I’m redoing my kitchen an am trying to decide between a local cabinetmaker and Crown Point cabinets. Has anyone here used CP? Any opinions?
The details of my job are – paint grade, plywood construction, face frame, inset doors. I have 24’ of lower cabinets, 15’ upper, 2’ wide pantry with pull out shelves, shallow 4’ wide pantry with fixed shelves, 2’ wide closet, 5’ by 5’ island and 3’ bench with drawers.
Both the local cabinet maker and CP are about the same price (between $35 – $40,000).
Local cabinet maker – the cabinets are to be made out of ¾â€ pre-finished Maple plywood. Drwers are 1/2″ prefinished. Cabinet backs are ¼â€. The drawers will have PVC edge banding and Accuride 3832 slides. The face frame is beech. The doors are Shaker style with a ¼â€ thick center panel. Mortise butt hinges for the doors.
Crown Point – ½â€ pre-finished maple plywood cabinets. Backs are ½â€. Drawers are 5/8†maple, dovetailed with Blum undermount slides. Doors have ½â€ center panels. Adjustable barrel hinges for the doors.
I have questions about both bids. For Crown Point I’m concerned about the thickness of the cabs. Is ½â€ sturdy enough? Everyone else is using ¾â€.
For the local cabinetmaker, ¼â€ for the center panel seems thin. Is it? Should I expect better quality drawers (plywood vs. hardwood/dovetail) for the price quoted or does plywood seem ok.
Thanks
Matt
Replies
I would lean toward local. But I know my local guys, and work with them regularly. Just a much better situation, because if there are any problems, fixes will happen much more quickly with the local guy, and communication is better - and you can visit the shop, and check on them (if he doesn't mind - my guy doesn't because the easiest time to fix a goof is while they're still in the shop).
I've installed cab's from the big box stores (kraft made IIRC), and when there's a screwup, it takes weeks and weeks to fix. Why should they hurry, they were paid up front?
1/4" panels seems fine - unless you'll be holding MMA tournaments in your kitchen!
View Image"...everyone needs to sit on a rock, listen to the surf, and feel the ocean breeze in their face once in awhile."
cambriadays.com
I know a silly question but 35- 40 k for paint grade, that more than my house cost. How can anybody pay that much
I'm guessing a typo, 3.5 - 4KView Image"...everyone needs to sit on a rock, listen to the surf, and feel the ocean breeze in their face once in awhile."
cambriadays.com
joking right?
not really, just not paying attention. View Image"...everyone needs to sit on a rock, listen to the surf, and feel the ocean breeze in their face once in awhile."
cambriadays.com
I've done kitchens where the cabinets were around $100 G
That's just because you're from Jersey and all the cabinets have to be big enough to hide Jimmy Hoffa, right? :)'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
View Image
Nah.
Hoffa's cabinet was made of concrete. That's pretty cheap.
I would try to work with the local guy, too. One concern with him would be the Accuride hinges. I have had clients that just don't like having to shut drawers all the way. Accurides can be stiff if anything is a little off. The blum undermounts are what they choose.
If it's a good install, 1/2" sides are not an issue.
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
Have also worked with CP and found them to be good quality. Don't/didn't have a problem w/the boxes as described.
That said, would lean towards the local guy for reasons already mentioned. Maybe ask to see some of his work/installs in person and check references first. Also might want to ask if he could install the Blum instead of the accuride?
Thanks for the info. The cabinet maker has a good reputation and I've seen one of the kitchens he's installed. It seems that for about the same amount of money I'd end up with better doors and drawers if I went with Crown Point so I was curious as to what people thought of them.Thanks,Matt
matt where are you located ?
my customer was convinced that Crown Point was for them... they went to vermont... looked it over
CP was kinda sticky... wouldn't quote without a deposit is what i was told
they are going to wind up with Bertch at about half the cost
i think CP is selling hype
Mike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Crown Point is in New Hampshire, not Vermont. I've never heard they require a deposit for a quote. They quoted a kitchen to me without a deposit, but I was one of their vendors at the time so that may have had something to do with it. Still, I find it hard to believe they require deposits just to quote. Crown Point makes as nice a cabinet as you will find anywhere. It is a family run company that really cares about the quality of their product. It is also one of the best run companies I have ever worked with. Edited to add: After rereading my post I realized my comment about CP being in NH and not Vermont sounded kind of snarky, but it wasn't meant that way. I was just pointing out that CP is on the wrong side of the CT River. (If you havn't figured it out, I live in Vermont, on the right side--actually the left side, of the CT River!)
Edited 6/25/2009 5:44 pm ET by AndyCharron1
it was about 3 months ago and the details are abscure Mike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Understood....I'm finding details from things that happened three days ago are getting obsure......
One thing I like about a custom guy is you can get larger cabinet runs. IE. If you have a 4 ft straight run of cabinets some like the one I use will make a 4ft cabinet (or whatever size within reason.) From a users standpoint, you'd be surprised how much of a difference it makes to have the space behind the doors completely open. Big pots/pans, bread machines etc etc work so much better in those situations. You only gain a little space by eliminating sidewalls but you gain a HUGE amount of flexibility plus you don't have to worry about the installers matching up stiles between boxes (bigger box/fewer joints).
If custom guy didn't say anything about this, you might ask because this convenience alone would be reason enough for me to go custom over premade.