$25,000 for cabinets..? Really?

[Trooperdan]

So the wife wants to over-haul the kitchen, no problem sez I, when the wife is happy, I'm happy. I figure I can get outta this for $30 large easy, right? So she goes to Lowes, to The Kitchen Designer. Spends three hours and comes out with an estimate for $25,000 KEWL sez I, under my budget.

"You don't understand", sez she. This is just for the cabinets! Really? In a 10 bt 10 kitchen..? No countertops, no appliances, I don't think that is even installed... no, that has to be installed right?

But $25 K in a 10 x 10 kitchen?

I have a kid I sent to community college for two years to be a cabinet maker.. never seen him carve so much as a toothpick. Now he is an instrumentation tech, bitching about low pay.. Boy, did he take the wrong path!

[Gray Rider]

You need to rein in your wife a bit; check out other suppliers, local or regional lumber yards will have their own kitchen designers and line of cabinets. Also, if you know reputable contractors see who they recommend, the best kitchen designer I know owns a single lumber yard and offers the best customer service I've ever seen.

Lowe's contracts with contractors for their installs and I was led to understand that they expect their contractors to go to the job the day they(Lowe's) schedule the work to be done. I would be leery of using someone who doesn't have enough work that he has schedule a few weeks in advance or one who would walk away from one uncompleted job to go to another. I'm a general contractor and didn't sign on to do installs for Lowes because of this.

[JayCeeNC]

Dan, see if you can find a local cabinet designer in your area.
I've been thru the same thing, and was able to get a superior product at a better price and with more customization than thru the Big Box stores.

[PlaytheAces]

Depending on what you currently have, another option is having them refinished. I'm going through that right now. Our old cabinets (as in eight years old ) were oak, and the wife decided she can just no longer abide oak.

I found a refinisher who's re-staining everything, adding new end panels and building a new row of cabinets to fit on top of the existing cabinets. He's charging me a third of your Lowe's estimate.

We decided the existing oak grain with a completely different stain looked great. But we also could have had the existing cabinets re-skined and new doors installed, which is what I did in our master bath. That still would have run me less than half of your estimate.

I think you need to get some more estimates, and look at some additonal options.

[Trooperdan]

Gray Rider, what do you think of Ikea cabinets? Just a bit of research shows them about half the Lowes price. She has a contractor in mind, he referred her to Lowes.. but he is the same guy that has taken four months to do our bathroom remodel!

[arjay]

Your wife has good taste! Cabinets can get very expensive in a hurry.I had a whole house restoration a few years ago where the 8 kitchen cabinets came in at just under $30k.

[BrianE]

Are they in bad shape or can they be refaced? That's like 1/4 of the cost I think...

[Fishinfool]

25K for kitchen cabinets? Maybe I am behind the times, but that's insane... For that kind of $$, I would buy the necessary tools and equipment, and learn how to make my own...

Larry

[old bear]

I've had Lowe's install carpet, hardwood flooring, and storm doors for me. I have been very pleased with the quality of the products and the installers who did the work.

[DeadAye]

We got our kitchen cabinets for $30,000 and they threw in a house....

[oldillini]

We have a rather small kitchen ourselves, probably no larger than yours. About 5 years ago we updated. New cabinets, tops and sinks from Lowe's. We did not get the top of the line, but definitely not the cheapest either. Cost us little over $10K. That included installation of the counter top. (With help of friend I installed cabinets.)

Like others have suggested, I would look elsewhere. Although the kitchen turned out well, I did have bad experience with Lowe's and installation of carpet. They used an installer that I was ready to choke. We had paid for their highest quality pad. Came home to see him putting down carpet over pad that was not the same color as all of the rooms before. When I questioned him, he said that they did not give him enough and he was using a lesser quality pad he had available. If it had been in a closet I may not have been upset, but it was over nearly half of our living room.

[Bekeart]

Originally Posted by Trooperdan

She has a contractor in mind, he referred her to Lowes.. but he is the same guy that has taken four months to do our bathroom remodel!

FOUR MONTHS !!!!

Sounds like your job was not very high on his list of priorities.

