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nyrgirl35

Home Depot Cabinets??

nyrgirl35
12 years ago

When I remodel my kitchen are home depot cabinets just as good as good as lets say a cabinet factory etc...I dont need top of the line cabinets and of course money is a concern but in end if its not much more and better quality I would probably go that way...I plan on getting high end appliances because I love to cook, but do the cabinets need to be high end??

Comments (46)

  • suzanne_sl
    12 years ago

    The cabinets need to be sound. You'll pay more for decorative frou-frous and nifty organizers, but the cabinets themselves at least need to built well. Home Depot's cabinets are just fine. Ikea is even less and they are also sound - I think I saw an ad yesterday that said they were having some super-sale on cabinets.

    Having said that, if you check old threads you'll see that many folks recommend checking out your local lumber store and even custom cabinet makers for same and better quality for less money. Good luck!

  • colorfast
    12 years ago

    We looked at both Home Depot and Schrock. In the end, we found a custom cabinet maker. For us, this was the best use of our limited space. We don't have any "spacers" that waste what we have. Prices were comparable.

    I would look for solid wood drawers with dovetails. I wouldn't want the drawer fronts stapled to the boxes. For MDF shelves, I was told to make sure it's 3/4 and not 1/2 inch. Also with MDF, think about the lengths of the shelf runs when you design your kitchen and how will the shelves be supported; sagging is the concern. Or maybe you want part/all plywood. Ask about the drawer and hinge hardware; that also really varies in quality and how far you can extend the drawers. Hope that helps.

  • babs711
    12 years ago

    Many of us got quotes from Lowe's and/or Home Depot as well as local cabinetry places and found the local shops to be LOWER priced than Lowe's/Home Depot (by thousands of dollars). You should get quotes and layouts from both. I think you'll be surprised.

    I also found that I was able to get more customization and upgrades for my money at the local places and for less money than Lowe's/HD. I think there's a misconception that the big box stores are going to be priced less because that's what they advertise. Because local places are smaller, many think they'll UP their prices. But most local cabinetry places (actually ALL I've dealt with) have a high, medium and lower line of cabinetry so you can get a line that's priced for your needs. And the kitchen designers really work with you to help you stay within your budget and still get what you want.

  • billp1
    12 years ago

    When we priced the big box stores we found them to much more expensive then on line dealers. We purchased Kraftmaid from an on line dealer and were very happy with his service and price. Get as many estimates as you have time for. The prices are all over the place...

  • jnh004
    12 years ago

    I am big time regretting that we bought Diamond Reflection cabinets from Lowes. Not because of the cabinets themselves, but because I am worried we could have gone to someone local and gotten a better deal. UGH. What was I thinking? When I talked to the sales rep, she said "We are cheaper than local cabinet companies" and I believed her. We always get our best deals on our appliances at Lowes because they will pair all of the sales with a 10% military discount. But this wasn't the case with our cabinets. We did get $1000 off instantly and a free sink base, but we walked out spending $7000 on all new base cabinets as we are repurposing our uppers. I don't know if we got ripped off and don't really want to know. :-( So.. I would check out other places too. Wish we would have.

  • Jakzof3
    12 years ago

    Home Depot, Lowes, etc. carry several grades of cabinets. They have Kraftmaid and Thomasville I think and I think Home Depot may now carry Martha Stewart.
    You need to check if they are dove tailed drawers, the thickness of the cabinets and if they are veneered, laminate etc. Kraftmaid is pretty middle of the road.
    I searched all over for cabinets and have looked at numerous brands. We currently have custom made solid wood oak cabinets...Amish construction. These cabinets can not be replaces for what we paid for them now. Solid wood is almost unread of now. Most are birch back and laminate on the inside and veneered or MDF. You get pretty much what you pay for. We are currently doing our remodel and we are going custom made by a local cabinet maker and they are beautiful cabinets. Our son lives in MN and he got solid oak custom made and they are beautiful and made unbelievable strong and solid and very reasonable. Do your homework and make sure you get drawers that are dovetailed and over 1/2 thick on the drawers, glides that are strong and fully extended.
    If you get them painted they use paint grade maple and if stained they use regular maple. I know that Haas has several grades of cabinets. Country Cupboards are middle of the road and semi custom Grabill are very nice Amish made cabinets and custom made showplace a lower one and the list can go on and on. Just do your homework and ask questions! Look at the construction and if they are glued, what kind of corners?? Wood or plastic etc.
    Remember you pretty much get what you pay for..Good Luck

