Which Kitchen Faucet Did You Choose? - 3
Comments (88)
katespak11
10 years agoRelated Discussions
How did you know which GC to choose?
Comments (16)Some people we know recommended our GC; they'd used them for 2 significant remodels and both came in on time and under budget. I can't think of a single other person I know who did a significant remodel and was not plagued with problems. We met with them and they told us they weren't the cheapest out there. They gave us a very detailed estimate of what it would cost, truly line-by-line with labor charges all broken out and their markup and profit clearly identified. They were very rigid about what things cost. It was way over our budget, so we talked to another firm with a good reputation who claimed they could do it on our budget. But I looked at what they paid their guys and it was so similar to the first GC, I couldn't understand why it would be so much cheaper. I mean, it takes what it takes, right? They had an architect working with them and he offered to do a quick layout of what we could get for the money. We could get a lot more remodeled for the money (expand the back of the house as well as redo the kitchen) than the first firm so we had the head guy over and went over it in detail. Turns out the architect drew much more than we could afford. There was no tax or contingency in their budget, and some other significant things weren't in there. We liked the straight talk of the first firm better, and decided just to scale our project way back and get the kitchen we want, and live with our current family room (micro-sized) and within our budget. The project manager wouldn't budge an inch on budget. We'd ask if maybe we could have this or that and the field manager would look like he was about to say yes and the PM would say: No. That would add to the budget. The architect would suggest something and the PM would say: What are you spending my budget on? Seriously, she acted like it was her money, which is why we are still on budget. We also interviewed 3 architects, two who were suggested by the GC. It's important that your GC and Arch work well together. We told them our budget, and told them to work together until they could deliver it. So our planning phase may have had more back and forth than most, but when it was time to start construction, we knew what we would get and what we would pay for it. So far, and we are almost done, everything is going very well. They come when they say they will, their subs do an excellent job, and the costs are what they said they would be. They are on top of their jobs and their business.They've gotten us good prices for things and we've been able to upgrade a few things as a result. They give us good advice about what they will buy for us (with their markup) and what we should buy for ourselves to avoid the markup. I think if you get a good vibe from the people, if they seem very buttoned-up and professional, if their pricing is transparent, if they have good customer references, you are going to be in pretty good shape. You get what you pay for....See MoreWhich appliances did YOU choose?
Comments (60)Our appliance choices (and by "our" I mean all of us, not just mine) are so personal -- it's fascinating! Like trailrunner we spent over a year just doing research on appliances. For my husband, who does the vast majority of the cooking plus we're vegan, having a separate all-fridge and all-freezer was a must. Based on our research, talking with owners / repair centers, we easily chose the Thermador 30" freedom all-fridge and all-freezer columns. It's been 2.5 years and we're still really happy with them. There was a problem with the freezer's CPU (?) but it was taken care of quickly and fairly by Thermador. We were pleased with how they handled it. My husband also insisted on a continuous grate gas cooktop. Because I have a problem with things boiling over I needed sealed burners and separated wells (so the boiled over fluid wouldn't go everywhere). We live at high altitude (5400 ft), so we needed high BTUs, plus my husband is Japanese and does a lot of high-heat Asian-inspired cooking. For us, the Thermador 36" six-burner cooktop was the right choice. It is super easy to clean (we're messy) and we're happy with its performance. I love to bake and I'm only 5'4" -- I desperately wanted a french door or side-opening oven. This was the thorn in my side as when I started my search Gaggenau only came in either 24" (am I remembering that correctly?) wide double ovens or a single 36" oven, and holy cow is Gaggenau expensive! Jeez. But then I became obsessed and Gaggenau was going to release a 30" double oven ... so I did it: Gaggenau 30" double wall-oven, side-opening. So expensive but I'm still so so so happy with my side-opening ovens! Use them every day, every single day. Truthfully, the