Hope you had a second bathroom. Betting that you don't have a second kitchen.

[Bkreutz]

How many of you have built a cabinet? My great grandfather was an old world trained cabinetmaker and I spent a number of summers with him as an apprentice. (give you an idea, the shop was powered by a water wheel and to turn on a piece of machinery you had to take a stick and push the belt over onto the live pulley). The time it takes to make a quality cabinet is more than most of you would think. I don't make many cabinets (or furniture) because most won't pay my price, that's OK, I'm retired from another field (mainly because cabinetmakers are grossly underpaid). Problem is, everyone wants Chippendale quality on a Peking(or Ikea) budget. I know, I sound like a grumpy old man, well to prove it, here's a pic of me in a hammock in the back yard.

[4011]

Look around for a local cabinet shop! That's unreal. As said before if your base cabinets are good just replace the doors and drawer fronts. While your there do buy the good drawer glides. You'll loose just a dab of width in the drawer. If you go painted cabinets you buy paint grade popular and paint it yourself. Few years back I did a kitchen and two baths for just under 4 k. I did the paint.

[arjay]

I've built many custom cabinets over the years.Most people think they should cost the same as production work ;-)

[feralmerril]

Good golly miss molley! I remember my dad buying our house on 2 1/2 acres with a old barn and workshop for $2,000s !!!! Thats two thousand dollars! Course it was 1952.

[venomballistics]

Originally Posted by Fishinfool

25K for kitchen cabinets? Maybe I am behind the times, but that's insane... For that kind of $$, I would buy the necessary tools and equipment, and learn how to make my own...

Larry

and therein lies the answer

[Smithsrevenge]

I say drop the $25k on a new ford taurus, then just show her how many canned goods you can fit in there :-D

I just redid my entire kitchen, counters, sinks, appliances cabinets etc for $6k.

You're wife has the excessive needs syndrome lol

[Wee Hooker]

I just built a house. Here are a couple of things learned that might help.

First, if you can design in a nice walk in Pantry, it's is not only 300% more functional and flexible but it is 900% cheaper than it's equivalent in cabinetry. Doors can usually be ordered o match the cother doors/faces if desired.

Check with Home Depot and Lowes. I noted your a veteran and they usually extend 10% off for military. Catch a sale (which they run regularly) add that 10% and you can cut a full 1/3 off your costs. ( I saved nearly 60% off their closest competitor on my rain forest counter tops.)

Shop online for faucets, sinks, knobs, accessories. Prices are sometime near 1/2 off local lumber yards.

Don't get too hung up on name brands. Shop quality and features. MR sinks for instance makes an outstanding product at 1/2 the cost of the big names pushed by designers.

hth

[feralmerril]

Until the woman factor, I used to get by nicely with orange crates and maybe some plastic table cloth material.

[sqhead]

I repainted my cabinets to white,all new stainless appl.,granite countertops,and new tile floor for just over 10k..looks good.....ya gotta get some estimates .

[labworm]

Originally Posted by feralmerril

Until the woman factor, I used to get by nicely with orange crates and maybe some plastic table cloth material.

Great look and I agree.

I have been in houses and never realized I was in the kitchen or the bathroom.

The old black stove, everything from frying, baking potatoes in the slots, even using it for a toaster. And you couldn't find a better place to put your almost frost bitten feet.

[buck460XVR]

Shop around....not only for the cabinets but for a contractor. I've built and installed cabinets for 40 years. The price of them depends on many variables. Many times when one goes to a big box store like Lowes the "designer" has been trained to push "accessories" which bump the price up considerably. There is also more profit in those accessories. Some of the new "furniture" style cabinets can be very expensive. There is also a huge difference between the quality of cabinets........make sure you price apples to apples. Very few places sell boxed cabinets for MSRP. Most small lumber yards sell name brand cabinets for 40% off MSRP. Even many so called custom/semi-custom cabinets are just boxed grade with fancy advertising and nailed on mouldings. The moldings and accessories many times can double the price of the cabinets themselves. Many times specialized "Bath and Kitchen" showrooms/contractors sell and install kitchens for the same price or less than the big box stores, and like their name states, kitchens are their specialty. Many of them use independent contractors like me who have a proven tack record and stand behind the products and install. When choosing a contractor you don't know...get references and more than one. Make sure everything you want and are paying for is in writing. Get changes and the cost of those changes in writing BEFORE you okay them if cost is any factor at all. Make sure the cabinets you get have quality name brand hardware(drawer slides/hinges, etc) that can be replaced if needed in a few years. Many entry level cabinets use budget level hardware that just doesn't hold up. Same goes for cabinets with vinyl covered particle board sides. Go for the best quality for price and do not sacrifice quality to get either more accessories and concentrate more on quality cabinets than counter-top surface. Always make me laugh we I put $12000 worth of granite on top of $2500 worth of cabinets. Counter-tops are much cheaper/easier to replace/upgrade than cabinets.

