I too have installed a great many Kraftmaid cabinets over the years. The one thing I have to say about them, which can probably be applied to most cabinet manufacturers, is quality control seems to have dropped way off these past few years. The things they let out the door surprises me sometimes. But, these things can all be found quite easily when you get them out of the box.

 

I just bought, and installed a Kraft-Maid kitchen in my own house. I got the Rustic maple, distressed husk if that tells ya anything?
I purchased about 15K in cabinets.

As for the cabinets, I only seen a few issues,

1. 2 doors were bad.
2. 2 base cabinets were built about 1/16" out, the side panels stuck
up higher than the face frame did.

I sanded the high spots down, for I got granite tops and didn't want a issue!

As for the doors, contacted the company, and sent replacements with-in 2 days, got them UPS in 2 days!

I got the self close doors, solid drawers, with the self close, end panels, panty/with drawers, etc.

All the cabinets seemed fine to me, just like stated above, just not like the "old time thing", quality control is not there anymore, as with EVERYTHING ya buy!

So, to follow up on the question, Would I do it?

I would! And I would buy another if needed! (hope not!) LOL

Dave

 

15k? I can get a huge kitchen for 15k in semi custom from my cabinet supplier.

 

I looked at the kraftmaid and shenandoah and went for the Shenandoah as they upgraded to plywood boxes, free soft close draws and doors and they have 30% off too. Been real happy with it too. Not one problem with the whole kitchen and with counters it cost me $7k

Also if you have a Prosource near you spence check them out. They have 4 ranges of kitchens and the top 3 they do are very nice and priced fair too.

 

I've been shying away from Kraftmaid lately, unless there's a finish they must have. My only reason is because they are back east compared to me so while they definitely replace anything that is questionable, for me it takes about 3 weeks if it's a cabinet box that needs replaced. Doors etc. are still fairly quick since they do UPS them, but again east to west I'm about a week at least but they don't hold up installation anyway. Overall, I don't have a problem with them....if they were closer/faster to replace a damaged box so as to not mess up my schedule I'd keep using them more.

Just open and inspect everything before you start your kitchen so that anything that needs replaced, you'll have replaced ahead of time without it holding up your project.

I've been using American Woodmark more now, they've stepped up their game with things like cushion close doors/self closing drawers etc. as standard as well. And they're here in Oregon so anything that needs replaced I can get much quicker.

 

Kraftmaid has a factory in Kinston NC, about a 3 hour drive from me, and it typically takes a couple of weeks or so to get a box replaced if needed.

 

Echo here put hundreds of Craftmaid in and Shenadoah, Lots of good promo's from both, handles, free sink base, plywood upgrade etc, My last big shenadoah order 10 free sink base's $285.00 each.

 

Thought I would add.....Shenandoah cabinets are part of American Woodmark Corp.

 

My biggest struggle right now is over integrated end panels. I want the custom look. My wife could care less.

Problem is I can't get the integrated panel on the fridge side panel. I'd have to do doors there. And I have a microwave cabinet that sits on the countertop which also doesn't have an integrated panel option so I would have to go with a door their as well.

After my discounts and with tax I'm looking at about $12k for cabinets. I'm guessing adding integrated panels and add on doors will bump it up another $1500-2000.

I'm afraid I'll kick myself for the next 15 years if I don't just spend the money.

 

Leo will do it for 11k. :whistling

 

Boxes are fine but the finish is terrible IMO . My customer had a connection in kraftmaid and asked me to do the installation . This was in a high end home...............asked me what I thought of the finish on the door's so I told him it was really bad . Some had orange peel others had drips and there was a color variation . We had a rep come to look and said they would replace all the doors .............all 75!!! I told him to get a credit for all the doors , which he did and we replaced them with doors from conastoga wood . From what I was told , the doors come from and are finished in a separate plant from where the boxes are made and are robot finished . All come's down to quality control .

 

My custom cabinet supplier usually beats the pants off of Kraftmaid pricing and quality. By the time Kraftmaid adds for plywood, dovetail, softclose, glaze finishes, etc. they aren't very well priced. At least double check pricing with another comparable brand or cabinet shop.

 

15k? I can get a huge kitchen for 15k in semi custom from my cabinet supplier.

I wondered if this would be the case. I haven't worked with the actual cabinet numbers on custom kitchens so I don't have a lot of experience to go off of price-wise. I figured if kraftmaid was here custom would be way more expensive, even with adding options.

