thinks a patch is possible.

The units are pretty high spec, granite worktops, distressed paint finish, etc.

What's the opinion on here? Can you effect an invisible patch repair on MDF that will stand the test of time?

 

[Burnerman]

Once MDF gets wet, it swells and starts to split.
Although its possible to repair almost anything I would say that it would be very difficult in your case if not impossible.
Replacement, I think!
John

 

[JohnD]

Are these the sort with no legs, where the chipboard panel rests on the floor?

Are they cheap or fancy ones?

 

[misterhelpful]

The units are pretty high spec, granite worktops, distressed paint finish, etc.

Are they cheap or fancy ones?

Wakey, wakey John!

It sounds to me like the insurance company are trying to get the job done on the cheap - how unusual!

As Burnerman says, repairs can be done but they will usually be noticable - if only by the people who know they are there.

Push for new ones.