Sure. Ask him for references and ask to see some of his work.

There are also other people who do cabinet installs, so you aren't limited to using the installer that Lowe's referred you to.

What do you mean, "it does not include hinge installation"?

Ask him how he would scribe a filler to an out of square wall. Ask him how he handles crown molding with a ceiling that droops from left to right. Ask him how he would build up a base to use a wall cabinet as a base cabinet. Ask him his method to find the high spot in the room. Ask him what brand of multi tool he owns. Ask him how many levels he owns, and what's the longest length one, and is one of them a laser. Ask him what happens when an out of square corner happens and the cabinets that have been designed to fit that wall don't fit anymore. Ask him if owns a Kreg. Ask him how old the blade is on his table saw. Ask him what kind of jig or jack he uses to hold the wall cabinets in place if he works alone.

Ask him why he is working for Lowes, and not for himself. That's a big one. Box stores are really rotten places for contractors to work for as they take a big cut of the $$. Most good contractors move on down the line after a few years. Or, they don't work there in the first place.

Sorry, I meant pulls not hinges. In order to get the tax break, I would have to go with the Lowe's installer.

The guy does have his own business, but he mostly does work for 4 lowes. I thought it was kind of weird that Lowe's does not dish out the work to different contractors. I know with other pro services, like HVAC, there are multiple contractors.

I tried checking him out online. He does not have a website. Angieslist only has one review on him which is positive.

Livewire

I'll ask him some questions. What about putting color marker on cut seams? My cabinets are painted. I've seen some guys use furniture markers (if stained) on the edge of the cuts so bare wood does not show.

He is supposed to come out to do the template next week. This is just to verify the measurements. Then it is Lowe's problem if a measurement issue arises. I also get a one year workmanship warranty. I had to pay $75 for him to do the template, but it will be deducted from my final invoice if I use him.

There were a couple of reasons I decided to go with him instead of DIY.

-Tax savings is the biggest. I would have to pay $800 in taxes. I realize I still have to pay $1325 for the install. I'm still debating on if it is worth it, since I have all the tools and like working with wood.

-1 year warranty. I know I would level the base cabinets completely level. I just worry that some warranty issue with the granite countertop will arise, and they will say that it is a base cabinet issue.

-If he makes a wrong cut, it is on him. He will need to replace the piece.

-TIme involved. I would likely spend a lot of time making sure everything is level, plumb, square, etc. If he does it for a living, I would assume he would be able to get done in a day or two.

Does anyone know if the Lowes installers install the cabinets at Lowe's showroom? If so, I would not be happy with the work.

I tried checking him out online. He does not have a website. Angieslist only has one review on him which is positive.

Livewire

I'll ask him some questions. What about putting color marker on cut seams? My cabinets are painted. I've seen some guys use furniture markers (if stained) on the edge of the cuts so bare wood does not show.

He is supposed to come out to do the template next week. This is just to verify the measurements. Then it is Lowe's problem if a measurement issue arises. I also get a one year workmanship warranty. I had to pay $75 for him to do the template, but it will be deducted from my final invoice if I use him.

There were a couple of reasons I decided to go with him instead of DIY.

-Tax savings is the biggest. I would have to pay $800 in taxes. I realize I still have to pay $1325 for the install. I'm still debating on if it is worth it, since I have all the tools and like working with wood.

-1 year warranty. I know I would level the base cabinets completely level. I just worry that some warranty issue with the granite countertop will arise, and they will say that it is a base cabinet issue.

-If he makes a wrong cut, it is on him. He will need to replace the piece.

-TIme involved. I would likely spend a lot of time making sure everything is level, plumb, square, etc. If he does it for a living, I would assume he would be able to get done in a day or two.

Does anyone know if the Lowes installers install the cabinets at Lowe's showroom? If so, I would not be happy with the work.

If he has his own business, he will have references. Why don't you ask him to provide you with some? Going straight to the source is ultimately better than checking him out online. That is, names and numbers of local clients that have actually used him for their installs. You can also just ask him yourself .... "Did you do the displays at Lowes?" There is only so much information that you can gather online. If you would like to see his work before he installs your kitchen, tell him so!

I called him today. He doesn't have a showroom. He's been doing this since 98 and installs for four stores. I asked the KD if he installs the showroom displays and was told no. I forgot to ask the installer directly, but I think he would have mentioned it. He did offer references right away. I didn't take them. I'm a little leary about personal references. I would think they would have to give him a positive review, if he is giving their number out as a reference.

I have a friend who installs for Lowe's. He's as good as anybody anywhere; 30 years experience. Hire the guy and don't worry. There's a lot more to installing cabinets than most DIYer's think.