baking is fine. I know there are many Gagg lovers who rave about the superior baking from their Gaggs -- I think it's fine. But I will tell you this: it heats up quickly, the fan is quiet, and the controls are easy to use although not intuitive. Everyone who comes over needs serious instruction in how to turn it on. Our microwave is a Sharp R-1214 over-the-counter which is, you know, a microwave. It gets the job done. We didn't want a countertop microwave nor a built-in where we'd have to have the fancy grills, so this was it which wasn't an over-the-range (didn't want or need the vent). Our dishwasher is a Kitchen-Aid, one highly recommended by Consumer Reports. We knew we wanted hidden controls (little "helpful" hands), super-duper quiet and it had to have a grinder. Our previous dishwasher was a mid-range Bosch and it did not have a grinder. My husband refuses to wipe off anything before it goes in the dishwasher (I wipe into the garbage -- I refuse to rinse), including popcorn kernels. I think it's a dumb move on his part but by getting a dishwasher with a grinder I can at least not have to deal with a flooded dishwasher. I was furious when that happened. Anyway, so far so good! We also have GE Monogram 24" refrigerator drawers. Perfecto! For our needs (and I'm including budget here) they perfectly meet the bill. They are easy to open / close, easy to clean (all things considered), hold everything we need them to .... Our vent is a remote blower Broan. I can't remember anything else about it, but it's powerful and has the remote blower -- the remote was the issue for my husband....See MoreAny pics of Amendoim floors & which plank width did you choose?
Comments (0)First I posted this on the Kitchen Forum also thinking I was replying to a Decorating Forum post when I did a search for Amendoim Hardwood Flooring. After trying to like very light floors to get an airy look in my home that I have with my light beige carpeting, I am finding out that the following woods seems to go well with my cherry wood desk in my home office home office and darker cherry legs on my glass coffee and end tables in my family room. The lighter colors seemed out of place. Hence, I have narrowed down my search to the following species of woods in the Engineered hardwood flooring due to my cement floor on my ground level. Mannington Amedoim 5" planks (but now I am wondering if I should go with 3" planks to have more color variation?) I love due to not being too dark but still so rich in color varation. Mannington I am told has virtually no VOCS in their glue and their product will have just about no outgassing so that is why I am looking at their products. I love also the Brazilian Cherry and the Santos Mahagony but I know these will be darker and show more dust but I love the samples I have seen with the color variation. So now since I changed my mind on the honey color of the Oak planks, Maple planks (loved so much but does not go with all my furniture since less variation in the wood) and the Hickory planks, I think I like the way the above grain of the three wood species looks and the coloring of the flooring when it is natural. I love the BR111 and I am going to call them tomorrow to see if their products have any formaldehyde in them. Anyone have this brand or other engineered hardwood brands that had no outgassing? Anyone else with pictures and why they chose 3" or 5" plank width?...See MoreIslands with main sink — how did you choose your faucet
Comments (9)I started out wanting minimal holes on my island and thought I wanted a touchless faucet. Then another GWer explained the function of the Kohler Karbon and I was sold though it was $$$ out of my budget. While I cooked in my temp kitchen during the many months of my remodel, I had the revelation that the sink and faucet were what I used most in my kitchen. This led to me making major changes and budget alterations to accommodate. I decided to get what functioned best for me. My sink and faucet are the best decisions I made in my kitchen and these decisions evolved with research. I know it's beyond your budget, but you asked how others decided. There are so many technological changes with faucets that I'd advise to take your time, research them, and try to see and play in person. Choose one that suits your needs and style. The favorite function of mine is that I can position it where I want it then have both hands free under it. I wouldn't give a second thought to a soap dispenser. It's used all day long!...See MoreOldTimeCarpenter1
10 years agoThe ProMaster is an incredible faucet, durable as a hammer, except it loses an o-ring in the spray head every once in a while.
For those wo have never seen one, I have uploaded a pic.
There are Chicago and Wolverine pro-style faucets just as good, though and somewhat less costly.
