Expert: Jamie Yocono - 5/23/2004

Question
Dear Jamie
We own a modest home (assessed at $300,000) and are currently in the process of building an extension to our kitchen and remodeling the bathroom. We are talking to two very good contractors who come to us through friends with very nice references.

Both contractors very strongly recommend that we install custom cabinets and buy them from suppliers they regularly work with. One of them said he would not even touch cabinets from Home Depot and said they were of really poor quality. The general drift is that the quality was bad, the rollers are poor...etc. One said that if there was a scratch on a door, no-one in Home Depot would take responsibility etc.  His estimate for custom cabinets and island for our new kitchen (without cost of counters!) is $18000!

I went to Home Depot this evening and found that they carry a wide range of cabinets. The high end of the quality range - the semi-custom cabinets (Thomasville and KraftMaid) with upgrades to drawers etc. seem to be of really very good quality. Also, at $129 per linear foot, they seem like a huge bargain compared to the custom cabinets. The total cost of the cabinets (rough estimate) if I buy them from Home Depot is about 10K installed.

Since we are redoing the entire kitchen (and bathroom), we have no size constraints on cabinet and standard sizes seem OK.  We are also not very particlar about wanting a specific color or unique finish that custom cabinets can offer. I am therefore very very tempted to go with the high end Home Depot cabinets because of the cost. But I want to make sure I am doing the right thing and not compromising on quality.

Thanks in advance for your advice. I really appreciate your willingness to help.  

Answer
Hi Mani,

I can commiserate with you about the high cost of remodeling. I just moved across country, and even though I'm very good with tools, I still have to hire out a lot of the work I need. It's frustrating, and it's hard to tell when you're being ripped off.

On one hand, I agree that Home Depot's cabinets can be of a lower quality. I've seen first hand the poor hardware, sloppy assembly, not to mention the cheap carcass materials.  But unless you have an abnormal amount of cabinetry that you need, I think $18,000 is steep for custom made cabinets. And that doesn't even include counters....ouch!!

I would look at the higher line that Home Depot sells to make sure that you're getting better materials since you're paying for their upper line. Look at the hinges and drawer slides. Are they of a better quality or do they feel lightweight and weak? Hinges adjustable? Everything hang properly and close snugly? How thick are the side walls. I use 3/4" plywood, but cheaper cabinets can be made of 5/8" or even 1/2". Look at the assembly...are the nails and staples neatly applied, or do some of them blow through to the inside of the cabinet? These are all things to look for.

I think if I were you, I would seriously consider buying the higher end Home Depot cabinets, but ask for some for of satisfaction guarantee. This would be in the even of a scratched door or broken parts, etc. There's a chance that whoever installs these for you is going to have an attitude, because- let's face it, they want to sell you the cabinets because they make more money. So they are going to complain about anything you give them to install.

Good luck, write back if you have any other questions or if you just want a shoulder to cry on.  :)


Jamie Yocono
Wood it Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV