Brands/Products That I'd Use Again

16 years ago

Gotta have a counterpoint!

My most pleasant surprise over the last few years have been Danze plumbing fixtures. Low-priced vs. competition but very durable and reliable. (Free replacement cartridges too.)

Danze Opulence single-handle faucet in copper, Mexican copper vessel, granite counter, Canac Cabinetry, accessories from Bombay Furniture

Featured Answer

Happykate

16 years ago

Well, coming from a 108-year old midwest Victorian, I have to say that for 28 years we had completely satisfactory experiences with ~

knob and tube wiring
hot water radiators, some 8' long by 3' high
gravity-fed cast iron furnace, that took up it's own large room in the basement
porcelain 1" kitchen floor tiles and
fireclay farm sink

All these were original to the house, and all worked heroically with (I think this is true) no maintenance at all! won't repeat any but the last two, though.

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Comments (68)

bus_driver
16 years ago
I definitely would use Superior Walls again for the basement. And definitely would go 10' high again. Ductwork and plumbing are really up out of the way.
arebella
16 years ago
This is a really great thread. Please keep it going. I'm soaking up all your wisdom.
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zone_8grandma
16 years ago
For anyone in the Puget Sound area, our cabinets came from Superior Custom Cabinets. They have a lifetime warranty. After a year, I had a problem with a latch on one drawer and the finish wearing on the door under the sink.

They sent a guy out who replaced the broken latch, and touched up the stain on the door. No charge at all (not even for labor or travel). He told me the cabinets had a lifetime warranty and to call whenever I had a problem.
suzyqtexas
16 years ago
We used name brand appliances, Pella windows, Kohler plumbing fixtures..etc

Great quality- Fusion door handles and plumbing fixtures

Exceptional Quality: All small town east TX vendors--
Cabinet Maker -quality, layout and great ideas and price
Custom Door Shop - The doors make the house!!
Kemiko Concret Floor Stain
Local sawmill - Cypress ceiling and beams and
countertop made from the bottom of a boxcar
coysmum
16 years ago
Ditto Zone8 Grandma for Superior Custom Cabinets if you live in the Pacific Northwest. We used them in our current house kitchen remodel and absolutely love them. We also recommended them to another family member's remodel and they fell in love as well.
oruboris
16 years ago
I have Superior Cabs here in Montana, too. Like them very much: sturdy, great looking, no issues in over 5 years.

Not sure I'll use them again, just because I'm not sure some of the custom features I want will be available.
jasonmi7
16 years ago
I'd use Ikea faucets again in a heartbeat. I've seen two in use, and if you like the style, I've never seen quality at that price-point before. There's also a huge following for their cabinets, which I'll use when 'redo kitchen' spools up on the honey-do ticker-tape list.
sweet_tea
16 years ago
American Whirlpool garden tub.

Ditto on the Sherwin Williams Super Paint for exterior. That stuff is great.
pfennig
16 years ago
IKEA cabinets are great. I used them in my remodel, and plan to use them again if I build from scratch.

Stepco prefinished strand woven bamboo flooring is teh bomb! Replaced almost all my carpet with it in existing house, and it's durable as he**. Much harder than the oak and maple samples I got that were twice as expensive, and it's gorgeous. Horizontal and Vertical bamboo floors we sampled were pretty soft, but strand woven is harder and prettier than anything else we saw. Installer was only 'meh', but the product has exceeded our expectations.

Fireclay farm sink in the kitchen - like this much better than any std multi-bowl sink, and like it better than the enameled iron farm sink my mother put in her house.

And a final recommendation for the cost-conscious out there (IKEA should have been a tip off as to my leanings), try granite tile counter tops rather than slab. Floor & Decor stores carry a good selection of granite varieties with matching bull-nose pieces. I did the work myself, they look great, and are much much cheaper than slabs. I'll use them again for sure.
monicakm_gw
16 years ago
suzyqtexas, I'm from a small town in East Texas too :) Are you the suzyq of the suzyQ's diner in Mineola?
Monica (from the kit & bath forums)
chiroptera_mama
16 years ago
1" foam over external sheathing Â we are loving the draft free rooms, reduced noise, and lower temperatures.

Denim insulation in the walls. We did this DIY and it was super easy to install. We also love not having fiberglass in the walls and the recycled and local manufacturing aspects of the product.

Blow in cellulose in the attic Â we also did this ourselves and it was easier than batts would have been (and much much cheaper than foam which we would have liked to use if our money tree would just bear fruitÂ ;)

American Standard faucets. We have them in the current abode and they still look new, are easy to clean, and work like a charm. Perfect for the tight budget.