ILoveRed
10 years agorococogurl
10 years agoILoveRed
10 years agoAmy Sumner
10 years agoWe have the Moen Arbor MotionSense and love, love it. The picture below shows the configuration under the sink. It does take more effort, for sure, but with the install directions it was very easy. I actually have a plumber who likes to read through everything before installing and it went without a hitch. You have 2 options for the power source for the sensor: battery power or purchase the AC adaptor and plug into an electrical outlet under the sink. We bought the AC adaptor and went that route so I don't have to change batteries. You adjust the water temp for the sensor on with the dial that is at the bottom of the box, behind the hoses in my picture.
Love my NeverMT too--thanks to GW folks!
Rococogurl, re the inadvertent on, you are correct however, the Moen has the ability to turn off the front sensor, leaving the top wave-over sensor active. I found that was perfect for me. No wet sleeves. The only inadvertent on now is when I am cleaning the window above the sink. No knowledge of how the Kohler can be tweaked, but I'd assume it would be similar.
For those who compare these to the obnoxious faucets in public restrooms, the big difference is that these faucets stay on until you motion them off or at 2 minutes. Much better than the ones where you struggle to get enough water to wash your hands!
Hope this info helps!
rococogurl
10 years ago
susanlynn2012
10 years agoNDSA
10 years agoAmy Sumner
10 years agocaitlinmagner
10 years agonorthcarolina
10 years agonadianyc
10 years agopatachi8
10 years agoelleninmaine
10 years agolmsscs
10 years ago
ck_squared
10 years ago
mtnrdredux_gw
10 years agorococogurl
10 years ago
Lars
10 years agoHi, Rococogurl! Haven't communicated with you for a while, but I hope you can help me with this.
The photo below is of my existing old faucet, which came with the house we bought in Westchester (Los Angeles) five years ago. We think the kitchen was remodeled in 1996, and so the faucet is probably from back then. Anyway, we are finally getting around to replacing our kitchen counter tops, which require us to buy a new sink, which I already did at The Kitchen Store in Culver City. The old sink is too big - you can see the back of the sink goes back almost to the window (which I covered with cardboard to reduce glare for the photo), and the counters have granite tile right now. We are replacing that with Cambria (Kensington) quartz, which we have also already ordered.
Do you think we can keep the old faucet, as it is working fine, and I am fine with how it looks. I figured it would probably be an easy matter to replace the faucet if we decide we need a new one, but I have not been able to make a decision on a new faucet. The Kohler faucet that I like looks pretty much like the one I already have, and I am unsure about Grohe or Hansgrohe, having read mixed reviews on those.
If we can keep the old one, it will give us more time to make a decision, but then we may have to pay the plumber twice for installation, unless we could do that ourselves.
What else do we need to replace when we replace the sink? I guess I will order a new soap dispenser, but do I need to order drain covers or anything like that? It's been a long time since I have installed a sink, and that was a bathroom sink that my father and I put in for my mother's bathroom.
The new sink will be under the stone, and so the faucet will mount on the stone, unlike its current mounting on the sink itself. This is the sink that I bought.
Thanks for any help!
Lars
Stone sample:
[Contemporary Kitchen Countertops[(https://www.houzz.com/products/contemporary-kitchen-countertops-prbr1-br~t_439~s_2103) by Yonkers Tile, Stone & Countertops Adria Marble and Granite
This post was edited by publickman on Mon, Apr 21, 14 at 12:30
nhbaskets
10 years agoWe currently have a Hansgrohe Talis C. No problems with it during the past 5 years. For our new house I went with a Moen Woodmere. It's still in the box sitting in the sink cabinet waiting to be installed. Can't wait! One reason why I went with a Moen is the single handle only goes forward. My current faucet's handle had to be installed at an angle because it was going to hit our window sill. DH still has issues after 5 years figuring out which way to turn for hot.
rococogurl
10 years agocinjos
10 years agokompy
10 years agoI got my KWC faucet at my distributor's annual "CLEARANCE TENT SALE"....they were clearing out discontinued manufacturers, model #s, displays...etc.