  • Marc12345
    12 years ago

    HD/Lowes have several grades of cabinets. Some are "house" brands and some are brands that are sold everywhere. Even within a brand you'll find different quality options. At HD/Lowes you'll likely find something in your quality tier and the same is true for local shops. When/if shopping there, be aware that sales are run regularly and multiple sales often overlap and that affects the bottom line by quite a bit.

    Are you doing the install or are you contracting that? In my experience this made a huge difference in where to go - both in price and in installation experience.

    I agree with a lot of posters here that found great deals with custom - at a certain point custom shops can not just be a great value, but can be cheaper. And that price point may be lower than what you'd expect. A lot of shops are begging for work and it shows when they quote. But this is dependent on 1) hiring the installation out and 2) brand of cabinets you're comparing them with. It's likely in your interest to check a couple out.

    And to answer your question a little bit more directly, I recently installed some Lowes brand cabinets (same as HD but under a different name) in plywood construction and I don't imagine that they'll be falling apart anytime soon.

  • editionk
    12 years ago

    Marc12345 - did you happen to install American Woodmark (from HD, same as Shenandoah from Lowe's)?

    OP - Marc mentions sales at the box stores that run regularly. I was looking at American Woodmark cabs at HD yesterday and they ran a promo that expired 7/31, but according to the KD had been run 4x since Christmas. The last time it ran it was on for a month, off for FIVE DAYS, then on for a month again.

    The promo was buy 10+ cabs get: free sink base, free hardware, free cutlery insert, free trash pull out, free premium paint upgrade. Plus buy 20+ get 5 free roll out trays. There was a separate, overlapping HD tiered savings promo too. Not bad savings.

    And, interestingly enough, I had priced the same kitchen at Lowe's one day earlier in Shenandoah brand (same thing, diff, name) and they only had the store's tiered savings promo. And, regardless of ANY promos, the price at Lowe's was $3k higher. After all promos, the HD price was around $6900 while Lowe's was $9500ish. Big difference for the same cabs (and more options at HD).

  • Marc12345
    12 years ago

    @editionk, yes, they were Shenandoah (made by American Woodmark). Usually the HD and Lowes promos are done together, but as you mentioned, not that time. It's an example of how you really have to shop around. But also keep in mind that these places are in competition and don't like losing business, so don't give up on a place you prefer just because their quote is a little more. In my case the Lowes guy was someone I felt more comfortable working with (even more so than the local shop in competition) and in the end worked out a package that suited us much better despite HD advertising a better promo.

    My experience was a little but more even - without promos Lowes and HD were pretty similar (once I realized that one guy defaulted more expensive options). I wonder if that was the case with you, editionk? I had to go look at part numbers line by line and make corrections before getting a truly even comparison.

    Other peoples results may vary, and hope this helps.

  • suzanne_sl
    12 years ago

    Marc, I know what you mean about line by line parts numbers. After the first go-round, we asked to take home the manufacturer's catalog (not the sheets with prices) so we could see exactly what the different pieces looked like in isolation and the other available options. It helped a lot. The brochures are pretty, but not very useful.

  • sher_nc
    12 years ago

    i can't speak on the quality of the hd/lowe's cabinets but i got a quote from hd (design center) & found it to be more than the custom cabinets. about $4k more. of course i went w/custom & i love them!

  • editionk
    12 years ago

    Sorry to threadjack nyrgirl.

    Thanks much marc and suzannesl. I will compare part numbers (and I also had thought to ask about borrowing a part book before commiting to the final order).

    I'm betting on the promo coming around again.

    Oh -- the KD at HD re: American Woodmark also told me that if no promo is running to have the KD call the cabinet company rep and basically say "Hey, do you want to sell this kitchen?" She said the sink base should be free nearly all the time & to simply have the KD call to ask.