Habitat for Humanity resale store Â many items for the house were purchased here, they love to see us coming through the gate.

ICAT can lights. So nice when it came time to seal the attic (thanks Erla!).

Impact windows. They allow us to not use shutters (no room on the dormers) and take care of the requirements for windows at the base of a stairwell and near a bathtub Â both of which we have and were checked by the county inspector.

Kiln dried lumber + time to acclimate before drywall Â no nail pops so far (now IÂm going to go home and see them everywhere ;)

Advantech for sub floor. We had lots of water in the beginning. Too often the water sat on the floor for a day or two. It has been exposed for 1 Â½ years and there are no issues now that the final flooring is going in.

Lumber Liquidator butcher block countertops. A big thanks to the person discussing them over in kitchens (I have forgotten the name). We love them and they are very affordable.

Drywall shopvac bags. What a huge difference they make in the performance of the shopvac cleaning up behind our slacker sheetrockers (DH and I) A big thanks to the people on the dark side who brought these to my attention.

Geothermal HVAC and ERV Â in our cooling climate it was a great choice. Plus free hot water to fill up my claw foot tub.

Tuff-Rib metal roof by Eagle Metals. Lower cooling bills plus extra wind resistance for hurricane season. We like how it looks too.

We havenÂt used our appliances yet so I canÂt speak to their performance, but we love the deals we got on them Â both in the bent& dent section and the construction discount center. The cooktop, DW, and double ovens are Kenmore and the refrigerator is Samsung. We've always had good luck with Kenmore so far so we hope for this to continue with t he new stuff :)
carolyn53562
16 years ago
Kohler products (but only toilets with the new flushing system)
Andersen 400 windows
Carrier Infinity Furnace
Kitchenaid convection oven
Hubbardton Forge lights
Kitchenaid sxs refrigerator with ice in the door
Silestone
Dura Supreme cabinets
Blanco stainless steel sink
Certainteed fiber cement siding (prefinished)
txgal06
16 years ago
worthy-glad to hear you like the Danze faucets. I have one (wall mount) in the master at the claw foot tub and I really like it. The plumber didn't like it or trust the quality. What does he know?!

Rohl Allia fireclay sink (LOVE the single bowl!)
Copper prep sink
Moen Showhouse faucet
SW Superpaint
stained concrete
Icynene insulation
Jeremiah Co lighting
KA 48" built in refrigerator (so much room)
sasha.welling
15 years ago
I would have to say my Toto Drake toilet. I've had it for awhile now and it's absolutely amazing! Great flush, no stains.. all the right stuff. I would definitely use Toto again.

Here is a link that might be useful: Toto Toilets
jessdmiller
15 years ago
For those of you that used Pella Windows - vinyl or wood? I've heard bad things but I'm thinking it was only the wood - and I'd kind of like to use Pella.
home_nw
15 years ago
- Caesarstone quartz counters
- Canyon Creek cabinets
- Top Knobs cabinet hardware
- Milgard windows
- Fireplace Xtrordinaire (both wood-burning & propane models)
- White oak flooring in CD character grade
- Godfrey Hirst wool wall-to-wall carpeting
- Mico Seashore kitchen faucets
- Bosch dishwashers
- Sub-Zero side-by-side refrigerator
- Sharp drawer microwave
- GE Spacesaver microwave
- Enkeboll wood trims
- Pearl wood mantels
- CDM and Chemcrest decorative trims
- Azak exterior trim
- El Dorado stone in "Country Rubble"
- HardiShingles
- Solatube
- Amarr Classica garage doors
- Benjamin Moore paint (interior & exterior)
pennylaney
15 years ago
From new house experience (only 1 month!), so my opinions could change, but I'm VERY happy so far:
- Hardiplank siding
- Danze faucets
- Bosch dishwasher
- Thermatru doors
- Bertazzoni gas range

From old house experience (17 years; it's possible these things aren't being made as well now!):
- Jeldwen (were Caradco back then) windows
- Jenn-air electric range
- Kenmore microwave
- Duron paint
- American Standard toilets
jeniferrlynne
15 years ago
bumping for any other good suggestions!
aprile421
15 years ago
Things I love in my new house:

Danze Faucets
Beso Lighting
Lutron switches (dimmers,ceiling fan controls,whole house panels) These are great quality and IMHO look so much nicer that the other switches we had.
Honeywell digital thermastat with touch screen. The electrician special ordered this for us and I really think it makes a difference.
Our cork flooring in the mud room. I put it in there to try it out because I wasn't too familiar with cork floors and I wanted to test it first. I love it and it is so pretty and really durable. We have had appliances delivered and drug across it and it held up fine no scratches or dents. I will be putting more in my house.
arleneb
15 years ago
Great thread! I'm happy to see confirmation about many things I've chosen for our new house.

