Im doing a kitchen remodel myself in a condo I just bought. Im looking for somewhere that has fair prices and carries a good selection of items. I see so many places on google and yelp I just want to hear about someone you used and a positive experience so I can try and narrow down the places. Thanks!
Kitchen cabinets and stone recommendations
- Thread starter ABC
- Start date
I was thinking more so along the line of quartz or something similar.. I looked at nano glass and wasn't to impressed with that.
Eldritch
is insensitive
Granite is WONDERFUL for durability and natural beauty. Most granite is mildly radioactive in a way that is safe for humans to live by, but gives it anti-microbial properties that are ideal for preparing food on.
If you want to go with a synthetic product and not natural stone, Caeserstone makes really nice material. All composite quartz products have a risk of looking kind of phony and terrible depending on the color you choose, so choose your color wisely.
i'll quote myself from elsewhere.....
do you want custom cabinets? they're nice but spendy and hard to find a vendor to proof out what quality you're going to get. a friend got custom cabinets for her kitchen remodel shipped in from minnesota i think. they're pretty nice.
wife and i went with Chinese Cabinets. there are kabillions of vendors and quality varies widely. the sizes and availabity are generic across all of them though, all kitchen cabinets are XX inches tall, and various with doors, drawers, or some combination
generally liked the quality of these guys best but for color/style combination reasons we've only been able to use them for the bathroom vanities and recently the builtin bar
https://www.cypresskitchenandbath.com/
used these guys for the kitchen cabinets
https://www.kzkitchen.com/ they're pretty close on quality to cypress
both will have prefab "stone" slabs available and a preferred fabricator they can coordinate it all. prefab slabs... well see above
we used apex marble for the kitchen countertops
https://www.apexmarbleinc.com/
when all was said and done, the cost to do prefab slabs (with laminated edges) would have been barely less to go through a custom shop like apex and the craftsmanship was significantly better and the mitered edges... you'd be hard pressed to tell it's not natural stone (fake marbel, calacata? quarts). the bathrooms are prefabs from cypress and the laminated edges are thankfully difficult to see.
chinese cabinet places are all over. down here in the dirty south area, they're clustered around SJC airport. i would expect to find a cluster around south SF maybe. the caveat is if you want Shaker cabinets, you only have the one color selection from that vendor. another vendor might have Shaker in a slightly different color. if you want bright blue cabinets on the bottom, and white on the top, you're probably SOL on the blue because they don't have it at all, and the styles wont match top to bottom if they do. that's why the friend went with custom cabinets so the style would match and she could choose colors. she spend easily 3x what we did on cabinets tho.
everything will look dated eventually. be sure to include some whitewashedshitshiplap.
if you want it to be fashionable for the longest possible time i'd reccommend going with tan, off white, biscuit... those will be coming back into fashion soon i'm sure of it!
your city will have some requirements for various levels of rennovation at the permit office. if you want something to be up to code... read the code and your city will have some additional level of nitpickery on top of the standard codes.
if you're doing countertops anywhere, and want "granite" of any variation (quartz marble, quartzite, actual granite etc etc etc. something that is or is meant to look like stone) spring for the mitered edge rather than the laminated (as most pre-fab slabs are) edge.
some patterns it isn't noticeable, but lots and lots of patterns it looks very obvious and is especially apparent on any long straight section as you'd find in a kitchen countertop. materials meant to imitate something grainy (granite) might be ok with laminated. something with stripes/veins (marble or imitations) will look really weird if laminated
tile: other than large format tiles, farm it out. it's way harder than it looks on youtube. large format tiles are more forgiving IMO. if you have a pattern: seriously, hire a pro.
found a picture, obvious laminated seam. some don't care. looks really hideous to me.
do you want custom cabinets? they're nice but spendy and hard to find a vendor to proof out what quality you're going to get. a friend got custom cabinets for her kitchen remodel shipped in from minnesota i think. they're pretty nice.