  • hanna7636
    12 years ago

    I just ordered American Woodmark from HD (all plywood) and they were cheaper than private stores and custom (I live in NY-bought 20 cabinets). I did receive a free sink base, free cabinet from ordering 20 cabinets, free cutlery and free handles. I do know with Thomasville if they call the company they will throw in free sink base and handles (what they offered me).

  • Marc12345
    12 years ago

    Another option to borrowing the spec guide is to download it from their websites. You might see something you like that you hadn't seen before too.

    http://www.woodmark-homedepot.com/specGuide.asp
    http://www.shenandoahcabinetry.com/specifications.asp

    The full catalog PDF has door opening and shelving dimensions which might be useful. I wished viewing the full catalog was this easy with all manufacturers.

  • editionk
    12 years ago

    marc & hanna -- I'd love to hear any and all impressions of your Am Wood / Shen. cabs please.

    My other contender is Medallion from Menards and I'm having a hard time finding feedback on that line (as it's different from 'regular' Medallion).

    Thanks greatly!

  • Marc12345
    12 years ago

    I don't want to deviate far from nyrgirl35 topic (since it's her thread) but will elaborate on stuff relating to the OP. Mine have been in the house for under a month, so my comments can't cover any longevity issues. Also we came to purchase cabinets after weeks of trying to refinish our cabinets. Only after I had to recognize that no amount of work would make me happy with the result did we go shopping so the cabinet purchase was done on a relatively aggressive price point. But of course we had to demand that any new cabs be enough of an improvement to how things were (both function and look) to be worthwhile.

    Our Shenandoah (American Woodmark) cabinets arrived 2.5 weeks after ordering (it may help we're Granted, we don't feel like we paid a lot for what we got so our expectations weren't set unrealistically high. Perhaps the glazing wasn't applied completely evenly throughout the whole order, perhaps a couple of the filler pieces had a slightly darker tone than most of the cabinets, and perhaps other people would react to one or two of the more predominant mineral streaks - but even with a more critical eye everything was as I expected it.

    As for the construction, we got the plywood construction and it's held by glue - not the best but pretty standard. The boxes seem strong and seemed study enough when moving them around. Once installed I've been able to be fairly aggressive in tugging at them and everything's pretty solid. At least solid for me. All boxes are secured to each other and secured to the wall. I was able to install the cabinets without damaging them (okay... I made a couple with some power tools but that's my fault and my secret).

    For the most part, cabinets are "you get what you pay for" so I wasn't expecting perfection going with a house brand and I won't be surprised if people who pay two-fold what we did can point out dozens of issues with our cabs. We wanted something better than builders grade or builders grade plus and so far feel like that's what we got. It beat out a couple other companies because the other brands in consideration were pretty restrictive in available sizes or styles which meant making design sacrifices. So far we're happy with the look, and happy with how they feel as Shenandoah offers lots of options. Bottom line I'll be surprised if they fall apart prematurely (and be sure to complain about them if they do).

    Of course, your results may vary, and whether HD/Lowes actually has the cheaper cabinets is something that can vary as people mentioned. And since I'm a DIY'er, I didn't worry about shopping around for installers (which would've changed things a bit).

  • hanna7636
    12 years ago

    My cabinets are being delivered on Thursday so will let you know when I receive them.

  • jalsy6
    12 years ago

    We are very happy with our Thomasville Cabinets from HD. We spent around 4K and got 11 cabinets with painted finish plus all the trim, and two of the large ones have glass doors with mullions and matching interiors. I've not had custom cabinets, certainly beautiful, so I can't speak to differences in quality. But I am shocked at how well the Thomasville finish is holding up to the likes of 4 kids and a dog. Wipes clean with ease. I did look at the Medallion Siverline before going with Thomasville, I think comparable in price, but we needed a particular asymmetrical wall cabinet that Medallion didn't make.
    I think you were also asking about high end appliances with non high end cabinets. Lots of people have used Ikea (not what I would consider high end, but super nice), and had amazing results when using upgraded countertops and appliances, so I say, go for it, as long as they're cabinets you think will hold up over time.
    Good luck!

  • nyrgirl35
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    thanks everyone for all your input, i'm taking it all in. Not sure when i'm going to start the process of putting in my new kitchen, but i'm beginning my research now cause I don't want to make any quick decisions. Thanks again!!

