Buying cabinets from Builders is a mistake – here’s why
Buying cabinets from builders and contractors directly might seem like a good idea at first. Homeowners often perceive this as a turnkey operation. However, Main Line Kitchen Design explains why this hurts homeowners as well as other dealers.
These are the top 3 reasons that buying cabinets from contractors is a BAD idea:
- Builders and Contractors do not know anywhere near as much about kitchen design and cabinetry as the better paid designers who work at cabinet dealers. The result translates into less professional designs, more mistakes, and longer delays if problems arise.
- Buying cabinets from builders and contractors is NOT less expensive. Because contractors and builders are not set up to process the large number of kitchen orders that cabinet dealers do, they do not have the expert staff who check and process orders, submit claims and deal with the cabinet makers and their reps. Less efficiency increases prices and costs homeowners more. Additionally, contractors and builders also often feel that their customers aren’t going to shop around, so they overcharge for the cabinetry that they sell.
- Builders and Contractors don’t offer warranties. Even though a cabinet brand might have a lifetime warranty, a homeowner needs a cabinet dealer to process the warranty. Builders usually only honor their projects for one year after sale. Contractors may be better but none I have ever heard of honor a lifetime warranty. Not to mention that contractors go out of business, retire, or move quite often.
And if that isn’t enough!
- Builders and contractors are notorious for inflating the charges for cabinet upgrades. For example, upgrading to all plywood construction or soft close dovetail drawers is frequently many times more than the actual cost when buying cabinets from a builder. Main Line Kitchen Design only sells cabinets with these upgrades because they are not very expensive and are required for viable warranties.
- Options from contractors and builders are very limited – many more choices are available! Cabinet dealers will always carry many more brands because that is the business we are in. For example, Main Line Kitchen Design sells 8 different brands of cabinets. This ensures our customers aren’t forced into higher priced brands when they do not need to be. It also means we have EVERY door style, wood species and upgrade customers need.
- Outdated style advice. Since contractors and builders don’t actually sell cabinets and countertops for a living, and help the hundreds of customers that a typical cabinet dealer will each year, their style advice is often outdated and their suggestions simplistic. No one can be an expert in all things; coordinating cabinetry, countertops, backsplash tile, appliances, and fixtures takes more expertise than contractors and builders can offer. Yet another reason buying cabinets from builders and contractors is NOT in a homeowner’s best interest.
Buyer beware! Main Line kitchen Design gets several calls every week from homeowners looking to make a warranty claim on the cabinets they purchased from contractors and builders.
We also get calls from people wanting to add a cabinet, add molding or simply buy a touch up kit. Unfortunately, what they didn’t realize when originally buying cabinets from builders was that their supplier would only be there for the sale and would not be there to help them with any future needs. Main Line Kitchen Design is more affordable, offers more expertise and options, and product support for as long as our customers are in their home!
Dealers just do not have the capacity to assist homeowners who did not originally buy from them.
Main Line Kitchen Design will help any past customer of ours with any issue – warranties, additional cabinets after their renovation has been completed, etc. But we – and our fellow dealers can not support homeowners who fell prey to pitches from their builders or contractors.
Again, buyer beware! Here’s a link to a relevant blog.
And bon appetite!