wife and i went with Chinese Cabinets. there are kabillions of vendors and quality varies widely. the sizes and availabity are generic across all of them though, all kitchen cabinets are XX inches tall, and various with doors, drawers, or some combination
generally liked the quality of these guys best but for color/style combination reasons we've only been able to use them for the bathroom vanities and recently the builtin bar
https://www.cypresskitchenandbath.com/
used these guys for the kitchen cabinets
https://www.kzkitchen.com/ they're pretty close on quality to cypress
both will have prefab "stone" slabs available and a preferred fabricator they can coordinate it all. prefab slabs... well see above
we used apex marble for the kitchen countertops
https://www.apexmarbleinc.com/
when all was said and done, the cost to do prefab slabs (with laminated edges) would have been barely less to go through a custom shop like apex and the craftsmanship was significantly better and the mitered edges... you'd be hard pressed to tell it's not natural stone (fake marbel, calacata? quarts). the bathrooms are prefabs from cypress and the laminated edges are thankfully difficult to see.
chinese cabinet places are all over. down here in the dirty south area, they're clustered around SJC airport. i would expect to find a cluster around south SF maybe. the caveat is if you want Shaker cabinets, you only have the one color selection from that vendor. another vendor might have Shaker in a slightly different color. if you want bright blue cabinets on the bottom, and white on the top, you're probably SOL on the blue because they don't have it at all, and the styles wont match top to bottom if they do. that's why the friend went with custom cabinets so the style would match and she could choose colors. she spend easily 3x what we did on cabinets tho.
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cheez
Master Of The Darkside
When I built my house in 2000 in Texas I chose Corian countertops, and I absolutely loved the look, clean lines, zero seams, and refinish-ability. I don't think it's popular any longer (fell out of favor) but it's a solid product with lots of positives. If you've ever experienced a seamless Corian sink- it's like heaven to use, kind of the way an under-mounted farmhouse style sink is, you can just sweep liquids/solids into the sink without worry about the sink seam catching some or letting it flow under the countertop.
(GAWD I miss that giant flat island... so perfect for working dough or doing any major cooking effort. Olde pics are smol...)
(GAWD I miss that giant flat island... so perfect for working dough or doing any major cooking effort. Olde pics are smol...)
Bay Arean
Well-known member
We remodeled in March. We chose Silestone Copper Mist (engineered Quartz) and we love it.
We used Lowe's to get Diamond Cabinets but I do not recommend either. The cabinets came but all the doors were slightly out of square. We went through three entire sets of doors before getting them right. I have like 32 cabinet doors sitting in my basement because I can't bear to take em to the dump because they are nice maple. Also an entire double cabinet left over because it wasnt tall enough Supposedly, Diamond is Lowe's "middle" choice. Pretty unhappy with that experience. You just don't get enough "tries" to find out who is good with major remodels.
We used Lowe's to get Diamond Cabinets but I do not recommend either. The cabinets came but all the doors were slightly out of square. We went through three entire sets of doors before getting them right. I have like 32 cabinet doors sitting in my basement because I can't bear to take em to the dump because they are nice maple. Also an entire double cabinet left over because it wasnt tall enough Supposedly, Diamond is Lowe's "middle" choice. Pretty unhappy with that experience. You just don't get enough "tries" to find out who is good with major remodels.
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WoodsChick
I Don't Do GPS
In looking for countertop material here in Oakland I totally dismissed Corian, even though what I have now is the same crappy plastic used-to-be-white laminate that's probably $3/sf that was here when we bought the place 27 years ago. Then we bought our retirement cabin that had white speckled Corian that was 15 years old. It still looks brand new, is an absolute dream to cook/bake on, cleans up super easy, never stains, always looks great, and that seamless Corian sink! :love Crappy photo, but you get the idea...
I've had coffee spills sit undetected under the coffee maker for 24 hours and no stains to the Corian. I will never have a house without a dedicated coffee station ever again...
So being the countertop material snob that I was, we bought Vetrazzo recycled glass for our counters in Oakland but lagged long enough in installing it that we decided to just go with Corian or something similar here since this house will be a rental someday, and used the Vetrazzo for our new wood stove hearth at the cabin :laughing
Granite Expo in Emeryville had a huge selection of countertop materials and their prices seemed to be decent. They have another warehouse nearby off Mandela Parkway in Oakland that has lots of kitchen cabinets and countertops on display in mock kitchen setups. What's cool is you can walk through the warehouse and look at the actual slabs they have in stock, and they have a ton.
