How can they do this?

[Rick Potter]

An ad in the local paper shows a picture of a kitchen with the following description:

Completely complete kitchen....installed and appliances included. No particle board...solid oak cathedral arch, raised panel doors, with face frames and hidden hinges. Includes new white refrigerator, gas stove, microwave, and dishwasher. Includes granite counter top, with 6" backsplash, in your choice of seven colors. Price based on 20 linear feet, with 30" wall, and 36" base cabinets.

Total price installed.......$5950, with no payments and no interest for a year.

WOW, how can they do that? I figure the appliances alone for cheap stuff would be at least $1500. The pic shows a GE spacemaker built in micro. I can't believe that is the standard one as it goes for ove $600 alone, so I just figured $100 for a cheapie.

I realize 20 llinear feet is not a large kitchen, but it isn't unusual either. How do they do that?

Rick Potter
PS: No, I am not thinking of buying it.

[Jim Rimmer]

An ad in the local paper shows a picture of a kitchen with the following description:

Completely complete kitchen....installed and appliances included. No particle board...solid oak cathedral arch, raised panel doors, with face frames and hidden hinges. Includes new white refrigerator, gas stove, microwave, and dishwasher. Includes granite counter top, with 6" backsplash, in your choice of seven colors. Price based on 20 linear feet, with 30" wall, and 36" base cabinets.

Total price installed.......$5950, with no payments and no interest for a year.

WOW, how can they do that? I figure the appliances alone for cheap stuff would be at least $1500. The pic shows a GE spacemaker built in micro. I can't believe that is the standard one as it goes for ove $600 alone, so I just figured $100 for a cheapie.

I realize 20 llinear feet is not a large kitchen, but it isn't unusual either. How do they do that?

Rick Potter
PS: No, I am not thinking of buying it.

Sounds pretty iffy to me. No particle board but what about MDF? Six inch backsplash? Cheapest appliances available bought on contractor discout. And you're right - 20 feet is not much of a kitchen. Might be a good deal if you're refurbing a rent house.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Nobody ever buys the loss leader. Except for the apartment rehabs, their average kitchen cost 2X this starter cost. Who stops at 20' when you have 30' to replace?
.

[Rick Potter]

I am curious whether they make cabinets in China now.

Rick Potter

[David Epperson]

I am curious whether they make cabinets in China now.

Rick Potter
China has recently lost the "lowest bidder" slot...now it's Mexico. But the question is still valid.

[Jamie Buxton]

One common way to meet the "no particle board" claim is a shell game of names. Manufacturers often put a proprietary name on their version of some generic product. For instance, one of Sierra Pine's products is called Encore. Woodworkers look it and know that it is particle board. But they sell it as Encore. A factory making cabinets with that stuff could easily say "We don't use particle board. We use Encore."

[Maurice Ungaro]

Yes, China is in the cabinet business. One of my builder pals has started using some line from China that you assemble on site, and they go together real quick. Guys, these are all solid wood cabinets - solid doors, plywood sides.

A kitchen like that could have cabinets for under $1000. Best Buy does contractor appliance packages for $1,700 for all stainless

[Peter Quinn]

I'm with Mitchell. Good luck trying to actually buy that kitchen advertised. They can advertise it because they know they won't ever sell it. Ever try to get one of those $199 paint jobs from Macco? Its largely a gimmick to get you in front of a salesman, whose job is to sell you something more expensive. As soon as you start asking for choices, you start paying more quick I'd guess.

I'd love to take a chain saw to the sample boxes and see just what they are made of! 20LF of uppers and lowers would eat up 1/3 or maybe half that budget alone if a decent grade of veneer core ply were used. Heck, I think that Millspride thermofoil stuff would come close to that price.

Maybe its magic? Maybe its hooey? Maybe its junk.

[Ron Jones near Indy]

Bait and switch????

[William Nimmo]

My wife actually believes what she reads in the paper. I guess others do too.