On Apr 11, 9:53 pm, Melinda Meahan - take out TRASH to reply
wrote:
Steve B wrote:

We had custom cabinets made, WITH all roll out drawers and shelves, roll up
garage doors, turntables, and a couple of odd sized cabinets INSTALLED for
less than HD wanted for just the plain off the rack cabinets.

That was the advice I got, but around here, any custom work was going to
cost me twice what I paid for the cabinets at HD, and I got their
middle-of-the-quality-scale cabinets (Kraft Maid). What can I say? I
live in a yuppie, upscale area.

HD sucks on cabinets, and most other things, too. Only for the misinformed
or uncapable.

It has its place, just like Walmart, that I personally try very hard to
avoid shopping at.

I recently purchased 2 Kraftmaid vanities from Lowes with excellent
results. They just delivered them, however, and I paid a local person
to do my tile work and installation. After that experience, I am
planning to order my kitchen cabinets through them as well.

I, too, live in an expensive area and want to do an inexpensive
kitchen renovation. I also like the idea that I have a big company to
deal with after a terrible experience with my upstairs neighbor's
contractor (who flooded the bathroom in my condo twice and was the
reason I had to renovate my bathroom in the first place). This local
contractor operates out of exactly the type of custom kitchen and bath
that many of you suggest using--for very high fees. He hires
SUBcontractors for all of his work and does not follow up on their
work. I witnessed his "contractor" skills as his workers made repairs
in my unit and can only imagine that this is the reason for the
disaster upstairs.

I supposed the key is knowing exactly who will do your work no matter
who you hire. Even if you hire a "local" contractor to do the work,
do they sub it out??? And they need constant or at least daily
supervision. My neighbor paid a premium and trusted this contractor
while she was at work. He didn't even bother to show up at the end of
the day and the small 800 sq ft condo kitchen/bath project took nearly
a year to be resolved.

I lucked out and found an excellent kitchen designer/salesperson at
Lowes who selected the subcontractor that he believes to be their best
(by customer feedback), or so he says... I choose to trust his word.
The guy arrived early, was very professional and personable, and has a
local business that I MIGHT have found via recommendations. But, I
might have been stuck with another "contractor" like the one my
neighbor hired. The estimate that I received was slightly higher than
I expected, by about 20%. It did include a return trip to hook up all
of the new appliances and plumbing once the counters are installed (by
a granite company). This 20%, I assume, is overhead. I plan to save
money by doing the demo/removal myself. And I will hire a local
person that I know to do the tile. To me, having the backing of a big
store is worth the 20%.

As far as the decision to use Lowes being "Only for the misinformed or
uncapable," I will let you know how it works out. Should be ordering
my cabinets by early May. I am just wondering, though, why this issue
bring out such hostility in this forum?