Good luck with your kitchen remodel, ABC, and congrats on the new condo!
Be sure to take lots of "before and after" photos.
berth
Well-known member
We used Diamond Cabinets, but not from Lowes, and, AFAIK, we didn't have any major fit problems with them. The contractor certainly wasn't grousing about them. He did have to install them 3 times, but turns out we need to re-level the floor.
Other than that, they came out great. The build quality was good, loved the slide out shelves and the lazy susans on the corners. The racks under the sink. The soft close everywhere.
The only nit we had with them was that we did a one-for-one replacement with our existing cabinetry, but in the end we lost storage space because the Diamond cabinets while externally the same dimension, internally they were not.
So, if you're expecting something like that, check the actual dimension.
Other than that, we were pretty happy with the products.
We didn't use Lowes for the cabinets simply because the contractor "knew a guy". Honestly, we've been pretty happy with most anything we've done from Lowes.
All that said, we also have a custom guy that we work with. We've had him build 2 entertainment centers, and a corner cabinet, as well as doing the doors and drawers on a bathroom cabinet we refinished (which is unremarkable, he orders the drawers from someone else).
But, all told, in the end, his prices were competitive with other off the shelf stuff we've seen. For example, I know we got our custom, built in entertainment center, painted (he doesn't paint, we had someone else do that), and installed for not much more than an off the floor pieces from a store like Crate and Barrel.
Not "cheap", but it was competitive. And he knocks out cabinets all day long.
I only mention this for those willing to explore local folks who do this vs going with a large chain retailer if you're needs and budget can work with it.
As a counter example, when we redid my Dads house, we got off the shelf, pre-finished stuff from Lowes. It all fit the kitchen, looked great, and was easy. In the end, they're wood boxes.
Other than that, they came out great. The build quality was good, loved the slide out shelves and the lazy susans on the corners. The racks under the sink. The soft close everywhere.
The only nit we had with them was that we did a one-for-one replacement with our existing cabinetry, but in the end we lost storage space because the Diamond cabinets while externally the same dimension, internally they were not.
So, if you're expecting something like that, check the actual dimension.
Other than that, we were pretty happy with the products.
We didn't use Lowes for the cabinets simply because the contractor "knew a guy". Honestly, we've been pretty happy with most anything we've done from Lowes.
All that said, we also have a custom guy that we work with. We've had him build 2 entertainment centers, and a corner cabinet, as well as doing the doors and drawers on a bathroom cabinet we refinished (which is unremarkable, he orders the drawers from someone else).
But, all told, in the end, his prices were competitive with other off the shelf stuff we've seen. For example, I know we got our custom, built in entertainment center, painted (he doesn't paint, we had someone else do that), and installed for not much more than an off the floor pieces from a store like Crate and Barrel.
Not "cheap", but it was competitive. And he knocks out cabinets all day long.
I only mention this for those willing to explore local folks who do this vs going with a large chain retailer if you're needs and budget can work with it.
As a counter example, when we redid my Dads house, we got off the shelf, pre-finished stuff from Lowes. It all fit the kitchen, looked great, and was easy. In the end, they're wood boxes.
Gixxergirl1000
AFM #731
I'm a cabinet designer, 18+ years now, with Precision Cabinets in Brentwood.
Cabinets are built right here, and we're the only custom shop jumping through CARB hoops every year to do a baked-on conversion varnish finish (which is the best selling point of modular cabinets).
If you want an estimate, call in and ask for my salesperson, Don.
You're going to need to know what you're wanting, as far as wood species, door style, interior material...
A good starting point is melamine interiors, paint grade exterior with a Shaker type door. All our cabinets come with Blum soft close undermount slides, and soft close doors. We also include crown molding at no charge.
We can also provide a countertop quote as well.
Installs are all done by Precision employees, nothing is outsourced (unlike the big box stores).
Cabinets are built right here, and we're the only custom shop jumping through CARB hoops every year to do a baked-on conversion varnish finish (which is the best selling point of modular cabinets).