  • Samantha111
    12 years ago

    I'm about ready to order AM Lowes Shenandoah. I like the particular finish and style combination that was available. I'm under the impression the cabinets are a decent quality. I'm reading how custom can be less expensive which is surprising. I do live in an expensive area so am not sure that would play out here. Time is running out to order.

    Who are these local custom cabinet makers people are talking about and how do you know they have time tested quality and finishes? Around here, custom is usually very expensive and high end. Maybe because there's a wealthy market to cater to so luck's out in areas like this? I'm also wondering about the solid wood construction as I've read in the past that solid wood is prone to warpage unlike cabinet grade engineered plywood.

    I'm not sure where to start in terms of finding a local cabinet maker or what that means. The kitchen & bath shops I've been to generally look very high end and what I would expect.

  • bigjim24
    12 years ago

    Chirping in a wee bit late here, but I went to HD and Lowes and found semi custom cheaper and apples to apples a more durable construction. i do have some friends who went with the box stores and regretted the 1/2" particle vs. the 3/4" plywood. My only advice is to look at the quality and check around for pricing. Ignore the sales pitch.

  • Samantha111
    12 years ago

    Marc, on cabinet construction for Shenandoah all plywood, do you know how thick the drawer bottoms are? I don't see it itemized. Would that be considered a floor? 1/2" sides, tops and floors. It's 3/4" for shelves which I just briefly read in a casual discussion area elsewhere is great for drawer bottoms.

    On pricing, I'm also wondering about the cushion close. The online catalogue for Shenandoah is obsolete. It's now standard. The upgrade pricing in the old catalogue quotes $70 per drawer or door. I'm not sure it's worth it! Customer Service said you can opt out but he wasn't sure if the price was reduced by $70/ea. Has anyone come across this as an opt-out with their purchase? Another thread notes it's $2.50 to easily upgrade a door with a cushion but that the drawers are tricky. Huge savings! I wasn't sure I liked the automatic closing at first but the save on wear and tear is a good point. I like the noise reduction and ease of closing at this point too. But $1200 on my tiny kitchen? I had no idea.

    Where do you get those $2.50 soft close cushions for the doors? It sounds like a generic add-on for any hardware or cabinetry.

  • Samantha111
    12 years ago

    I'd definitely skip particle board and upgrade to all plywood. It's too much money to chance on a cheap out. I was told the upgrade was about $600 for my small kitchen. AmW notes a 20% upgrade. It looks to be 1/2" top sides bottom and 3/4" shelving. How that truly translates to quality I'm not sure. I believe it's considered good but the big box offerings are certainly not the best cabinet grade.

  • Samantha111
    12 years ago

    Looking at Shenandoah's construction catalogues it looks like opting out would mean going to 3/4 access slides. That makes the decision easy for the drawers.

    Has anyone had experience adding cushions to their doors?

  • Samantha111
    12 years ago

    They can take them out but it costs the same. Retail used to be $4 per door and $30 per drawer (not $70 each from the catalogue). Their slides are almost full extension. They're called full access and are shorter by 1 to 1-1/2 inches.

    I love when those decisions go away! Spending $1200 for cushion close would be hard to justify.

  • Marc12345
    12 years ago

    I'm not sure if it states the drawer bottom. I measured 1/8" and seems like the same material used for the backing. I would double check to see if the full access slides are only available with plywood... I can't remember if that's another change. I'll agree that the full access would make the decision easy, and if they're shy of true full extension they don't bother me, they certainly are full access.

    The catalog shows list price markups... even without promotions running actual prices are probably at least 40-60% less.

    I was told that cushion close was standard now too, and we got cushion close while ordering the standard part numbers. The only things that didn't have it was our trash cab and ROTS's. For the doors you have to install yourself, but they provided way more than what was actually needed (typically two per door, yet only used one per door). We were told we could opt out but the savings was probably just a few bucks/door. I didn't even price that option since we wanted them and it probably would've altered the promotions.

    We also got the plywood option. One reason why we ended up buying cabs was because we gave up on trying to refinish our old ones, and that was partly because the particle was in disrepair in too many places. Of course the problems of them being particle board didn't show themselves until after we removed them from the kitchen and they had been there for 27 years...