[jaykellogg]

Here in Asheville we have the Home Discount Warehouse. The place is an armpit, but they sell premium cabinets, granite countertops (I can beat their price), and solid wood interior and exterior doors. I put their cabinets in a house I built two years ago. They are above Lowes "standard" in stock cabinets, but are cheaper than Lowes custom cabinets. The fronts are solid wood, the sides are plywood. They are made in Russia.

[vytoland]

in the words of "smokey robinson"....you'd better shop around.....

[finesse_r]

Whoever quoted her that price should be wearing a mask and carrying a gun. I can get the entire kitchen remodeled for that with expensive counter tops and sub zero appliances.

If you are using solid rock maple, black cherry, or zebrawood you could probably justify such prices, but to make custom kitchen cabinets out of that stuff is just absurd.

I hope you have every single S&W gun you ever wanted or thought you might want before you spend that kind of money on some kitchen cabinets!

[Snapping Twig]

Seriously... Call these guys!

Quesco Cabinets | Custom Cabinets | San Francisco Bay Area / San Carlos, CA

They did ours last year. Sure they are not in your area, but it can all be done by the interwebz and phone communication.

[finesse_r]

It may be that these days college is a waste of time unless you plan to be a doctor, dentist, vet, or an attorney. Instead, just send your kids to a cabinet maker as an apprentice. Sounds like a career with less stress, a chance to be creative, and a lot more money.

[snubbyfan]

Originally Posted by Bkreutz

How many of you have built a cabinet? My great grandfather was and old world trained cabinetmaker and I spent a number of summers with him as an apprentice. (give you an idea, the shop was powered by a water wheel and to turn on a piece of machinery you had to take a stick and push the belt over onto the live pulley). The time it takes to make a quality cabinet is more than most of you would think. I don't make many cabinets (or furniture) because most won't pay my price, that's OK, I'm retired from another field (mainly because cabinetmakers are grossly underpaid). Problem is, everyone wants Chippendale quality on a Peking(or Ikea) budget. I know, I sound like a grumpy old man, well to prove it, here's a pic of me in a hammock in the back yard.

I used to make custom furniture. Often when I'd give somebody a quote they'd come back with something like, "I can get that at Walmart for $50." I'd explain that they'd end up with junk made in China out of particle board with a plastic picture of wood on it. If that's what they want, go for it.

[ladder13]

Originally Posted by labworm

I have been in houses and never realized I was in the kitchen or the bathroom.

Whoa!!!

[leswad]

I had my contractor refinish the existing, and they look great!

[rburg]

Originally Posted by finesse_r

If you are using solid rock maple, black cherry, or zebrawood you could probably justify such prices,

The wood isn't the big dollar part of the cabinets. It just allows the thief to demand more.

[moe smith]

I'm a carpenter. About 18 years ago I did a kitchen remodel using cabinets from Lowes, Kraft Made to be specific. The kitchen was about 12/14ish by 10 ish. As I recall I believe the cost of the cabinets was about 15K, before labor. (no tops faucets, etc)

Fast forward to today (about 6 months ago).

The homeowner pointed out cabinet doors that were delaminating in areas. (They are white vinyl covered cabinet doors) I told her it would probably be best to see what type of replacement doors were available, as opposed to replacing the cabinets. So we did. We waltzed into Lowes with a door to show the style we were after (with the original receipt in hand) and sat down with one of their kitchen people.