If you want an estimate, call in and ask for my salesperson, Don.
You're going to need to know what you're wanting, as far as wood species, door style, interior material...
A good starting point is melamine interiors, paint grade exterior with a Shaker type door. All our cabinets come with Blum soft close undermount slides, and soft close doors. We also include crown molding at no charge.
We can also provide a countertop quote as well.
Installs are all done by Precision employees, nothing is outsourced (unlike the big box stores).
Bay Arean
Well-known member
Why the HELL didn't I know this? Your modesty and consideration probably. Damn. Ms BA started the process and chose to go through Lowe's because her sister did or some damn thing. Since she's retired, and I am not, I tried, for once, to go along instead of being the cranky customer. It didn't work. I'm still cranky.
One of the things that drove me nuts was that we got a custom microwave cabinet "garage-style" cabinet for which Diamond charged almost 1K. They took the equivalent of a vertical cabinet door and turned it sideways so you can see the joinery that is supposed to be on the top and bottom. So lame. With the maple upper cabinets, they also included gray knots in some of the cabinetry which, while natural to the wood, is not exactly desirable. Eco, I guess.
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antipathy
Lurks for the lulz
OP, are you on a budget or wanting to go all out? If you still live in SF I would call around to confirm if they are willing to install in SF. That may shorten your list.
I'll second AuntieBling's suggestion to use KZ Kitchen Cabinet & Stone in SJ for stone as well as cabinets. I was there in September and they had a huge blowout sale on $100 granite slabs in the warehouse (not in the showroom).
We've remodeled 2 kitchens with KZ. They have a great selection of cabinet pulls, faucets and sinks.
Keep in mind a few things when you go:
1. Salespersons are marginally unfriendly until you establish a rapport and show them you are not there to waste time or ask stupid questions. (hint: arrive with exact measurements of your existing cabinets/counters.)
2. Grab a catalog to see their typical offerings. Ask what product lines shown in the catalog are in-stock to avoid delays. Some colors & styles just don't get restocked for months.
3. Don't order custom cabinets here.
KZ expanded to sell bath tiles and shower systems these days but for just tile I have had great service and guidance from Bullnose Tile in SJ. They are exceptional and their employees will help you match up all the materials, trim, grout, etc. that you need.
http://www.bullnosetilesj.com/
Our most recent kitchen remodel was out of state and we used Lowe's Diamond stock cabinets in Caspian because the store promised us 2 week delivery. Eight weeks later :facepalm we have cabinets that look good from a distance but the movement and hinge operation shows they were not assembled with care.
On the plus side, they cost less than $5K for a premium look.
I would never trust a timeline given by Lowe's. I saw a number of impatient customers waiting to get an update on their custom cabinet orders that were severely delayed.
Good luck!
I'll second AuntieBling's suggestion to use KZ Kitchen Cabinet & Stone in SJ for stone as well as cabinets. I was there in September and they had a huge blowout sale on $100 granite slabs in the warehouse (not in the showroom).
We've remodeled 2 kitchens with KZ. They have a great selection of cabinet pulls, faucets and sinks.
Keep in mind a few things when you go:
1. Salespersons are marginally unfriendly until you establish a rapport and show them you are not there to waste time or ask stupid questions. (hint: arrive with exact measurements of your existing cabinets/counters.)
2. Grab a catalog to see their typical offerings. Ask what product lines shown in the catalog are in-stock to avoid delays. Some colors & styles just don't get restocked for months.
3. Don't order custom cabinets here.
KZ expanded to sell bath tiles and shower systems these days but for just tile I have had great service and guidance from Bullnose Tile in SJ. They are exceptional and their employees will help you match up all the materials, trim, grout, etc. that you need.
http://www.bullnosetilesj.com/
Our most recent kitchen remodel was out of state and we used Lowe's Diamond stock cabinets in Caspian because the store promised us 2 week delivery. Eight weeks later :facepalm we have cabinets that look good from a distance but the movement and hinge operation shows they were not assembled with care.
On the plus side, they cost less than $5K for a premium look.
I would never trust a timeline given by Lowe's. I saw a number of impatient customers waiting to get an update on their custom cabinet orders that were severely delayed.
