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I AM GETTING READY TO REMODEL MY KITCHEN AND BATHROOMS. I AM CONSIDERING FACTORY MADE CABINETS, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHO MANUFACTURES THE HIGHEST QUALITY. THANKS
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Yes I can.
The question is, can you afford 850.00 a foot to have us do it?
Gabe
*I'd recommend doing a little research (yes, asking on the web qualifies as research, but read on) on your own and find which manufacturer makes cabinets that suit your style and taste. Face frame? Frameless? Raised panel?Once you have found the "look", delve into their construction practices...what they are manufactured out of (particle board, MDF, ply, veneer, of honest-to-goodness real wood), type/quality of hardware, finish, etc.From the manufacturers that build to your style and build using materials that suit you, choose which ones fit into your budget. Then come back and ask what we think of "A" vs "B". If budget is not a concern, go directly to a few local cabinetry shops.There are too many manufacturers out there, some national, some regional that may not sell on your locale.Finally, go visit some local cabinetmakers. You may be suprised to find how a few subtle changes in design and honest-to-goodness real custom cabinetry can leave "factory made" in the dust. The prices may suprise you as well.Also, as a favor, please stop typing in all caps. It's a pain to read.
*The always-avuncular Mongo (and sardonic Gabe) have pretty much covered it. I like to look for details -- dovetailed or dadoed drawers, tight construction, good hardware (again, the drawers -- if these break you will hate it), solid feel, etc. Doing your research will save you much aggravation and, yes, quality does cost money. But spending lots of money does NOT assure quality!
*Good one Gabe......My respects,Ed. Williams($850.00 American is about right.)
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I agree with Mongo. A small local cabinet shop is the best bet if your looking for top quality. Check out a few and ask to see one or two of their completed projects. Then go visit a rich friend who purchased a top of the line "Custom
Made" mass produced cabinet. I need say no more.
By the way I'm only $840.00 per LF.
TC
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I went through a furniture making fine wood working phase of my life about 20 yrs ago and got kind of interested in cabinet making. The problem I had at that time was that there were so many little 1 and 2 guy cabinet shops and they were all older and more experienced than me.
Consequently, when I built a little spec house last year, I assumed I would bid the cabinets out to a little local shop and pick the one that best suited me. To my surprise, there werent hardly any, and the ones there were were kids that didnt even have the experience to bid a job let alone relate to me or my needs.
I dont think these old guys are being replaced at least in my area. Ever considered moving SW Adrian?
JonC
*$839.00 per l.f. here. 50% down payment to start. Installation is extra at $45 an hour.
*I guess I need to move to your guys part of the country. Out here in West Texas the local cabinet shops are only getting around $130.00 per l.ft. unfinished but with installation included.
*Is that for uppers and lowers? - jb
*Some cabinet shops add the uppers and lowers then divide by two, others measure the lower l.ft. and multiply times $130 then they take the upper l.ft. and divide that by 2 and mulitply times $130 then add uppers and lowers together.
*Raised panels? Full extension drawer slides? All veneer interiors? A first class job?
*This usually includes raised panel doors,dovetailed drawers, carcases of lumbercore plywood, Amerock hdw [euro cup hinges extra],3/4 extension slides with base units having drawers over doors, one base unit having a drawer stack, and wall units having adjustable shelving, 1/4" plywood backs and lumbercore {virola] plywood tops.
*Hi Fellows,The fun part about dealing with "how much does quality work cost" is the variety of the interpretation of "quality".A truly one of a kind custom designed kitchen, book matched hue tree veneers in an artichoke pattern with top of the line hardware, granite tops, french polished lustre, will not be had for 150 dollars a foot. Box "A" plus box "B" etc will be had for 150 dollars a foot and ironically will satisfy most of the needs of a standard kitchen but will not be defined as a custom kitchen.If you want the best, it starts at 850 a foot and the sky is the limit. Thats why we have Rolls Royce and Fords on the same road going the same direction and getting there at the same time.Gabe
*850 canadian about 700 u. s.?