I had planned on getting yet another pull out or pull down spray faucet. But when I saw the KWC, I fell in love with it. It is VERY heavy and very well made! The sprayer is also HEAVY and made of metal. If I use HOT water, the sprayer can get really warm, but I don't mind this too much. It's worth it for the quality.
I got the faucet for $75!!!!!!!
Here it is pictured below. I am SO OVER faucets with pull out sprays. I've had them since 1985 when only european brands offered them.....remember the brand ARWA? I have to say, I love the KWC's clean, chrome lines. It's uninterrupted by a pull out spray head and SO much easier to clean. I don't think I'll EVER go back to a pull out spray. I do not mind the extra hole drilling.
Some of the other great deals I got at this Clearance Tent Sale? All were brand new and never used. No scratches/dents!
ASKO fully integrated DW (new in box) $425
54" Independent SS PRO range hood $400
1200CFM blower: $80
KWC sink (pictured) $75KOMPY
Lars
10 years agorococogurl
10 years ago
tibbrix
9 years agosuska6184
9 years agorococogurl
9 years agobrightm
9 years agorococogurl
9 years agoardcp
9 years agorococogurl
9 years agojennifer132
9 years agoWaterstone Hunley 12" kitchen faucet + contemporary side spray.
I didnt want to spend a small fortune. But, I did. And if we move, I am taking this set up with me! We had nice, but much less expensive pullout faucets for 7 years. Notice the plural? All 3 broke. We even repaired 2 of them, then they just fell apart. I did not want to repeat that experience because after 7 years I spent a small fortune on faucets anyway!
To me, nothing compared to the feel, heft, finish, and ease of use of the waterstone. (All brass. Made in USA. Blah blah). At first, I wanted the plp. It's a great faucet, both contemporary and traditional. But,for us, the pull down spray is kind of an attractive nuisance, enticing the kids and the DH. The pull down was also very tall in my space. And I actually like having the side spray. It's very easy to use when I need it, but not in my face when I don't. It's a bit more traditional set up, though the Hunley is "contemporary." I think the Hunley is very utilitarian. I like the reach, can fill the pasta pot resting the pot on the edge of my sink. The handle is mounted in front, which I needed. The faucet is easy to clean and unfussy. It's easy for the kids to use and for me to work with my elbow, writss etc when needed.
RealHousewifeofNJ
9 years agoLars
9 years agoWe finally got our faucet installed this Tuesday, but we had to call a new plumber because ours was out of town, even though he had told me that he was going to be available on Monday. I didn't want to go another week without a working sink, and he was understanding about that.
I also have a new bathtub faucet, and I bought a new vanity faucet for my bathroom that DB and I are going to try to install ourselves, but we might call for help. I've installed a vanity faucet before, and DB thinks we can handle it. Since it's made in Germany, we may need to get an extra metric wrench, however.
Lars
rococogurl
9 years agofirstmmo
9 years agobrightm
9 years agoLars, or anyone else with the same Hansgrohe, can you say whether the pull out head is plastic or metal? I haven't seen one in person, but it looks very, very similar to the KWC we're considering. But DH is so tactile, it'd be hard to buy one sight unseen. (Though I just looked and Home Depot carries them, so it'd be easy enough to order one and return if he doesn't like it.)
PhoneLady
9 years agoTo nhbaskets.........our Moen Woodmere and new sink installed this week. So far LOVE both. Not sure if you have interest or need, but Moen is releasing a Woodmere soap dispenser in July. I have it on order. For now, hand soap bottle covering drilled hole. We had to return the cheapy soap dispenser we had purchased to use til July because it could not accommodate 3cm granite. Next angst decision.......backsplash.
Mags438
9 years agodianepettis
9 years agorococogurl
9 years agoJackie54016
9 years agomelkel31
9 years agosocalsister
9 years agoJackie54016
9 years ago
Amy Sumner