kitchen cabinets - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

charlesmd · 02-10-2008, 09:51 AM

Im pricing cabinets for my house- Any input on quality would be appriciated.
Ive been looking at brookwood, kraftmaid, legacy,omega and merrilat.
I want something medium grade but not to pricey.

angus242 · 02-10-2008, 10:21 AM

I always tell my customers they need to figure out a budget, THEN you can figure out cabinets. If the budget is too low, I know it's not going to be semi-customs. Also, it depends on your discount from your supplier. Can't they tell you the best pricing? Where are you located?

MIbeachbuilder · 02-10-2008, 10:40 AM

on the cheap is mills pride avail at HD. they look nice and the price is very good and if you submit your entire list to the bidroom youll get a better price on almost everything. BUT not every HD is carrying those anymore.

I just bought low end kraftmaids (called premier made by KM) that look custom. HD price was 6700.00 - with some bullying and threats to go to BLowes, i walked out the door with the price of 3800.00. sink 308, down to 220, faucet $20!!(a nice marielle design). generally they have some room to play.

granite tile countertop, - the didnt come down on the tile i picked but i got it online....400.00 including the wall splash.

You can make a little go a LONG way.

**ChrWright** · 02-10-2008, 10:43 AM

Why do you list kitchens in your list of trades if you don't know anything about cabinetry?

Your posts make it pretty clear you're a DIYer.

charlesmd · 02-10-2008, 02:46 PM

Im a licensed and capable contractor-----------
I dont do alot of kitchens, the ones I have done, the customers have already
chosen them and the design.
As for a budget for the cabinets- 7-10k through direct buy.

angus242 · 02-10-2008, 03:57 PM

Are you a member of Direct Buy or are you considering using them? I had a customer that was a member and after the buy in fee, he still chose to purchase his materials elsewhere because it was such a hassle to get them through DB.
I'm am designing a kitchen remodel right now. Call it 12' x 12'. 9 lowers with a floor/ceiling pantry w/pull out shelves. Dovetail drawers w/soft close glides. Single electric oven and micro both built in. Lazy susan. Pull out hidden garbage. 10 uppers with 2 angled corners, all 42". Soft close doors (that's right, I said soft close DOORS). This includes unfinished plywood ends on non-visible and finished ply on visible. Crown for all uppers. Under cab mldg. Full 1/8" finished ply skins on peninsula. Decorative base mldg. Toe kick and scribe for upper ends. These are solid raised panel doors with full overlay.
Cherry wood with glazed, stained finish. And I can have these on the job site within 14 working days. Retail (inflated) cost: $23k. My cost with tax and delivery to jobsite: $8000.
I don't think DB can come CLOSE to that price w/all options AND delivery.
That's what you get when you have a supplier.

neolitic · 02-10-2008, 04:19 PM

I have another one of those
Direct Buy HO's right now.
He bought "everything" needed
for bath remodel.
Mostly POS and box store grade stuff.
Never considered RI materials.
Has 8X8 tile for floor which won't
support tile, but he bought it,
he's gonna use it no matter.
Etc,ect....
Gave him a price he can refuse.

silvertree · 02-10-2008, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlesmd

Im a licensed and capable contractor-----------
I dont do alot of kitchens, the ones I have done, the customers have already
chosen them and the design.
As for a budget for the cabinets- 7-10k through direct buy.

If you got all day Google "Direct Buy complaints". You are the only contractor I ever heard say they will purchase from Direct Buy. FYI if DB says 7-10K that means you can get it for at least 25% less anywhere else.

cleveman · 02-10-2008, 05:40 PM

If you are qualified to build cabinets, why don't you build them? I think my last kitchen required about $800 of plywood for the boxes. The finished plywood and hardwood for facing and doors doesn't amount to much. This way you can have cabinets you can work with-1/2" plywood backs, 3/4" everything else, including 3/4" tops.

You can build a lot of cabinets in a week's time. I'm thinking max 3000 in materials leaves $5000 for labor. That is a good wage here, but maybe not where you live.

charlesmd · 02-10-2008, 06:07 PM

Building cabinets is something Ive never done, I know my limitations,but wish I could try.
Ive worked with customers before that bought stuff from DB. I havent heard
any complaints from them. We actually had a quote from lowes for
13k-its alot of cabinets. We also had a quote from a contractor supply
yard I deal with- they wanted too much. As for Db-I really didnt like the cabinets- the only name I was familiar with was Merrilat and was told by
the contractor supply place that they were 3rd in quality from the other two
he mentioned.Im not dead set on db, Im just curious about the different types of cabinets out there. I do like kraftmaid and welbourne.

cleveman · 02-10-2008, 06:22 PM

I've never bought a cabinet. I do have two worthless cabinets in my present home which I salvaged during the remodel.

