Five Kitchen Myth Busters!

It’s recently occurred to me that many of my clients come to me with certain beliefs that aren’t actually true, or perhaps are only partially correct.  We’ve put our heads together here at Brendan Donovan Furniture & Cabinet Co. to set the record straight.IMG741

1)      MANUFACTURED CABINETS ARE ALWAYS CHEAPER THAN CUSTOMAgain this is frequently true but here’s the thing to consider, manufactured cabinets are made on an assembly line that is set up for speed and efficiency.  Once you specify a custom size or detail you slow down and complicate the whole process.  Companies charge more for that, sometimes a lot more, and that is only if they are able to accommodate what you want.  So the rule of thumb is, the more custom your needs, the more cost effective custom cabinets become.  The kitchen above had so much custom sizing and detail it was actually a better deal for the homeowner to have us make it in the shop.  A custom cabinet maker should not nickel and dime you for small tweaks and if a painted finish is your choice you can pretty much pick whatever you like with no custom color charge. This is a sad case of the "befores" in a laundry room we recently did.2)      REFACING IS A QUICK FIX THAT COSTS LESS THAN REPLACING YOUR EXISTING CABINETSThis may not necessarily be true!  The question I always ask is, are you replacing your counter tops too?  If you are, I’m willing to bet you can replace  your cabinets  for very close to the same price it would cost you to reface them.  In a reface you typically would get new cabinet doors with hinges and drawer fronts.  The drawers themselves do not get replaced and you will remain with the exact same layout you started with.  Another thing to consider is whether your cabinets currently have frames around them or do the doors cover  the entire cabinet?  If you’ve got frames, things get a little more complex and labor intensive.  Bottom line is there are so many decent all wood cabinets available today you may be able to score a better plan with new everything for close to the same price.  All things considered, a reface for the laundry room above (before) and below (after) ended up being slightly cheaper because they would have needed custom sizing to replace.The same laundry room with a "face lift"! Doors by Door Mark and installation by Bob Moore 3)      DRAWERS MUST BE DOVETAILED!Dovetailed drawers are great, don’t get me wrong, but what you may not know is that a glue dadoed joint will more than do the trick and is as strong as any kitchen drawer needs to be.  What you should be looking for is good quality slides.  It’s the moving parts that will get all the wear and tear over time.  It has pretty much become an industry standard, in all price points, for drawers to be full extension with a soft close feature. Drawer boxes glued and dadoedThe dovetail drawers we've come to expect.4)      SIZE MATTERSWe’re talking cabinet sizes.  If you go from a 36” wide cabinet to a 30” you are not going to save more than a few dollars.  The way to get the price down is to decrease the number of cabinet boxes.  You may think you have a small kitchen but if you have 20 boxes when you could have 12 larger boxes instead you’ll  be spending a lot more. In this case perhaps 50%.  Bear in mind that the price of installation is usually based on the amount of cabinet boxes.  Last but not least, drawers and rollouts will up your price so plan wisely. Kitchen in HGTV Designer Dream Home and no you can't have it for $5,000!5)      HGTV IS A GOOD BASIS FOR CALCULATING MY BUDGETWRONG! I love HGTV as much as the next person but they are so off in their pricing.   Having worked with This Old House, I do know that suppliers extend deep discounts when their products are being shown on TV.  Another thing to remember is that pricing can vary for certain items in different parts of the country and a lot of the shows we see on HGTV are filmed in Canada.     Granite is typically cheaper for us in Florida than say Michigan because we are so close to the port of entry we save on shipping costs.  So watch for inspiration not cost calculation!Ok, pros, weigh in.  What myths do you encounter and do you agree with these?

Tip #3: Where can I save money and what items are worth the splurge?

Many of our clients begin kitchen remodeling projects in the summer.  Kids are out of school and our commitments tend to be less (for some of us) in the summer months.  Today's client query is one that I hear a lot.  Naturally we all want to get the most for our money in all our investments but where can you save money in a kitchen remodel and what items are worth the splurge?The answer to that is largely subjective as we all have differing needs and priorities.  That said, there are some principles that should never be compromised and those include efficient use of space, safety and the best quality you can afford.

