$6000 kitchen?

[Tim Reagan]

Closing escrow on a home next week, where the kitchen is thrashed. Plan to get it redone as much as possible before move in. Several "cabinet" stores in the area offer the 5-6000$ kitchen for up to 20 linear feet. I would probably need 25 l.f., with the price being low 7 grand. It comes with base and uppers, granite, raised panel, some slideout's, and a sink. The carcass is 1/2 ply, made in china.

Anyone have any experience with this setup? I have the equipment and most of the skills :o to make it, but thinking of time and materials. The other side is if this stuff delaminates in a year or two and have to start over. My guess is material for 25 l.f. of 3/4 prefinished bb ply cabs with cherry faceframe and cherry frame and panel doors with basic ss extension slides would be ?3-4000$ in material, + 2,000$ for granite/sink? Is that a good estimate? I'm in so cal.

would love your feedback.
tim

[William OConnell]

Your material estimate sounds about right.
Thats a mighty good price those Cabinet places are quoting you. It won't be the quality of a custom shop or maybe even your own but it will be done in a hurry. Sometimes thats a beautiful thing

[John Keeton]

With unemployment now double digits in CA, I would think there would be some small cabinet shops (may be what you are talking about??) that would be very competitive. I agree that having it done would certainly be quicker, and could be cheaper in the long run.

But, the quality you are being quoted doesn't sound so great. Do they have some references you could talk to and perhaps look at? Kitchen design means a lot, as well. A nicely designed kitchen, with varied heights, and some "texture" can really show off even medium quality boxes.

Cabinet installation can make or break the look of a kitchen. I have seen some well made cabinets that lacked design, and were installed poorly.

[frank shic]

ikea makes some great affordable kitchen cabinets if you're willing to accept the fewer choices you have with the doors and drawer fronts if this is not a home that you plan to be spending the rest of your life in. they're extremely easy to install as well. i built my own kitchen cabinets for approximately $5000-6000 but it took several weeks and then the installation *groan* took a while too to get completely finished and then there was that granite tile countertop that i insisted on bullnosing and cutting out for the undermounted sink lol...

[Sonny Edmonds]

Having tried some China ply, I won't let that in my shop.
And the supplier I got it from had a bunch of the squiggly stuff left the last time I was there.
It was flat, until I ripped it down to size. Then the Chinese dragon came out in it.
Never had ply get as squirrely as that junk did. :mad:

[Mike Thomas]

From my recent experience if you are talking slab granite you need to figure about $100 per sq ft of counter area. May be able to find someone in this economy that has some granite you like on hand and get it done a little cheaper but $100 per sq ft on average is a good estimating number.

[Larry Rasmussen]

Probably similar size to yours overall and just under 4K. I just went down every couple weeks and put enough cabinet flat packs on top of the Corolla canoe rack and did 4 to 6 feet at a time working around from one end of the kitchen to the other. Only had 1-2 down days at most. When I got to the part with the sink I cut and got every thing just free standing and we kept using the sink until we were ready for that section. Never had a really big push but it took a bit more time.

Anyhow from the little bit I observe it appears that folks are moving away from the granite some. When we were just starting the project we listened to some folks in the theater gripe endlessly about how many items they broke on the granite and what a bummer it was and yada yada yada. They were having theirs torn out. I'm not in the trades or anything but we go on local remodeling or home tours and 3 yrs ago granite was to die for/must put in if your home was valued above a certain price point and now, we see it less. We got Corian and it's fine, cost more than anything else we've done so far but less than granite. If you heart is set on granite it can look great and then some but like the cabinets someone was talking about earlier it can be kind of ordinary without great craftsmanship and perhaps a little flare somehow, in another kitchen it would be the thing that made you proud of your home every time you were in the room.

Have fun!
Larry Rasmussen,
Seattle

[Craig Coney]

On the kitchen from China, when they were first coming in about 4-5 years ago, the cost to the shop was about $1500 for 20 LF with lowers and uppers. That wouldn't even purchase materials stateside to complete the casework and doors.

Personally, I would not go this route if it were a long term investment where I was planning on staying for a more than a couple of years.

Another option is to pick up Woodshop News, there are shops that will build casework for you, and also door shops in the area. You could finish it and get a higher end product.

I'd also recommend solid surface for the countertops. It can be repaired, granite has to be replaced.

Just throwing out another option...

[David DeCristoforo]

I would suggest that you buy the cabinets. They will be delivered to you packed in cardboard boxes. Carefully remove the cabinets from the boxes taking great care not to damage them. Gently set the cabinets aside. Install the cardboard boxes in your kitchen. Then put an ad in the local paper offering to sell the cabinets. If you unpacked them carefully enough and set them aside gently as I suggested, they should still be in one piece and you should be able to get 50 - 75% of what you paid back plus you will have a much better kitchen. Be sure to have the buyer sign a waiver because it is probable that, without the cardboard boxes to hold them together, they will not still be in one piece when the buyer gets them home and you don't want him coming back on you.

[Tim Reagan]

They actually demo and install, but point taken. I'm primarily looking at time savings, but maybe going to a real cabinet shop for the boxes is a better option. Another guy I talked to today, said all his cabinets were USA, but the carcasses were 3/8 "furniture board" - sounds like particle board...3/8 seems quite thin.

[Sonny Edmonds]

I would suggest that you buy the cabinets. They will be delivered to you packed in cardboard boxes. Carefully remove the cabinets from the boxes taking great care not to damage them. Gently set the cabinets aside. Install the cardboard boxes in your kitchen. Then put an ad in the local paper offering to sell the cabinets. If you unpacked them carefully enough and set them aside gently as I suggested, they should still be in one piece and you should be able to get 50 - 75% of what you paid back plus you will have a much better kitchen. Be sure to have the buyer sign a waiver because it is probable that, without the cardboard boxes to hold them together, they will not still be in one piece when the buyer gets them home and you don't want him coming back on you.