*Hi Don,No, that's 850US. or 1,200CDN per foot.Gabe
*$130 a lin. ft.?I'm not sure I could buy the material for that. I know that different areas of the country have different rates, but in Dallas, where things are big enough for real compition, $550 a ft. is about as low as you will find for upper and lowers. That's raised panel doors, installed. No dove-tails. Full extension guides and Euro hinges. Adjustable shelves and all the normal stuff.At $130 per ft. you can buy a good upper and lower unit at 4' long installed for $520? No way unless you're throwing in the labor for free. That's cheaper than the crap you can buy at Home Depot.Ed. Williams
*Well, if you can squeeze our kitchen into about 3 feet I'd be interested. It'd save some needed space for the dining room.
*Uhh. . . $850Cdn i today would be about $600.USd.
*Okay JW here in Carolina we can give You a deal--$69.83 lin. in. 49% down throw in the installation. Mad Dog I believe I am more in line with Your figures but I may give these other prices a try. Next time Someone wants them for $200 lin.ft. it'll be " would that be bark on or bark off?" Where is that damned Bentley?
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Thanks for the advice, I feel really stupid by not being more specific about my needs, I am however,planning on using a custom well made cabinet.
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Full-extension ball bearing drawer hardware -- my favorite detail. Costs almost nothing extra, too -- relative to the cost of the project.
*JW,Don't feel stupid. Details are our business. It's what we live and die by. The smallest detail missed can be the difference between buying food this week or not. We have to put our wallets on the line every day giving people prices to build concepts. You can't blame us for asking for more details. It's a survival thing.Good luck with your new cabinets. If nothing else, I hope you learned to pay attention to the details.Ed. Williams
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Just one quick suggestion I haven't seen mentioned as of yet: Be sure to ask about lead time. In the current building boom everyone's got more work than they can handle. Company "a" might charge less for a similar product, but company "b" might be able to get it to you much faster. Not always an issue if you plan right, but holding off subs while you wait for your kitchen to arrive can be a nightmare.
*looking for computer software for drawing cabinets, book cases, built-ins, etc...especially elevations. Also, best paint job for birch plywood cabinets.
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Jeff
Check the archives re: cab software, here and at "Knots"
Ben Moores
i Satin Impervo
applied with a foam roller looks perfect on poplar & birch ply. Undercoat with oil based primer. Don't know if it's as good to spray.
-pm
*Jeff in CO,I like to spray everything I can. Spray a good oil base primer then brush it in. When it's dry lightly sand with 120 grit. I also like to finish up with two coats of a good alkyd paint. Be sure to give the paint time to dry.TC
*Stuff like that does not COST much more on the production side but many manufacturers or reps make their real money on "upgrades" or even if it does not go rigght to margin the consumer gets a big price increase for any departure from standard which requires mor shop time and thought. Add up all the extras to a low end or even mid-range line and it may be nest to start with a higher end or custom line to begin with.I'm told, and it makes intuitive sense, that another trick is to spec lots of standard size boxes. Stack them together to make your installation. You may be able to save money by ordering bigger units or even custom built whole walls. Less material, less assembly.There's some pretty good stuff in some of the older, archived threads too.
*I have to agree with Mongo. Not that I have anything against factory cabinets, I've installed hundreds, but why not get some quotes from smaller custom shops??? I know for the most part they can be pretty competetive in price and certainly better in fit and finish. In addition, after doing your research on materials and styles, you can just tell the builder what you want without getting hit with a premium. Good luck.
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T.C.
thanks for the response. What kind of sprayer do you use and are you happy with it? I'm looking into getting one and am not sure which type
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I AM GETTING READY TO REMODEL MY KITCHEN AND BATHROOMS. I AM CONSIDERING FACTORY MADE CABINETS, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHO MANUFACTURES THE HIGHEST QUALITY. THANKS
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I am a cabinet dealer & I can't recommend my cabinets over most other cabinets. Manufactured cabinets to me are all about the same quality with a few exceptions. And the exceptions cost more $$...