Contemporary Kitchen with standard depth refrigerator.  Courtesy of Houzz.com

 

refrigerator is a much better fit.  Courtesy of  Houzz.com

 SplurgeI must confess, there are some standards in the kitchen industry that are just plain wrong.  One of them is the standard depth refrigerator.  A standard base cabinet depth is 24" (25" including doors).  A standard refrigerator is about 33" deep!  It might look perfect standing solo at the appliance store but it could look like a beast in your kitchen!  Yes, they stick out.  Depending on the layout of the kitchen we can sometimes work around the depth by surrounding the fridge with extra deep side panels and a cabinet above pulled forward.  But if you're tight on space it is worth investing in what's known as a counter, or cabinet depth refrigerator.  This means that the cabinet box will be flush with your counter top and your "stick out" will just be the thickness of the door.  It makes a big difference.  Here GE shows the difference between standard, or free-standing and counter depth.  A standard GE french door refrigerator would be about 26 cubic feet and retails at about $2,100 vs. a comparable counter depth model which is around 21 cubic feet and retails at $2,700.00. Yes, you will have less cubic footage with a counter depth fridge and I suggest keeping the old fridge in the garage if that's an option.  If the kitchen is large enough you can add a beverage cooler.  When water, soda, beer and wine are taken out of the main fridge you get all kinds of space. There is also a third category if you've got the big bucks and that is true built-in or integrated.  Those are even shallower but they are also more than a foot taller to compensate.  Whether you opt for Sub Zero or GE. a built-in refrigerator is pricey but the most visually seamless, particularly if you add matching cabinet panels. 

This kitchen was created using stock cabinet.  Courtesy of  Houzz.com

 SaveYou can save money on your cabinets if you can keep to standard, or stock, sizes.  Simpler cleaner lines with minimal molding can also save you enough money to splurge on that refrigerator!  There are just two things to keep in mind.  Make sure the quality of the cabinetry you buy is sound and backed by a warranty.SplurgeMany professional kitchen designers will be happy to consult with you on the layout and selections for your kitchen.  An hourly fee is well worth it to have your plan validated by a pro.  In many cases, if you purchase your cabinetry through your kitchen designer, design services are included. 

Here they saved on cabinetry by selecting clean simple slab doors with no moldings and
they splurged on the counter depth refrigerator and focal point pantry door.
Splurge
You may have heard me say this before but I'll say it again.  Buy a good quality faucet.  Your faucet is arguably one of, if not the most, used items in your kitchen.  Splurge up front and you won't be sorry.  Buy a cheap faucet and within a couple years you will have drips and leaks.  By the time you pay the plumber and replace the faucet you haven't saved anything. If you buy a stainless steel sink make sure the gauge 18 or lower to avoid denting and horrible water spots.

 

You can get this Solna faucet by Brizo for under $400.
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If you've decided on granite counter tops, think about using 2cm material with no build up so that your total cabinet thickness is 3/4".  The minimal look works especially well with contemporary designs.  You'll get the functional advantages of a stone counter top without the extra labor to build up the edge to 1 1/2".  The look happens to be great, especially in dark counter tops.  If funds are tight you can also leave the back splash for last.  The area between your counter and upper cabinets can be tile or otherwise and it can always be finished at a later date.  However if you have enough material leftover from your tops maybe you'll want to use it for the backsplash. A word of caution: if you're using a slide in style range you'll want to make sure it's compatible with the finished height of your cabinets.
Skinny top in Antique Brown from Granitegurus.com

 SaveI love unique artsy cabinet handles as much as the next person but did you know that you can spend anywhere from $1.99 to upwards of $50 a piece for them?  Aim towards the $5-$10 for really good quality knobs or pull.  If you happen to fall in love with one of the $50 buggers maybe you can use just a couple for a special area. 

Focal point hardware is on refrigerator (true built-in).  The rest are simpler designs
in the same finish.  It works!  Courtesy of Houzz.com

 Next up, Tip#4: Granite or Quartz?