Do you have a tablesaw, dado blade, or radial arm saw?

If you don't, do you have about $300?

If so, now you can build boxes.

All you need next is a jointer, biscuit joiner or dowel jig, belt sander, palm sander and you're in the facing/door business. I guess you'll need a drill also.

If I could figure out how to post photos, I could send you some ideas.

angus242 · 02-10-2008, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cleveman

If I could figure out how to post photos, I could send you some ideas.

Under the "Reply to Thread" box (where you type your replies), look down. You'll see the "Additional Options" box. In there, you'll see a "Manage Attachments" button. Click that and a new window will open that you can use to browse your hard drive and then upload pictures to your post.

cleveman · 02-10-2008, 06:40 PM

I tried it. Nathan said it was because I had my pop-up stopper engaged, so I shut it off. That didn't help.

I was able to post a photo on the gallery.

I'm waiting for more answers from Nathan.

Maybe it's better that I can't.

charlesmd · 02-10-2008, 06:41 PM

Ive got a second shed in the works. Thats the kinda stuff Id like to do.
I dont know how to walk you through posting pics but if you get it figured out-post em.. Thanks

orson · 02-10-2008, 07:35 PM

If I have a customer who wants inexpensive cabinets I sell the Armstrong cabinets. They are the only company I know of that does 1/2 inch side panels on their cheapy models. All the rest do 3/8 (as far as I've seen ,can't say I've seen them all). When you upgrade to an all wood cabinet they are plywood all around including shelves.

www.rubycon.us
Ruby Construction LLC
Lancaster Kitchen Remodeling
Lancaster Bathroom Remodeling

silvertree · 02-10-2008, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlesmd

Ive got a second shed in the works. Thats the kinda stuff Id like to do.
I dont know how to walk you through posting pics but if you get it figured out-post em.. Thanks

Here's what I had to do, I had to make my pictures smaller. I have Microsoft Office with picture viewer and that lets me size pictures for CT. I think if you Google "picture editing" you will find free software to do this, or if you have MO it has a program to do it. I'm no computer guy, but I got it figured out and now I send pictures to customers and that helps my selling. Good Luck

Chris G · 02-10-2008, 07:44 PM

I like Merrilat. They are pretty solid. Sometimes the finish is a little off, but they will replace any piece you are not happy with.

Here is another thought. Try a decent woodworking shop. They can be pretty competitive against mass produced cabinets. If there is a slowdown in your area, that is not a bad thought.

MIbeachbuilder · 02-10-2008, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angus242

...I can have these on the job site within 14 working days. Retail (inflated) cost: $23k. My cost with tax and delivery to jobsite: $8000.
I don't think DB can come CLOSE to that price w/all options AND delivery.
That's what you get when you have a supplier.

where do you find these suppliers? all the "suppliers" around here are charging seriously inflated prices and you dont know what you are going to get quality wise with an online source....

OneCall · 02-10-2008, 11:32 PM

As a general rule (at least in Austin, TX) you can get about anything you want for around $110 a linear foot (uppers and base cabs are seperate). Everything you have described are modular boxes meaning they come in 3" increments i.e. 18" 24" etc and then you simply add fillers. I am sure there is a carpenter around town that can either do site built or build them in his shop and install them. As someone stated earlier the wood to make kitchen cabinets is not that expensive. Red oak is cheap, or if you don't like the grain upgrade to maple or clear alder. Going with a carpenter would also allow them to upgrade to nicer features (i.e. full extension guides, plywood interiors etc). If there is no such thing as a "cabinet company" in your local area, any carpenter that can build furniture can build cabinets. Hell any carpenter that can actually call himself a carpenter can build cabinets.

Locally we use Burrows Cabinets www burrowsmfg dot com

One other thing to keep in mind if you use a carpenter is a finish, even if they are paint grade it is hard to get a "perfect" finish on them.

florida girl · 02-11-2008, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cleveman

I've never bought a cabinet. I do have two worthless cabinets in my present home which I salvaged during the remodel.

Do you have a tablesaw, dado blade, or radial arm saw?

If you don't, do you have about $300?

If so, now you can build boxes.

All you need next is a jointer, biscuit joiner or dowel jig, belt sander, palm sander and you're in the facing/door business. I guess you'll need a drill also.

If I could figure out how to post photos, I could send you some ideas.

You really don't need any of that. I built some cabinets with a skill saw, builders square, and I did get a cove bit for my router! There was an old man used to work for my dad who built cabinets, I just copied what he did. One point was that he used 2x6's to hold the counter top! Solid as a rock! If you can cut straight, and have some patience...