I am having my cabinets made by a local custom cabinetmaker. She was recommended by my KDs, and has done work for both of them. She gave the KDs a bid, I accepted it, and handed over a check for 1/3 the cost. I didn't get a receipt! So I was a little nervous, but I met with her this morning and she gave me a sample drawer.

Basically, she is doing the cabinets in stages, which works best for both of us. She will deliver the bar and buffet in a week or so, then the first wall. After those are done, then I will pay her another 1/3, then she will do the second and third walls, then the island. Upon completion, I pay her the final third.

This was all verbal, and these were our particular terms. I told her the date when I wanted the kitchen finished, she told me her time estimate, and we agreed on the payment plan. She has a small workshop, and I have an elusive GC, so wall-by-wall instead of all at once is ideal for us.

Your cabinetmaker may want half up front and half upon completion. All you really need to figure out, IMO, is: when will the cabinets be ready, and how will the payment be structured.

You could also ask the people who recommended him what they did. I was surprised that my cabinetmaker didn't have a contract for me, but I'll just go with it. Sometimes, you just have to trust people, especially craftsmen.

He is asking for less than 1/3 up front. He has verbally outlined all the construction specs, and I have verified that with other cabs he has made. However, my husband WILL NOT give him any money until he signs any agreement. I don't disagree with him, it is a lot of money, but like you, I think I tend to be a little more trusting by nature. Thanks for your feedback. I hope you liked your sample door!

LOL--My husband is a banker, and he wasn't perturbed! Well, draw up something simple that says, "This is an agreement between Senator13 and Cabinetmaker, regarding the following:

1. A deposit of $xx will be paid upon the signing of this agreement.

2. Cabinets will be completed as discussed, with a payment of $xx to be paid (insert date or percentage of completion) and the final payment of $xx to be paid upon delivery/completion.

Signed and dated this (day) of (month) (year)

Senator13 Cabinetmaker

That's what I would have done :-)

I would also put in the specific of the cabinets - how many, what size, what style, what wood, stain or paint, plywood boxes, etc. - the more details you have, the fewer misunderstandings.

13

We had the same concerns with our Amish cabinet maker, below is what we did. Not the best but better then nothing. He included the specifications we agreed upon, it has hand written, but it had all the details!

Short Form Contract XXXXX.
This contract written on the 16th Day in the month of. March 2011
Is a binding contract between XXXXX LLC.
XXXX RD.
XXXXX PA 17
AND
XXXXX
xxxxxx
xxxxx NJ
For XXXXX LLC. to build a kitchen according to specs, approved and signed by.
XXXXX
Payment to be made according to following terms;
30% down at signing of contract and balance due upon delivery of items in good
condition and ready to install.
Balance for cabinetry and 1/3 of counter top cost due upon satisfactory completion of
cabinet installation.
Balance of counter top cost due upon satisfactory completion of counter top install.
XXXXLLC Representative _________________________Date
XXXX ___________________________________________Date

LOL--My husband is a banker, and he wasn't perturbed! Well, draw up something simple that says, "This is an agreement between Senator13 and Cabinetmaker, regarding the following:

1. A deposit of $xx will be paid upon the signing of this agreement.

2. Cabinets will be completed as discussed, with a payment of $xx to be paid (insert date or percentage of completion) and the final payment of $xx to be paid upon delivery/completion.

Signed and dated this (day) of (month) (year)

Senator13 Cabinetmaker

That's what I would have done :-)

it makes me feel a better to learn that i was not the only one that went through this! i ended up writing a brief agreement with the cabinet maker as he did not have one either. contents pasted below, was a 2 pg word document:

AGREEMENT

Re: Project #_______: Design services, custom kitchen cabinetry and installation

SCOPE OF WORK

� Design and provide design documentation of kitchen cabinetry and kitchen layout based on mutually agreed upon design between homeowner and ________. Documentation will be provided electronically via PDF file format. Documentation to include: graphic of cabinet design with measurements and kitchen layout graphic and measurements to facilitate installation by ________and to enable communication with General Contractor _______.