We used these in the house we built in 2001, and are using them again in this house:

Toto Carlyle toilets; Washlet -- absolutely non-negotiable
VacuFlo central vac system -- absolutely non-negotiable
Pella windows
Not a brand, but a style: All drawer base cabinets

AND -- we will NOT use again: Bosch tankless water heater. Maybe it wasn't sized correctly, or something, but every shower longer than 3 minutes gave us a rude awakening -- a minute of cold water before heating up again.
hazmatt
14 years ago
I'm new to this site, but this seems like a really useful thread to keep running. We're just beginning our build (hoping to break ground in October) so I don't have anything useful to add yet, but I'm sure others do...
carterinms
14 years ago
- Solatubes (but next time make sure the painters cover the hole before they paint)

- Timer switch from Westside Wholesale. Don't remember the brand, but the switch has 3 positions - on, off, and timer. "On" turns on the fan and the light together, "off" turns them both off, and "timer" turns the fan on for a set amount of time (20 minutes).

- Delta Pilar faucet

- Cree LED can light - expensive, but is supposed to last 50,000 hours. It's above the porch landing where it would take a 15' tall ladder to change the bulb. It puts out plenty of light, unlike the much cheaper LED's I bought at Sams Club.
worthy
Original Author
14 years ago
Let's add a couple of items, now with four years service on them: Emtek sandcast bronze door hardware (except for the locking pins, which become loose); Eureka central vacuum--for replacing a failed control board free four years after the unit was bought, no receipt necessary.
allison0704
14 years ago
We've been in almost three years:

BiltBest extruded aluminum clad casement windows with wood interior (linked below) Also have their patio doors on the lower level.

Copper flashing, gutters and downspouts
Toto commodes
RH Bistro faucets by Newport Brass
NuTone recessed Fan/Light Combo
Emtek sandcast bronze tubular exterior door hardware
Emtek Tuscany interior door hardware
tumbled travertine flooring - so easy to keep clean
Trane
Rohl Country kitchen faucet
Dishdrawers - but I'd only order a single next time and not the double
GE Monogram Dual Fuel range
Hubbarton Forge interior light fixtures
Quorum exterior light fixtures
Stone. Nothing like the real thing.

Here is a link that might be useful: BiltBest
emilynewhome
14 years ago
UA engineered wood flooring -Hickory, wide plank.
Bosch Dishwasher
Toto ultramax sanigard toilets
Panasonic Whispersoft exhaust fans
Zodiaq quartz countertop, true to store sample, unlike Wilson quartz which turned out darker and more opaque).
Heatilator 42" direct vent fireplace.
Electrolux Induction cooktop, 30" oven w/convection and Electrolux exhaust fan.
Grohe ladylux kitchen faucet.
Rohl fireclay, double kitchen sink.
Kraftmaid all wood cabinets - prompt service when a couple of pieces of wood didn't match up to installer's satisfaction.
Trane heatpump- super quiet.
Vacuflo - great factory service.

WOULD NOT buy BiltBest windows again, terrible factory service, seems as though their factory reps are always quitting. We have been waiting since September for them to fix windows!
allison0704
14 years ago
What problem are you having with them, Emily? Which ones did you get?

I know 5 others in 1M+ homes who used the ones like we did w/out any problems. Our GC is currently building a 5M+ home and using them w/o issues.
rosefolly
14 years ago
Arroyo Craftsman lighting fixtures -- beautiful and well made.

Kolbe & Kolbe Heritage casement windows

Borrego solar system
gary1227
14 years ago
Hardiplank siding (primed, painted onsite)
Azak exterior trim
Eagle windows and doors
Brazillon Redwood Decking
Closed cell spray foam insulation
FHP (Florida Heat Pump) ground source Geothermal Heating/AC
Pex plumbing systems
DuraSupreme Cabinetry
Caeserstone
American Olean Catarina Marble look ceramic/porcelain tile
Toto Toilets and Airjet Tubs
Danze faucets and shower/tub fixtures
Nutone Bath Fans
Karona solid core wood interior doors
Lennox direct vent gas fireplaces
Triad ceiling and wall speakers
Generac whole house generators
Whirlpool Duet washer/dryers
Miele Dishwashers
Bosch Dual Fuel Range & Convection Microwave
Kitchenaid french door refrigerator
Denise Evans
14 years ago
Wolf 36" gas cook top
Wolf Built In Ovens - 30"
Wolf Microwave
Sub Zero 736 refrigerator
Sub Zero 424 wine cooler
Arroyo Craftsman Light Fixtures
Old California Light Fixtures
Schoolhouse Electric Light Fixtures
Kohler kitchen and bath fixtures - including faucets
Fridgidaire Washer/Dryer