    Good luck!

  • billp1
    12 years ago

    Tip
    If you are going to purchase from the big box stores, you can buy ten percent discount coupons on EBay.. They are cross homered.

    WE used them for materials we needed for our remodel this past winter.

  • Samantha111
    12 years ago

    Thanks for the info Marc. That's very surprising that drawer bottoms would be only 1/8". They need to support a lot of weight. I'll have to check into that. But what are you going to do?

    Thanks for the coupon tip billp. There are always discounts running on cabinetry and they can't be combined with other offers. The coupon might be useful for other purchases.

  • editionk
    12 years ago

    @ Samantha --

    I typed this earlier but since I don't see my reply above I'll type it again.

    Per the KD at my local HD, AmW is going to be running a nice promotion effective 8/25. This is the same promo that recently expired on 7/31.

    Buy 10+ AmW cabs and receive the following FREE:
    -premium finish
    -hardware
    -wood cutlery divider
    -wastebasket pull out
    -sink base

    Plus buy 20+ cabs (not incl free) get 5 free roll out trays.

    Also, HD will (still) be running their Buy More and Save promo which is tiered savings based on how much you spend. The lowest tier is spend $2500-$4999 save $500. It goes up in $2500 spending increments and $500 savings increments.

  • Samantha111
    12 years ago

    Thanks edition. I don't qualify for the 10 cabinets but the tiered was extended until October. I think that's at both HD and Lowes. Thankfully because I'm just not ready to order yet!

  • editionk
    12 years ago

    Just an update for anyone who read my earlier post that the AmW at HD would go on sale 8/25. Dates have changed. I talked to the KD today and was told:

    -eff 8/1 there was a 5% price increase on AmW
    -AmW will have a 10% off sale running 8/11 - 8/17
    -the Kitchen Essentials promo (all the frees wyb 10+ cabs) has new dates of 8/11 - 9/7
    -HD's BMSM promo values have decreased slightly (one tier of spend $7500-$9999 and save $1500 dropped to save $1200)

    And, FWIW, I was quoted $6.84 each for a soft close door.

    Oh, and all plywood is a 12% upcharge.

  • Laurie35
    12 years ago

    What I like about having my cabinets done custom is that no 1/4 inch is something to ignore.

    Now, I have nothing against Lowes or HD. My parents did a kitchen through Lowes and justifiably adore it.

    But what I really like about having the cabinets custom made is that my cabinet designer/fabricator is so picky about measurements and willing to weigh in on previously decided design choices.

    I met with the project manager, the project supervisor and the cabinet maker last Thursday. The cabinet maker raised concerns about one of my cabinets as being too big and suggested an alternative. At another point, he wanted to know whether the demolition would require the removal of the dry wall over the plaster; the project superintendent said that it might, but it would only make a 1/4 inch of a difference. The cabinet maker said that, because I was having a corner cabinet, that 1/4 inch was crucial.

    I don't know that Lowe's would care about the 1/4 inch, and maybe it doesn't really matter. Maybe my cabinet maker was being too anal. In the end though, I really like having a face to attach to my cabinets. He suggested modifications to my cabinets, one of which I questioned. I emailed him and he explained why my concerns weren't warranted.

    He also suggested changing one of the entrances to the room to give a more finished look.

    Since I never got a price quote from Lowes or HD, I don't know if going with custom cupboards is more expensive or not. I doubt that it is much different. Just from my point of view, having someone who tweeks things, changes things, and questions things is worth any extra money.

  • Samantha111
    12 years ago

    Our HD extended the tier until October. It still starts at $2500. I'm not sure about the 10 cabinet deal at HD but Lowes is doing it along with the same tier. They offer many of the same lines under different names. AMW is Shenandoah at Lowes. Diamond is Thomasville. Schuler is Innermost. Not sure about the others. They do shift some things a bit but often just have different cabinet and color names. I ended up finding the finish I wanted at HD in a cabinet/door combo that I liked much better at Lowes.

