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Anybody use Home Depot for a kitchen install?

MtnBikerChk

MtnBikerChk

Squeaky Wheel
Aug 3, 2001
5,478
38
Southern New England (where there ain't no TITUS d
I googled lots of bad reviews - I would imagine it would depend on the state and on the contractor that particular home depot uses right?

Background:
We want new cabinets, countertop & sink. We went to a kitchen place and they said look around and pick something you like. So we did - not knowing ANYTHING about kitchen cabinets. We said "we like this stye." Great......here's your $15,000 quote: parts + labor + sales tax = total. I said "can I see the detail behind that?" I mean there are all sorts of assumptions and types of cabinets he selected etc etc He said "well we don't give that out unless we have a contract." I literally laughed in his face.

Then we went to home depot. We started speaking with Tom and after about 10 minutes, we were already 10 times more educated on the types of cabinets and what makes one more expensive than another. He spent a half hour with us and he gave us the warm and fuzzies. I asked him if he was on commission - because I wanted to make sure if we buy from HD that we buy from him because he was so helpful. He said "no." I assume he wasn't lying. SO for $100 we're letting them come out and measure and then we'll sit down and put together a plan and walk away with a complete estimate.

On that side I have no reservations.....it's the contractor. BUT it will be the same people who come out to measure that will do the install so hopefully I'll be able to get a sense of comfort then.

Anyone?
 
Al C. Oholic

Al C. Oholic

Monkey
Feb 11, 2010
407
0
FoCo
I just applied for a job there. If I end up doing your counters, I'll make sure to do it super extra good, just for you.
 
T

TortugaTonta

Monkey
Aug 27, 2008
539
0
Honestly, buying a kitchen at Home Depot is like buying a mtb at K-Mart.

If Home Depot is all you can afford then at the very least be sure to get the plywood upgrade (other wise they are all mdf boxes) and look very closely at the hardware, some tend to be very cheap. Another tip is after they are installed for a while you will notice most of the screws fastening the hardware will be stripped out (they get overtightened by someone making $7 an hour when they are manufactured) take the screws out and shoot some hot melt glue in the holes and put the screws back in, when it cools they will be tight for a while.

I bought some Home Depot cabinetry for my kitchen because I had a limited budget and a couple years later I wish I spent more and got good cabinets.

Oh and the reason the first kitchen co wouldn't give you many details without a contract is because it gets tiresome when you put time and effort designing and bidding on a job when someone has no intention of paying for your services.
 
MtnBikerChk

MtnBikerChk

Squeaky Wheel
Aug 3, 2001
5,478
38
Southern New England (where there ain't no TITUS d
TortugaTonta said:
Honestly, buying a kitchen at Home Depot is like buying a mtb at K-Mart.

If Home Depot is all you can afford then at the very least be sure to get the plywood upgrade (other wise they are all mdf boxes) and look very closely at the hardware, some tend to be very cheap. Another tip is after they are installed for a while you will notice most of the screws fastening the hardware will be stripped out (they get overtightened by someone making $7 an hour when they are manufactured) take the screws out and shoot some hot melt glue in the holes and put the screws back in, when it cools they will be tight for a while.

I bought some Home Depot cabinetry for my kitchen because I had a limited budget and a couple years later I wish I spent more and got good cabinets.

Oh and the reason the first kitchen co wouldn't give you many details without a contract is because it gets tiresome when you put time and effort designing and bidding on a job when someone has no intention of paying for your services.
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so then ask for a small fee up front like HD.

I never said it was about money.

We do have the option of installing them with the help of my cousin's husband so we may not use either installer.
 
J

jwick

Chimp
May 19, 2008
60
0
I'll chime in as I own my own small cabinet design-build business. The quality of the cabinets themselves is not inherent to the place you buy them. At the HD's in my area (Maryland) they sell a lot of Kraftmaid cabinets which are the exact same cabinets as Merilat cabinets that a lot of smaller Kitchen and Bath shops sell. When I say exactly, I mean they literally come off the same assembly line. That being said there are quite a few different cabinet brands out there and huge differences in quality within the same brand. Plywood upgrades are usually a good purchase as they often come with upgrades els-ware in the cabinet, such as hardware. The plywood would also be a prudent choice for under the stone counters, as stone is very very heavy. What makes a huge difference is the installer. I believe HD subs out the instal, so the quality is hit or miss. The smaller shops will probably be a bit more consistent. Generally, you do get what you pay for.

Don't just go to one Kitchen Cabinet place other than HD and call it. If there are more in your area, check them out. The salesman should do a better job than whoever you met with in your first post. They should do a better job of guiding you through the process than just "go pick out what you want." You may find something worth-while. A kitchen is not a small purchase.

Installing stone over cabinets requires good, solid, and careful installation to ensure you don't have a crappy outcome. I don't want discourage you from doing this work yourself, as you seem to be confident enough to tackle the demo and flooring. Does the cousin's husband know what he's getting into? What is his experience?