DO NOT RECOMMEND:
Fisher/Paykel Dish Drawers - not large enough
eyegolf
14 years ago
SaniJet tub - whirlpool jetted tub with no piping for old tub water to sit in and mold. These jets are removeable and can be put in dishwasher to clean. The water goes in and gets jetted out with no tubing involved. Love it!
Hide-a-hose VacUFLo central vac system
Gagganau steam convection oven- pricey but oh so worth it
stmad
13 years ago
bump
momto4inor
13 years ago
bump- love to hear more!
ae2ga
13 years ago
back to the top - this is valuable information and saves asnwering these questions over and over.

Please gives updates and add more.
laurie57
13 years ago
Hardiplank
Samsung french door fridge
GE 36" induction cooktop
Advantech subflooring
Toto toilets
remysmom
13 years ago
bumpty-bump
sis3
13 years ago
4 years after building

Bosch dishwashers, washer and dryer
Imperium Central Vac with Hide A Hose
Fully automated Bryant/Carrier HVAC with 7 zones
Monogram refrigerator drawers
SubZero refrigerator
Lutron Maestro dimmers everywhere
Natural slate tiles in the gallery and dining room
Hudson Reed faucets
In floor pool cleaning system
Never MT pumps for in counter dish detergent dispensers
coloradomomof5
13 years ago
Kohler Farm Sink
Bosch diswashers
Chicago Faucet kettle filler
Price Pfister ORB faucets
hideadoor.com "secret room door"
Heatilator fireplaces
The Iron Shop spiral staircase
Trex
Silestone
bevangel_i_h8_h0uzz
13 years ago
Nottingham Brass faucets from Signature Hardware
Cast iron claw foot tub (also from Signature Hardware)
Blanco Silgranite sinks
Silestone counter tops
Fireplace Xtrodinaire (gas direct-vent with unbelievably realistic-looking logs and flame)
sherilynn
13 years ago
Five years after building:

5-Toto toilets
Radiant Barrier
All interior doors 36" wide at minimum
All hallways at least 48" wide at minimum
granite, KitchenAid warming drawer, two under counter fridges...one with an ice maker, 48" Thermador range with 12" grill and 12" griddle (next time only 4 burners and a 24" griddle)
Love the raised fireplace
Love having a long Master bath with the shower at the end of the 19' bathroom and sinks at the other end. Now I can shower with privacy and not being 'watched' and my DH can shave at the same time & definitely a separate 'water closet'/commode room!
Zoned thermostats
Travertine
Laundry with 2 washers and 2 dryers
Low E Argon Gas, triple paned vinyl windows
2x6" framing
50 year shingles
I love wood floors, but would not do Brazilian Cherry again because it is too sensitive to any light and darkens from ANY light source. Area rugs leave 'tan lines' on the wood because light does not hit underneath rugs.

I also love my deep front and back porches.
singingmicki
12 years ago
bump
joyce_6333
12 years ago
We haven't moved in yet, but the things that get my vote, and great reviews from installers are:

PROGRESS LIGHTING. Got these for our basement baths, they were rediculously cheap, and they look great and the electrician said they were made very well.

ARMSTRONG ALTURA LUXURY VINYL TILE: This went in the utility areas, and basement baths. This stuff is indestructible, and looks fabulous. We had them lay it without grout, and it looks seamless.

DANZE KITCHEN FAUCET: Looks beautiful. And made very well so the plumber says.

NATURAL CHARACTER HICKORY FLOORS: What can I say. Wow!

OFF-THE-SHELF GRANITE COUNTERTOPS: For the basement baths. 48" with undermount sink was $70. Look fab!!

CERTAINTEED IMPRESSIONS SHAKE SIDING: This is probably my favorite thing about the house so far.

STAIRS FROM GARAGE TO BASEMENT: How would we ever live without it.

ALL OUR CUSTOM CABINETRY: Albert (our cabinet maker) you've surpassed our expectations again.

Things I'm excited to try: Microwave drawer, garbage disposal air switch, outlet in vanity drawer for hair dryer.