Good luck!
Gixxergirl1000
AFM #731
Oh wow... where to start... premium maple should NOT have knots in it... and charging $1,000 for an appliance garage??? Geezus... a top mount retractable door would run $300 with us...
Sorry, prolly throwing a little lemon juice on a paper cut there...
Honestly, NO ONE should be buying cabinets for their own home from Lowe's... or Home Depot...
It's not unusual to end up waiting literally months for missing/damaged components/doors/drawers/drawer fronts etc to be shipped out from the suppliers to the box stores. None of them are going to have any sort of comprehensive selection of modular cabinets in stock... there's just too many pieces.
Additionally, do not rely on any of the box stores to be able to provide quality design services... some of the worst layouts, completely ignoring basic math and code clearance requirements, have all come from the "designers" at Home Depot and/or Lowe's.
Lastly, none of the people installing the cabinets are employees of Lowe's or Home Depot... they're all subs. Some of them may care about doing a quality job, but from the horror stories I've heard over the years from the contractors I've worked with, I'm guessing those installers are few and far between.
If someone is actually considering using one of the big box stores, please hire a competent contractor to help with your design/layout, and have them do the install.
Just my :2cents as someone who's been doing this for almost a couple decades now...
Bay Arean
Well-known member
I think the delays might have been COVID related if that recent. They crank the shit out via computers so the components are made very quickly. The issue with us was that it seemed like one of their jigs was slightly out of square, so they kept sending us cabinets doors that wouldn't line up. Like I said, I have 32 doors that I didn't have the heart to take straight to the dump.
Even though he really blew it on the initial measurement and spent two hours trying to talk Ms. BA into an open-room design which we didn't want (this was the source of wrong measurements really), he was a good enough contractor to refuse to mount crooked doors.
If anybody wants some maple doors to play with, PM me. I should have thrown them away but saved em for our residents' wood shop where I work, but it's been closed since March cuz o Covid. A person could make small stuff out of it, most of it is clear.
Even though he really blew it on the initial measurement and spent two hours trying to talk Ms. BA into an open-room design which we didn't want (this was the source of wrong measurements really), he was a good enough contractor to refuse to mount crooked doors.
If anybody wants some maple doors to play with, PM me. I should have thrown them away but saved em for our residents' wood shop where I work, but it's been closed since March cuz o Covid. A person could make small stuff out of it, most of it is clear.
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liveforlight
Well-known member
If going with Chinese cabinets expect to remodel around 10-15 years
I would lay it out yourself. Then talk to sales person at cabinet stores. Most do not care, and just lay basic layouts and then you will find out you have something where it does not function.
I would lay it out yourself. Then talk to sales person at cabinet stores. Most do not care, and just lay basic layouts and then you will find out you have something where it does not function.
Another kitchen remodel thread here. Melissa started and I added my remodel.
Mine was a major remodel as I took our two walls. We did quartz tops and had the cabinets made local. Did have some problems with the quality of the cabinets. I did refloor all the house at the same time. Took up old tile and put down new tile. I did the electrical and plumbing, I was my own contractor. Permits and done right. $60K
EDIT: More finished pictures here.
Mine was a major remodel as I took our two walls. We did quartz tops and had the cabinets made local. Did have some problems with the quality of the cabinets. I did refloor all the house at the same time. Took up old tile and put down new tile. I did the electrical and plumbing, I was my own contractor. Permits and done right. $60K
All done. 5 months from writing the first check to the Architect. Very happy how everything came out.
Yep need more wine.
EDIT: More finished pictures here.
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mrzuzzo
Well-known member
I'm not sure what the point of Chinese cabinets or anything is.
I went with Ikea cabinets, but I like the European look. The doors are made in Italy and the rest of it was mostly USA. They look excellent. I also went with Caesarstone which I bought through Ikea at a discount.
I went with Ikea cabinets, but I like the European look. The doors are made in Italy and the rest of it was mostly USA. They look excellent. I also went with Caesarstone which I bought through Ikea at a discount.
Bay Arean
Well-known member
yeah, me neither. Diamond Cabs are made in Oregon.