Does the dealer's price include installation ? Does Lowes' price ?

Do you think the local firm's designer,owner, project manager, are any good at their jobs? Better than their counterparts at the box store ?

Supposing their is a quality difference btw the cabinets, do you think it's worth 500 dollars, you've seen them both.

Both prices are cabinets only before tax. The dealer will charge $90 for delivery or I can pick it up for nc, not sure with Menards which is similar to Lowes.

I've seen Medallion cabinets at both places and they look the same. The only difference is the local dealer has a newer and nicer display.

I'm not a Medallion dealer, but I believe the specs are different between the two. Premium Choice isn't the same as Designer Gold. I think Premium Choice is the same as Silverline.

I bought my kitchen cabinets and basement bar cabinets at Menards. The only difference I see is they change the name of the the door style and some of the door styles are not available through Menards. I got the premium choice which is the top line at menards I think it is equivalent to the gold line. Inset is not offered at Menards.

http://www.medallionatmenards.com/

http://medallioncabinetry.com/BuiltforLife/Difference

After looking at the two doors online, they don't appear to be the same door. The Madison should be a more expensive door. It's difficult to tell with the quality of the image that Menards shows for Ashland, but it appears that Madison has a bit of a curved profile, where the Asland has a straight routed profile. Also, are the overlays the same? If you're comparing inset to full overlay, inset will always be more expensive.

See the distinct line of the center panel above compared to the less distinct center panel of the one below? See the reflection of the curved section of drawer compared to the straight profile of the one below? See the double profile on the inner portion of the stiles and rails compared to what looks like a single slope towards the center panel?

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In other words, I don't think you aren't getting a true apples to apples comparison here. But someone who is fully versed in the line would have more accurate input for you about the differences.

Lwo: The images on Menards site are not very good. The Madison door is available in both inset and full overlay. I'm attaching the full overlay door from the Medallion site which is in oak.

Pricing for both was for full overlay.

I've attached a link to a PDF document that shows a better picture of the Ashland door style. They actually show the exact same door in the picture including finish that they show on the Medallion website. The PDF document is 70 pages. It show all the door styles available.

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to Medallion at Menards door styles

I had similar questions because I was getting very different pricing on Medallion (sm shop, medium sized place, Lowes, Menards). Called Elkay-Medallion customer service, they were very helpful.

mdln: Thanks for the advise of calling Elkay-Medallion customer service.

I asked for pricing from another place or two and Menards is still the cheapest. The others are in the general range of the first independent dealer. I was expected a price difference, but not as large as it was.

One major disadvantage with Menards is you do not (or at least I didn't) get really experienced KD - so they may miss some things (e.g., allowance for fridge door opening, need for fillers, etc.)

However, for me, the price may be too good to pass up.

Please let me know what you ultimately decide.

You're not getting a $600 price difference if everything is exactly the same. SOMETHING is cheaper/not included with the Menards quote. Most dealers are usually cheaper than the box stores when you are actually comparing like to like. You'd have to post a pic of the two line itemed quotes to be sure that they are both the same.

@ hollysprings - Respectfully, I strongly disagree with your statement. Unless, of course, you consider profit as a line item.

I believe it's about profit margins. I can get some items @ WalMart at less than their cost (e.g., paper folder for $0.10 - because they use it as a draw to get customers in the store), where I may pay 15 times as much (e.g., $1.50) at the corner store (who knows I am shopping there because of convenience).

Having just talked with a manufacturer who sold electrical items to Menards, he said they were "cut throat" about negotiating the best price. Obviously, they pass some of that savings on to customers.

Box store margins are actually higher than most dealers in order to cover all of the mistakes by the inexperienced employees that they have to swallow. I know that for a fact as I know a couple of the designers there very well. The last time I went head to head with one of their quotes that they so sillily let someone walk out with, I beat it handily in the same exact cabinet brand, line for line exactly the same. Ultimately, after doing actual design work for the space, I came in 9K under the box store price for 90% of everything they wanted from the box quote, and 20% more stuff that they didn't know they could have. In other words, they ended up with a better kitchen with more stuff, for 9K less

Most people make big assumptions about the box stores lower prices, and they rely on that inaccurate assumption.

there is a big price difference because one is the silverline and one is the gold. i just had my kitchen priced out and it was a $1500 cost difference for 2 similar doors, one in silverline, one in gold.

ardcp, to the best of my knowledge this is how Medallion at Menards compare to Medallion at an independent dealer with there various lines:

Criterion = Silverline
Premium = Gold
Premium Choice = Designer Gold
The only difference that I can see is that Medallion at the independent dealers have soft close doors as standard and they are an upgrade at Menards.

The door style I was looking at is not available at all on the Criterion(Silverline) series and I was quoted on the top of the line at Menards which is premium choice.

Hollysprings I would love to post a picture of both quotes, but unfortunately the independent dealer just gave me a price without a detail quote.

I had a quote done for another brand(Custom Cupboards) by two different dealers and guess what? There was another large price difference. Dealer A quoted me $983 for all plywood construction, full overlay door in stained cherry. Dealer B quoted me starting at $1300 for furniture board, partial overlay in stained cherry.

It blows my mind that there can be a large price difference for one cabinet.

Don't assume just because you are paying more that you are getting more or that you will end up with a better KD. I would call Medallion to see what the spec and quality differences are between the different retailer lines. You might get a simple, straightforward answer.

wow that is a big price difference then. i just assumed, wrongly ,that you were comparing the silverline to gold. there is a big price jump between the two and my kd said there is no construction difference.
clearly you have done your research so you should feel comfortable going with your gut at this point. i see alot of people get their cabinets at menards but we dont have any in my area so i couldnt comment on them.

Had to go to Menards yesterday and while I was there, I had them price the same cabinet out not being on sales and the price was $1,235.18 which is still less expensive then the independent dealer.