1) Beware Of The “Big Box” Stores.
Service is not their top priority. Take a number and plan to experience the “wasted time” factor every time you visit a Big Box store for your cabinets in Monterey County. While they stress low prices in their advertising, the reality is that the Big Boxes are often more expensive than a company like Cypress Design & Build. Why? For many reasons! Big Box stores stress low prices throughout the store, but that does not mean all products they carry are low-priced. And especially when it comes to cabinetry, these products are specially designed and ordered and therefore lose the cost-savings of a Big Box store. Additionally, since cabinetry design is not their core competency, there are additional hidden costs for you to take into consideration. There is the intangible cost of having a superior cabinetry design and layout to increase your quality of life in the space—a Big Box store employee simply cannot compete with the design superiority of Cypress Design & Build designers. The Big Boxes experience significant staff turn-over. Because of this, their “designer associates” are typically inexperienced. Inexperience in cabinetry design and project management will result in unimpressive designs, critical mistakes and unnecessary project delays for your kitchen remodel in Monterey.
2) “Cheaper” Is Not Always Better.
Local custom cabinet fabricating shops do not have the capital to invest in the multi-million dollar state-of-the-art finishing systems that are utilized by most regional and national cabinet manufacturers. The local custom shop’s low-tech finishing process increases the risk of cabinets yellowing, peeling, wearing or displaying other defects prematurely. Will the local guy be around or able to service your warranty in a couple of years? Or will the finisher be the same person, and able to match your finish in five years if you need a door replaced?
3) Are You 100% Comfortable Providing A Sizeable Deposit To This company?
Due to the custom nature of every cabinetry order, it is not unusual to pay an up-front deposit of 50% to 100% of the project price. Make sure the company you work with is stable and has been around for several years. Unfortunately, if they close their doors, your sizeable kitchen remodel deposit for your new cabinets will likely be lost.
4) Do They Offer Top Quality Products?
The best kitchen remodel cabinetry products in the industry are typically offered by higher volume kitchen and bath dealers that have built strong, long-term relationships with top quality suppliers. Smaller, less stable Monterey Peninsula cabinet companies are more likely to carry 2nd or 3rd tier products that will suffer in quality and warranty performance. Cypress Design & Build has been in operation since 1998 and offers top-quality cabinetry from Omega, and Kemper cabinets. In an August 2004 Consumer Reports analysis, Omega Cabinets ranked the highest in quality among 14 rated cabinetry lines.
5) Showroom & Design Capability
Does your Monterey Peninsula cabinet provider have a showroom that displays the types of products and creativity you would like to see in your home? A nice showroom and quality products shows they are focused on providing the customer with enough visual examples of cabinetry in order to make a right decision when selecting cabinetry. An experienced designer will provide as much WOW factor in your unique design as you would like to see. They will also have the construction knowledge to make sure the cabinetry works properly with the room layout, flooring, appliances, venting, and the overall “feel” of the room—which will result in a higher quality of living in the space. Experienced designers are also more likely to order all cabinet components correctly the first time, and they will lend their expertise as needed to make sure the cabinet installation progresses smoothly. At Cypress Design & Build, it is our mission to create a higher quality of living for your family through beautiful and functional cabinetry design.
6) Warehouse & Delivery Services Will Help To Keep Your Project On Track
Many Monterey county cabinet companies do not maintain their own warehouse space. They are reliant upon warehouse and delivery services provided by unrelated third-party companies. By not controlling the warehouse and delivery function, your order runs a higher risk of damage. In addition, it may be more difficult to get your cabinets delivered when you need them if your cabinet company does not store your order in their own warehouse.
7) Installation Services Can Make Or Break The Finished Product.
Make sure that your Monterey cabinet company can provide a top-quality installer for your remodel project. The installer should have experience with the cabinet company and designer with whom you are working, as well as with the cabinet brand that you are purchasing. Making a large investment in cabinetry and then taking shortcuts to save money on the installation is a far too common consumer mistake.
8) You Deserve Professional & Timely Service Before, During & After The Sale.
What is your Monterey cabinet provider’s reputation for service? Do they have a dedicated service staff? Service at the back end of your project during installation and completion of any punch-list will help to keep your project on schedule.
9) Warranty Is Your Life Preserver
Make sure you get a copy of your cabinet manufacturer’s warranty. Cabinetry warranties typically range from 10 years to “limited lifetime”. Limited lifetime includes the duration of your ownership of your home. Drawer glide hardware typically carries a lifetime warranty. Another reason to work with a company that has been in business for several years – if you need assistance with your manufacturer’s warranty, they are more likely to be there in the future to assist you.
Download this complete guide in PDF format here.