I'll report later on the geothermal. Keeping my fingers crossed that it's worth the $$.
gilmoregal
12 years ago
Bumping this thread for updated info.
kaijutokusatsu
11 years ago
Bumping for more!
dyno
11 years ago
Bertazzoni cook top - works and looks great

Thermador range hood - cheap in the grey market lol

Nuheat heated floor mats and controller

Kohler Poise stainless kitchen sink - makes my cheap chinese one look like a cheap chinese one

Here is a link that might be useful: Bertazzoni
lilibethc
11 years ago
So glad this thread is still here. Did a whole house renovation 8 years ago and just bought a new (to me) house, and about to do it again. Stuff that has held up well and I will definitely be looking at closely again this time around are:

- Rohl fireclay sink (nice and quiet, plenty big to hide lots of dirty dishes in the sink; I might get 2 this time!)
- Pacific Crest cabinets (despite some issues in their shipping (some banged up cabinets when they arrived), the company stood behind their product and made things right and they have held up quite well -- and everyone comments on how nice they look)
- Prefinished hardwood floors (wouldn't get Brazilian cherry again because they are too sensitive to light, but with two 50-60lb dogs running around, they have held up remarkably well, especially compared to friends who had site-finished floors. now I just need to find another wood species I like as well)
- Kohler Vinnata faucet (after all this time, I looked around at faucets again the other day and this is still the most gracefully sculptural faucet profile; also I had no problems with this at all.)
- GE Monogram 36" range, 30" fridge, island hood (the range cooked great and was a breeze to clean, the fridge had no issues whatsoever with the icemaker/water dispenser, and the range, though a real b*tch to install has been a real workhorse around our house; surprisingly had very few issues with these appliances)
- Miele dishwasher (this is the one with the top silverware rack; it was called Incognito back 8 years ago and don't know what it's called now. It cleans great and once we figured out how to use the salt/softener thingy left no streaks on our glasses)
- Kinawa white granite (husband likes the veins in this and I like whiteness, and we this is as close as we can get to white carrara w/o the maintenance headaches)
- Never M-T soap dispenser (what a great tip I got from this site 8 years ago. I give this to friends now, and they think it's genius)
- Air Switch for disposal (another great tip I got from this site; likely ubiquitous now but it's still wonderful)
- Kohler's Memoirs collection stately pedestal and drop-in sinks, and toilet (very classic looking)

Looking forward to another fun remodel
ontariomom
11 years ago
Great to see this thread bumped up for those of us who have not seen it. We are part way through our build, but so far, I am really happy with our windows and window wells -- details below.

1)Our window wells (Wolfa brand from Alberta Canada)-- yes I know that is a funny thing to comment on. However, our window wells let in so much more light due to shape and are cream in colour so they are easier on the eyes from inside and outside compared to standard metal window wells.

2)I am happy with the fiberglass windows we chose -- although they were a big upgrade. I like them so much better than the good qualify vinyl windows we have in the front of the house (our project was a back addition). The mullions on the fiberglass windows are so much thinner than vinyl which gives much more glass. The brand we chose was Thermotech Fiberglass and the windows were triple glazed, but the Fibertec brand ones looked equally as great. Both of these companies are based in Canada go figure from OntarioMom. We also like our partly fiberglass French door from Marvin -- Integrity brand (wood on inside and fiberglass on outside). Our windows were almost warm to the touch this winter. The vinyl ones we have in the front, were colder to the touch.

Carol
docmomma
11 years ago
How about blinds? Good-quality faux wood ones vs. inexpensive real wood ones? I've heard good things about JC Penney -- what about Ikea? My hubby has Parkinson's, so either we have to get a handyman to install them, or find a place where we can buy and have them install and not get robbed!!! Any recommendations there would also be appreciated!
Thanks!
kaza99
11 years ago
Which is good brand for kitchen accessories/bastets? also for heavy wardrobe doors which brand hinges to use? Are Hettich hinges a good brand to use for heavy wardrobe doors?

Any good recommendations are appreciated!
dollymibella
10 years ago
I lurked here 5 years ago when I did my Kitchen & Bath remodels. And am about to do it again in another apartment. Learned lots of things, I'd like to share.

KWC Kitchen Faucet
Rohl Fireclay undermount*
Plugmould*
Rev a shelf trash & recycling pullouts*
Insinkerator cover control*
Liebherr fridge
Bosch DW*
Ikea boxes for cabinets with custom door and drawer fronts from Scherr's*
Old Schoolhouse light fixtures

RH Medicine Cabinet (gorgeous)*
RH (Newport Brass) wide spread faucet
RH Bath Accessories*
RH Sconces*
Kohler Archer undermount sink
Warmly Yours heat mat (underneath the tile)*

*will use these in the new remodel as well. Not using the others for a change in style.
sixkeys
10 years ago
eyegolf - I am scouring the message board for current reviews of the Sanijet. Do you still like it? How is the strength of the jets and is it quiet? Thanks!

Brands/Products That I'd Use Again

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