I would definitely shop around for the stone counter purchase/installation separately. HD is not known as a cost effective way to get that done around here. Try "Counter-Intellegence" if you have one locally. I know i get a hell of a good deal from those guys.

O.K. i've said enough for now.
 
MtnBikerChk

MtnBikerChk

Squeaky Wheel
Aug 3, 2001
5,478
38
Southern New England (where there ain't no TITUS d
jwick said:
I'll chime in as I own my own small cabinet design-build business. The quality of the cabinets themselves is not inherent to the place you buy them. At the HD's in my area (Maryland) they sell a lot of Kraftmaid cabinets which are the exact same cabinets as Merilat cabinets that a lot of smaller Kitchen and Bath shops sell. When I say exactly, I mean they literally come off the same assembly line. That being said there are quite a few different cabinet brands out there and huge differences in quality within the same brand. Plywood upgrades are usually a good purchase as they often come with upgrades els-ware in the cabinet, such as hardware. The plywood would also be a prudent choice for under the stone counters, as stone is very very heavy. What makes a huge difference is the installer. I believe HD subs out the instal, so the quality is hit or miss. The smaller shops will probably be a bit more consistent. Generally, you do get what you pay for.

Don't just go to one Kitchen Cabinet place other than HD and call it. If there are more in your area, check them out. The salesman should do a better job than whoever you met with in your first post. They should do a better job of guiding you through the process than just "go pick out what you want." You may find something worth-while. A kitchen is not a small purchase.

Installing stone over cabinets requires good, solid, and careful installation to ensure you don't have a crappy outcome. I don't want discourage you from doing this work yourself, as you seem to be confident enough to tackle the demo and flooring. Does the cousin's husband know what he's getting into? What is his experience?

I would definitely shop around for the stone counter purchase/installation separately. HD is not known as a cost effective way to get that done around here. Try "Counter-Intellegence" if you have one locally. I know i get a hell of a good deal from those guys.

O.K. i've said enough for now.
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Well said.

Thank you.
 
C.P.

C.P.

Monkey
Jan 18, 2004
547
8
SouthEastern Massachusetts
We used Lowes a few years back, (Schuler Cabinetry), for our kitchen remodel.
We did'nt use their install services however. (Did it myself). We did spend extra for plywood frames, special finishes etc. For counters, I went to a local granite shop with dimensions, & they delivered & installed. If I lived closer I'd help out, I love other people's projects...also, I have some lighting design experience if you happen to be doing anything there...
 
drkenan

drkenan

anti-dentite
Oct 1, 2006
3,441
1
west asheville
You should go get some other quotes from local vendors. That first one sounds like they smell their own farts.


 
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stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,238
393
NY
Seriously you're a good shopper and finding a contractor is the same thing. Find at least 3 qualified installers and bid out the job. Good contractors should be able to provide a list of references.
 
DirtyMike

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
Home depot does subout the install work, so when you go with them, your going to have a really hard time even trying to pick who does the actual install. This is also why HD is def not a cost effective way to go about a kitchen. While the HD guy gave you alot of info he isnt an installer, if you decide to go off the plans they come up with, once you get the cabinets home, they are yours. The designers at home depot have a wonderfull way of telling you that moving certain things is no big deal, and you can do whatever you want... while in reality you can, they dont realize the additional cost involved, so you end up with a kitchen removed, then have no choice but to accept the increase in cost for plumbing work, electrical work ETC.

Teh biggest problem with going to HD for a kitchen........ The design goes through too many hands to really get an accurate build without problems. ALso, just a thought with 3rd party contracts like these..... You dont get to call back the contractor for problems, you call HD, then they call the contractor..... Makes any type of warranty a real pain in the ass if its needed, maybe a cabinet settles, maybe they damaged the floor, maybe a sratch in the paint........ things you find after they are done........ There comes a certain lack of caring when the person doing the work doesnt have to hear from you directly
 
stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,238
393
NY
MtnBikerChk said:
I know you guys all like the closure I provide for my threads....

I just confirmed with my cousin that he will install the cabinets for the following fees:
$300
a road ride
dinner


it's all who you know :)
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I 100% agree!!! Luckily I'm in the construction field so I know a lot of contractors but it can be difficult to find a good contractor if I didn't.

Sounds like a good deal!
 
Colonel Angus

Colonel Angus

Monkey
Feb 15, 2005
917
419
land of the green chiles
I would buy the knocked-down cabinets you need, assemble and install them. Then just use a contractor for the stone countertops. You'll save a ton of cash.

It's really easy to install the base cabinets. The wall cabinets are a little harder, but still do-able for anyone who can use a level and a tape measure.

I bought about 30 linear feet each of base and wall cabinets at HD for around $3K. Assembled and installed them all myself with some help. They look fantastic and are holding up well after 5 years. With the money you'll save you can afford to go with the best-referenced granite countertop installer.
 
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