The result? Kraft Made replaced every door/drawer front that was delaminating FREE OF CHARGE. In fact, they replaced doors and drawer fronts that WEREN'T delaminating too because the color had yellowed a bit over the years and the new doors no longer matched!

In all I think there were about 18 doors and drawer fronts that needed replacing. It took me an afternoon by the time I changed out all the pulls and adjusted hinges etc. I did that for free.

So there's more to think about than just what you shell out up front. Everybody wants a good deal and everybody's uncle Leo can do it for less. Sometimes however the good deal isn't such a good deal down the road. Maybe in 5, 10, 15 years you have a problem, the company who you paid 10's of K's of dollars to no longer exists and uncle Leo is in the slammer for kiting checks.

Something to think about.

[S&W45Colt]

Does that include counter top? Handle Pulls etc. Decent Cabinets run $200 per LF for upper cabinets and $250 a LF for lowers with all the accessories. That's good, but not great cabinets, no granite etc.

How many Linear Feet of Cabinets do you have?

[Cooter Brown]

Don't panic!

The guys who are saying find a local cabinetmaker are dead on. I'm a cabinetmaker and when I first started out I thought I was gonna get clobbered by HD, Lowe's etc. Not so at all unless somebody goes with the cheapest stuff they sell which you should only do if you just want to get something on the wall and get out of the place, because those cabinets will literally fall apart in a few years.

When I go in to bid a job now and they tell me they're shopping me at a box store I just smile. The box stores get away with charging so much because they know that most people assume custom cabinets will always be more expensive. I wish people knew better because I'd have more work.

Just out of curiosity, how many linear feat of cabinets are you talking about?

Find a local cabinet shop, tell them you want to see examples of their work, and have them bid. You'll likely be surprised at the price and you'll get better quality. Like buck said ask about the hardware--Blum or Hettich are top notch for drawer slides and hinges and should last forever.

HD and Lowe's don't sell anything constructed as well as I make a cabinet and I can beat 'em on price if I have to and still make money--and provide a better product.

Also be aware that finish makes a big difference. I'll make a set of solid cherry cabinets cheaper than I'll make a set of glazed cabinets or even a solid color like white because of the time involved. Glazing is hideous anyway.

Find a couple of shops up your way and get a look at their work. I don't have a single customer who wouldn't let somebody look at work I've done.

Most cabinet shops will give you a square deal.

[jframe]

This kind of **** just pisses me off. I guess that's why we still rent. I mean, come on, how much is what amounts to a pile of wood and some hardware REALLY worth? This kind of money is just stupid to me.

[Fishslayer]

Originally Posted by feralmerril

Until the woman factor, I used to get by nicely with orange crates and maybe some plastic table cloth material.

And spools. Don't forget the big wooden cable spools!

[Vegetaman]

I have helped build cabinets before and worked on several kitchen remodels in my younger years, and all I have to say is... Don't rule out pre-made cabinets (but shop around for some good quality ones). Really, in my personal opinion, cabinets ARE NOT worth the thousands of dollars that "custom" ones are priced as.

Or, even better, check out your local cabinet makers, as has been suggested here.

They're cabinets, dang it. They hold stuff (and not even important stuff like guns!) With a nice door and hardware on them, built of good quality material, why throw all this money after something for what I would consider to be literally "nothing".

[Cooter Brown]

Originally Posted by moe smith

Maybe in 5, 10, 15 years you have a problem, the company who you paid 10's of K's of dollars to no longer exists and uncle Leo is in the slammer for kiting checks.

Something to think about.

I will concede this point. If I get hit by a bus today and a customer calls...well, the phone won't get answered.

But I'm not sure what could happen to my cabinets short of major and traumatic abuse. Building something with three quarter in. veneer core ply boxes with face frames, solid frame and panel hardwood doors, solidly constructed drawers (dovetailed maple or pocket screwed and glued Baltic birch), there's not a whole lot to go wrong in general use. Hettich and Blum hardware both have a lifetime warranty.

I do have a ticker file and call customers once a year to see if I need to come out for anything--at most I've had to adjust a couple of doors or tighten some knobs. Once I had to blend lacquer over a bad scratch.