    I went into a kitchen showroom today to check things out and it turned out to be a local custom shop! She did say they are competitive with the big boxes. Both the cabinetry and the finish quality look and feel better. I'll be getting an estimate to compare next week. I hope to get a better product and support a local business. Along with that I'll get a top notch kitchen designer who can work out some of the kinks I'm unsure about! I was very impressed. You'd never know walking through these places with all the high end kitchens they display.

  • avcs
    12 years ago

    We installed Thomasville Belgrade cabinets in the spring and love them. We tried going custom but everywhere we went, it was a lot more expensive - like double the price. We have a good contractor and he helped a ton in specing the cabinets to meet our needs.

    I would argue that most Home depot designers are not "real" designers but rather just will help to ensure that you order the correct pieces. However, there are some that are very good - you just have to talk with them. Our guy worked out really well, he worked with our budget and recommended some things that really improved the layout of our kitchen.

    The key with all cabinets is the installation. Make sure to get a good contractor.

  • paulines
    12 years ago

    In response to the 10% coupons on sale @ EBay, instead just pick up a 'moving package' at your local PO. Lowes includes a coupon that is honored at HD.

  • Samantha111
    12 years ago

    What is a moving package?

    I agree the designers at the big box seem to know how to put things together to make a sale and get the right parts there but it's not like sitting down with a 'real' designer.

    The custom cabinets at the local place that will be comparable (according to them) is their stock line and will not offer the custom sizing. You can get the same finishes in their custom line so mixing and matching might work if you need a specialty piece sized to fit, as I do.

  • aries61
    12 years ago

    What is a "Real Designer" ? If you're talking about the ones at non big box stores, I'll have to disagree. They give me the same results as a big box store designer and they brag about all the years they been doing it, but some of them can't read when I give them a list of things that I want changed from my current kitchen. I would say 50% of them get it right and the other 50% don't make the changes that I requested. When I ask about it they say, "Oh, i didn't see that". There are a few that know what they are doing, but the majority of them I think went to the same design school that the big box stores use.Sorry, if I offended anyone with my comments, but just had to get it out.

  • Samantha111
    12 years ago

    I think you're more likely to find someone with KBA certification and all the training behind it than at the big boxes where they are trained by them. At the least a degree in the field. I spoke to a few at the big boxes and thought they were knowledgeable. They didn't however sit down and discuss things much. They just entered the measurements and put some cabinets in for a layout. I asked to see some alternatives but got the impression they didn't want to do a whole lot of modifications to their original suggestion. That isn't what happens when sitting down with a design professional. There was only one I decided I wouldn't want to go forward with as I thought there would be careless errors.

    I'm sure there are good ones at the big box and not so good ones can be found in the custom shops as anything else (though they probably wouldn't last in the high end markets). I do think the custom shops hire professional designers with a lot of training and experience. One told me she started at a bb store with no background at all in the field. She had a degree in another unrelated design field so they hired her. There's big money in the business so why would they want to work at HD? The bb designers all went on about how they'd been doing this for a long time. So that sounds like a standard line at this point.

    Design professionals continually study and understand a lot of different aspects of our living environments. It's important for them to spend some time on details and to ask questions about your space, needs and wants. That didn't happen (I would have been surprised). I'm sure if you presented certain problems in your current kitchen that they would try to address them with some know how. We'll see how it goes at the local shop. It definitely felt like a more professional environment rather than fast food checkout for a cabinetry purchase.

    I've heard from people in the field that the bb's are a great training ground when people are starting out.

  • cindywhitall
    11 years ago

    Looking at American Woodmark and Shenandoah. I may or may not put decorative door panels on my 6 exposed ends. I like the look of furniture ends, but not the cost. I would do the furniture end if I didn't think I'd put door panels on top.

    I have read I will need to buy veneered end panels that will fill that 1/4 inch gap between the side and the face frame (if I put on door panels I will need it). That should give close to the furniture end look even if I don't put the decorative doors on. I will like that look better I think than plywood veneer that still has that little gap.

    My question is, why all plywood construction? Isn't mdf just as strong? I have 17 year old thermofoil (yorktowne) so I'm pretty sure they are mdf...they are fine. no peeling and holding up my granite fine. We are a house of 4 adults and one tiny dog. We'll have shoe molding or something at the base where they meet the tile.