� Fabricate and install kitchen cabinets as per design documents
� Deliver cabinets to homeowner�s site for installation
� Provide and install blind corner pullout mechanism, model # Rev-A-Shelf 4WLS882-35-570
� Provide and install 50 quart double trash bin/recycle pullout, model # Rev-A-Shelf 5349-2150DM2
� Provide and install custom integrated panel for client-provided Miele dishwasher
� Provide and install crown molding as specified in design diagrams

� Summary of kitchen cabinets:
o Face frame with full inset doors and drawers � unfinished with modified curved "Rockridge" leg detail (as defined in design document)
o Cabinet boxes are constructed of 3/4" (9-ply) pre-finished maple plywood where cabinetry is hidden by a solid door and �" (9-ply) unfinished plywood where cabinet interiors will be visible through glass door panels. Face frames are constructed of poplar. Cabinets will have Blumotion concealed hinges and include Blumotion soft close dampers installed at the top of each cabinet. Three shelves will be included with each cabinet and all shelves are adjustable using a movable pin system
o Doors and drawer faces are constructed of solid hardwood Maple
o Drawer boxes are constructed of solid dovetailed maple with a clear finish applied and installed with Blumotion soft close invisible full extension slides. All drawer bottoms are constructed with 1/4" plywood and have a weight static rating of 75 lbs with the exception of the 3 oversized drawers which will have 1/2" plywood bottoms and a static weight rating of 110 lbs.
o Cabinet interiors on sink, trash pullout, blind corner lower, fridge, and all non glass door uppers will be of finish grade maple (pre-finished before delivery).
o Cabinets with glass front doors will have interior of paint grade plywood ready for priming and finish coat of paint

o Quantities: (change order to be issued should final design require modified total)
� 29 solid hardwood maple doors/drawer faces
� 10 Upper plywood cabinets (blind corner upper counts as two "cabinets")
� 9 Lower plywood cabinets w/ 1 blind-corner pullout. (Blind corner lower counts as two "cabinets" & fridge panels count as one "cabinet"),

OUT OF SCOPE
� Glass for doors (their installation IS included)
� Drawer pulls, latches and knobs (their installation IS included)
� Under-cabinet lighting
� Priming and painting of paint-grade cabinetry and moldings
� Countertops/Sink/Appliances/Electrical/Plumbing

PROJECT SCHEDULE

Full set of draft design documents referenced above to be provided by January 16, 2011 and all design activities and documents to be completed and mutually agreed upon with homeowner on or before February 6, 2011. Fabrication and installation schedule to be developed based on mutually agreeable schedule between homeowner and __________, with cabinetry to be delivered to job site on or before April 30, 2011.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Milestone Payment Due Comments

To commence work

Upon fabrication completion and delivery to job site
Upon installation and completion of job
Total including tax and delivery

Date:
Signature:

I recommend that you get as much detail as you can into your contract, and if possible, consequences for missed delivery dates - contracts are not for the times when everything goes well. They are to protect you when it does not. I had a con man for a contractor, who seemed sweet and friendly and helpful, I paid half up front for cabinets and other work and materials, and all he did was demolish my old kitchen (and most likely sell it for even more profit). Then I found out he had been sued 15 times. In the past, he had sometimes just been responsible for the cabinets, and had sometimes simply never delivered, while other times he delivered cabinets to inferior specs to those promised. In addition to a contract, check for circuit court cases against your contractor and cabinet company, look up the company's incorporation records (Does your supplier keep flipping companies? Or bouncing checks to the state? If so, there's probably a reason) and Better Business Bureau. Also, make sure that the name of the business that's on the contract matches the state registered company name or DBA name, and that you both initial each page on a multipage contract.

This post was edited by GardenerDev on Wed, Jul 31, 13 at 20:02