I might go pay a visit to a local cabinet guy today and just ask him if he can give me a rough idea off of my current plan.

 

Any chance you can build the boxes and order the doors?

 

With pre-finished ply this can be a real good method. Go frame less and the boxes get even simpler.

 

I installed kraftmaid cabinets in my kitchen 9 or ten years ago. Not one issue with them. And they have gotten a lot of use. My kids became teenagers with those cabinets. :laughing:

I have cherry with plywood boxes.

 

Not really a fan of Kraftmaid.
I have been less than impressed with their finish quality on painted cabs.

When I go semi-custom (which is rare....because I can usually build them myself or get them from a custom shop at a competitive price point)
I use Crystal.

I am installing a kitchen from them right now.
Their fit and finish is MUCH better than Kraftmaid, as is their completion policy.
They have an Order Completion Program that pushes completion (damaged in shipping) items out with a pretty quick turnaround.
(My buddy had been waiting months for his K-Maid replacements....and they came wrong)


***I think the most important thing when buying semi-customs is who your salesperson/rep is.
My Crystal guy and his team are intimately familiar with their manufacturing process and what can be achieved within the SKU-based production system. (how to beat the "38th guy down the line has no idea where this cab fits in" factor)
For example.....They built many of my cabinets as single units (one would have been 3 individual cabs), and fabricated all of the furniture/valance kicks as part of the face frames rather than being applied at install. My island is a wacky configuration with beaded inset face framed end panels and it came in three simple pieces....instead of five that would have looked "less than custom" had we have been forced to marry the frames on site.

I was able to achieve about 95% custom this way.
Crazy odd sizing....extra deep scribe tails on everything.....premium finished sides and/or integrated panels.....dishwasher panel that my rep made sure looked integrated (tough with beaded inset)....etc.
Like someone mentioned....this is where semi-customs get to be a little spendy though.

I think they are in Minnesota....fairly close to you I guess.

 

I am getting ready to put a kitchen in my house. Don't want to spend the money on custom.

Oh....never mind...:blink::sad:

 

You guys need to bear in mind that the big box stores offer some nice finaceing for home owners. Not saying thats the case here, But custom cabinets from a cabinet maker do not always come with finaceing. The in house design means alot also.

 

I offer a few financing options and my cabinet guy will also do in house design.

 

Spencer, check into Walzcraft, you can get prefinished face frames, panels, and doors/drawers. Just build the boxes with prefin maple ply. Or, have Leo build them.

 

This is funny i just got cataloges from them yesterday, They had a add here on CT. :laughing:

 

I stopped by a local Amish cabinet shop today. I told him what i wanted. Shot straight with him about possibly going the box cabinet route. I gave him my budget and he didn't flinch. Said they are very competitive with kraftmaid prices

This was with integrated end panels. Quarter sawn white oak. Roll outs everywhere. Rollout are also really nice quality and adjustable. Blum soft close hardware.

I was shocked they could be that competitive. Maybe that is why they are booked out till July. Bummer to have to wait that long but it would be worth it.

Thanks to all for setting me straight. Glad I asked.

 

When you don't pay taxes, have insurance or comp, things are cheaper.

 

Spencer... why don't you list the cabinet sizes... there's a solution you'll be happy with...

 

Getting all of these for just over 11k.

 

Wow.

Cardboard boxes....full overlay paper mache' doors?

 

Rob, what size shop are you using? Or anybody for that matter? Going for custom cabinets with finished ends to scribe to the walls and longer runs of cabinets built as one unit, etc.

After some of the threads on here about it, I'm wanting to look into custom in my area.

 

No these are sold doors.

 

Then you mean 5 pc doors. If they are solid slab doors I'd be wary. They typically move a great deal between winter and summer humidities.

 

I've installed dozens of jobs with these cabinets and the frames and panels are solid.

Just used the wrong word to describe them.

 

That's a 5 piece door, not a slab. Very good then.

 

Got a quote back last night from the local custom cabinet shop. $11,750. They beat lowes by a few thousand.

 

Cool!

 

And it's prob much better quality too plus you ain't got to deal with lowes

 

Not probably, definitely. Plus you have someone to go to that actually cares and knows what they are doing.

My cabinet shop has gone miles above what a big box store would have done.