    I tried to copy and paste the specs from American woodmark catalog, didn't work too well. They are on page 5 of the link..

    I went to one cabinet store and they were more $ for the Wayfair brand, which is basically the same thing. It's hard to know for sure.I don't feel like their prices are as "fair" as HD or Lowes. That is, at Lowes I sit there and he enters the stuff and brings up a quote and when we change it the prices are there. With the kitchen place it's more like I tell him ideas I like and he gets back to me with a price. I feel like there is more play in his price. Does the price depend on how much he needs to make that day? What he observed when he saw my home? I feel more like when I buy a car...I don't want to pay more than the next guy. Even the price I got....not sure if he included end panels to go under the decorative doors or not...He gave me an "as per the sketch" quote, not an itemized one. I feel like I am pestering him to keep asking what about this and that...I may try another cabinet place, but don't know where there is one, besides the China guys and I won't buy made in China cabs. I get ads, but don't feel like driving 1/2 hour each way to find out they are more than HD.

    Kitchen place did give a decent install price, maybe making it up in the cab price?

    Here is a link that might be useful: Cabinet specs

  • heidihausfrau
    11 years ago

    We didn't go with a big box store. We went with a local designer who sells several brands of cabinets. Her designs and what she could fit into my space are awesome! And, the price was about $4k less than home depot for better quality cabinets.

  • jakuvall
    11 years ago

    AMW/Shenandoah is often Timberline at local dealers. Local dealers usually- pay less than the box store, often have a lower margin.
    As to flex in pricing there are two things. Software- the box store is hooked up to a central server for prices and have IT guys to make sure it spits out the correct number. Small places don't and the software is notoriously innacurate.
    Second is Many local shops include a small cushion in the total. They use it to cover anything that is missed. Usually if something is missed then you don't pay for it, they just go ahead and order it. I don't approve of the practice but there it is.

    The cushion and the software make it much more difficult to give itemized pricing. It either requires putting prices into a spreadsheet or configuring the software to spit it out (not simple) That said in these parts many if not most local shops are cheaper than the box on the same brand. (Hudson valley NY) But I donkt know of a dealer willing to handle AMW products.
    I don't typically advocate a plywood upgrade BUT when I worked with AMW I did. The particle they use is thinner and not quote as good as some others.

  • heidihausfrau
    11 years ago

    Also wanted to mention the KD we chose was $2k over a different KD. But, again, what she had in the design as well as her customer service in returning call/emails, changing designs,etc was awesome! And cheaper than a big box.

  • Ron Pearson
    2 years ago

    Went to pay for the cupboards today that were measured out and designed yesterday.Had all the paperwork and cost in folder.Was told the girl that put it together was sick.All I wanted to do is pay the seven thousand dollars.Was told they would text the gal and be back to help me.Waited 40 minutes before another employee approach ed me . Repeated that all I want is to pay the $7000 and get the order taken.When miss happy finally showed up only to say she would have to redo the plans that I had infolder already and would take hours that I would be better to come back another day when the gal was back from sick leave.Are you kidding me I have all the paperwork and layout and design and cost and you want me to come back another day .b.s. you lazy ___

  • Shannon_WI
    2 years ago

    @Ron Pearson - you resurrected an 8-year-old thread to make that whiney complaint? Are you so tone-deaf to what’s going in in the world that you are unaware of labor shortages? And don’t use the words ”girl” and ”gal” when talking about adult women employees.




  • Martin Patane
    last year

    Don't order from HOMEDEPO

    Be cautious of ordering your kitchen cabinets from the home depo. It is a NIGHTMARE, and they take no responsibility. But they will take your money upfront. We ordered our cabinets in March of 2022, and they said it will be ready in 4-6 weeks. Lie #1 We called back to check in at fifth week, sorry it’s out 10 weeks Lie #2 we waited patiently and called on week eight, said 18 weeks. Lie #3 they just came in and guess what. It’s the WRONG cabinets. We go back to homedepo and this is the sorry ass answer we got from them. Sorry you have to deal with the manufacture it’s not our responsibility. We just order it for you. They take you cut and leave you hanging.
    Cabinets is supposed to be all white, this the crap that came in