ROTFLMAO! :D
Couldn't agree more, David! :)

[Bob Luciano]

The granite price is a bit high unless you are picking out slabs and they are fabricating. Prefab granite is available for considerably less, least in Northern CA. Don't buy those cabinets you won't be happy after the first month if you are lucky enough to be happy that long. If you don't have time to make doors and drawers you can order premade in the US. Make your boxes and face frame, paint or stain done. Tearing out a kitchen and a bath monday myself plan on having the unit ready for rent on the 15th.

[Jay Brewer]

I would suggest that you buy the cabinets. They will be delivered to you packed in cardboard boxes. Carefully remove the cabinets from the boxes taking great care not to damage them. Gently set the cabinets aside. Install the cardboard boxes in your kitchen. Then put an ad in the local paper offering to sell the cabinets. If you unpacked them carefully enough and set them aside gently as I suggested, they should still be in one piece and you should be able to get 50 - 75% of what you paid back plus you will have a much better kitchen. Be sure to have the buyer sign a waiver because it is probable that, without the cardboard boxes to hold them together, they will not still be in one piece when the buyer gets them home and you don't want him coming back on you.


Exactly what I was thinking, you just wrote it much better than I could.

Tim, do yourself a favor and talk to a local shop. Any good shop could build this kitchen in a week, two if they are busy.

What you are looking at is junk, plain and simple, 3/8" "furniture board" never heard that one before, but its funny and sad at the same time.

[Mike Cutler]

Tim

That price sounds a little on the low side, yep I really meant to say low. Having many friends in the custom cabinet business, I know that their prices start at $700.00 plus per linear foot,and go way up depending on complexity, and materials.

As for the granite, the price of granite is a reflection of the square footage, thickness, edge treatment, and whether or not it was a remnant piece, or a slab had to be cut.
The trick to long life for a granite top is to have the top made thick, bed it properly on a substrate material that is affixed to a properly constructed frame that can bear the weight. If it's 3/8" thick granite, with a 1 1/2" edge treatment, pass if you can afford too. Granite tops break from abuse, and or not being supported properly.
I'm in the beginning stages of a kitchen remodel,and the latter stages of a bathroom remodel.
For the kitchen I've built a temporary center island out of 2x4's and BB ply from the Borg, installed the cooktop and vent hood so we could cook. The real island will be made from padauk, with a granite surface.
Whack together some quick cabinets to use as a "mock up", and do a quick counter top from formica, or some other inexpensive product, long enough to give you some breathing room to build, or buy, exactly what you want. $6K still goes a long way towards raw materials.

[Jim Andrew]

I think if I were using stone countertops, I would want a heavy built box to support it. Personally, I use 3/4" end panels and at least a 1 x 8 for the nailer at the back. The boxes are heavier to install, but they hold up.

[frank shic]

next time i do a kitchen, i'm going corian all the way since there are now vendors online to purchase it directly and install it yourself. looks like fun!

[Rob Diz]

I made my own out of 3/4 West Coast ply. I enjoyed the process, including the demo and install, but it was not a fast project. Granted, I put it aside for lemme see, a year or two, but it would still have been a few weeks of solid work. And I purchased my doors unfinished from Walzcraft. Of course, I will never have to touch my kitchen cabinets again.

Now my cousin, who is an architect, has IKEA cabinets in his kitchen. He installed them himself and frankly he loves 'em. I think they ahve been in for four years and still look new. Of course, he has not kids.

Time is money, particularly when you are moving into a new house. If you can live with what you have for a little while, move in, then tackle the kitchen. You will also have a better idea of how you use the space, and what you want where.

[Don L Johnson]

Tim,

I've been to several annual wood shows and one vendor I've always been impressed with is Sommerfeld. Here's his website: http://www.sommerfeldtools.com/

He has a real neat cabinet making process that might be worth checking out. I know time is of the essence, but you could probably save a lot of $ and not have to revisit the situation down the line. Plus, instant equity built in with the savings.

Good luck.

[Barrett Floyd]

Another option is to try to find someone with a CNC. For my bathroom I paid $25 a sheet for cutting, regardless of pieces plus materials. Everything went together fast and you can put any fronts you want on it. You could also do IKEA cabinets and customize the fronts. It's hard to beat their prices for drawers and hinges etc..

[Loren Hedahl]

When I was a soldier in a combat zone, the most important person was the medic. The second was the cook. The rest were down the list a ways.

I still figure it is wise to get the best medical advice and service.

I still figure it is wise to provide the best for the cook.

I know, the Chinese manage to get good food without a grand facility, I'm told.

But my cook isn't Chinese!

[Myk Rian]

Our kitchen cost about 18k. That included 20' Birsch upper/lower oak w/corian, 3x5ft island and hardwood floor. The junk we took out might compare to what you're looking at.

[Michael Weber]

We got corian a couple of years ago. It scratches very easily. Even using a cleaner may dull the finish from lots of tiny scratches. Of course it can be refinished. I just wanted to use formica but the wife just had to have the molded in sink. I agree with a lot of the comments about granite. Pretty common place and a lot of it isn't good quality granite. The less expensive cuts are more porous so have to be sealed periodically.

[tim rowledge]

Do take a look at the Formica website. There are some *really* neat patterns these days.

[Peter Quinn]

4K for 20LF of cabinets with sink and granite? Really? Have you seen these boxes in person? Give them a good solid kick and see if they remain standing.