Small shop mfg methods are different than a line mfg. I feel sorry for anyone that has to demo one of my kitchens. I've demoed a few (not mine!) in my time and generally you take the countertop off and grab a corner of the cabinet and start tearing it apart with your bare hands. You just rip the things up and throw the pieces out a window. I promise my boxes will not come out a piece at a time unless you have a really big hammer.

Best of luck in your search. Oh, and by the way, it will take longer than you think or most anybody will tell you....

Edit to say, I went back and read some of the posts--reality check here--if you think that cabinets are just a pile of wood and some hardware, well get yourself a pile of wood and some hardware and remove everything that doesn't look like a kitchen. Simple. But first price the equipment it takes to mill skip dressed lumber to dimension, make a good five piece door, make drawers, assemble and properly finish the work. And let's not forget installing it properly.

And then pay yourself minimum wage for the time required to acquire the knowledge it takes to do all that and achieve even an acceptable result. Heck, forget how it looks, just get it to the point where everything fits in the kitchen the way it's supposed to and the appliances actually drop in and the drawer slides work properly.

And then get back to me.

And if any of you guys know how to get rich being a cabinetmaker, PLEASE let me know.

[loutent]

Check out RTA (ready to assemble) cabinets - high quality at fair price if you do a little assembly:

RTA Cabinets-DIY - YouTube

[BigBill]

On my first house I sanded the cabinets and refinished them. On the second go round like ten years later I took 4" pine paneling and glued and clamped it to each door on an angle then boxed the edges corner moulding. Then I did all the cabinet faces with the 4"
Pine applied vertically. I stained it all and applied a marine spar varnish. The whole job was cheap and saved lots of money. I adder a dishwasher, all new plumbing and even remodeled the bathroom at the sametime. It all cost me maybe under $1,000.
Moms happy and I got a new hunting rifle.

Now at the new place I'm thinking about marble counter tops I'll do the rest myself.

[finesse_r]

Originally Posted by jframe

This kind of **** just pisses me off. I guess that's why we still rent. I mean, come on, how much is what amounts to a pile of wood and some hardware REALLY worth? This kind of money is just stupid to me.

Originally Posted by moe smith

I'm a carpenter. About 18 years ago I did a kitchen remodel using cabinets from Lowes, Kraft Made to be specific. The kitchen was about 12/14ish by 10 ish. As I recall I believe the cost of the cabinets was about 15K, before labor. (no tops faucets, etc)

Fast forward to today (about 6 months ago).

The homeowner pointed out cabinet doors that were delaminating in areas. (They are white vinyl covered cabinet doors) I told her it would probably be best to see what type of replacement doors were available, as opposed to replacing the cabinets. So we did. We waltzed into Lowes with a door to show the style we were after (with the original receipt in hand) and sat down with one of their kitchen people.

The result? Kraft Made replaced every door/drawer front that was delaminating FREE OF CHARGE. In fact, they replaced doors and drawer fronts that WEREN'T delaminating too because the color had yellowed a bit over the years and the new doors no longer matched!

In all I think there were about 18 doors and drawer fronts that needed replacing. It took me an afternoon by the time I changed out all the pulls and adjusted hinges etc. I did that for free.

So there's more to think about than just what you shell out up front. Everybody wants a good deal and everybody's uncle Leo can do it for less. Sometimes however the good deal isn't such a good deal down the road. Maybe in 5, 10, 15 years you have a problem, the company who you paid 10's of K's of dollars to no longer exists and uncle Leo is in the slammer for kiting checks.

Something to think about.

It sounds like you paid 15 grand for some cheap cabinets 18 years ago.

[arjay]

Cabinets come in three main grades
Production- cheap
Semi-custom-not cheap
Custom-whatever you want-expensive

[Coldshooter]

It is not very hard to reface the fronts with cabinets such as DeWils the end peices are just high grade plywood anyway. I notice many cabinets have gone from 7 to 5 to 3 ply plywood the basic cabinet may be better than what you can buy new. I see you are doing a bathroom also those are the two most costly rooms in the average house good luck.