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hollylh_gw

'Building' a hutch and an island...help

hollylh
16 years ago

So I am suffering from major sticker shock over here--not from kitchen prices so much as general building prices. Have a rough bid from our GC that is NUTS--but that's another thread. Anyway, we are not replacing all our cabinetry, but are replacing the island and adding a hutch-type unit. I plan on getting some quotes from our GC's cab maker (who sounds like he will be not a bargain), Omega semi-custom (because that's what we have now), Medallion, and maybe Country Cupboards in Uxbridge, MA, which has been mentioned on this forum. And maybe others if anyone has strong recommendations, but I don't have time to collect lots and lots of prices...

I have never done this before and I don't know what companies will be like about small orders like this one.

I assume that if I can "assemble" my island and hutch from stock pieces that will be better. First the island...I think I need a 30" drawer base and a 15" mixer cab; on the other side I am going to have plain bookshelves, and open shelves with one drawer above at one end. (I also really, really would like toekick drawers, but...) So, I am wondering, what might work out the best and/or be the best deal: getting the whole things from one of the above sources? getting Ikea bases and having the custom guy build shelves around them? Getting other non-Ikea stock bases and getting the custom guy to build around? Complicating the matter is that I'd like the island to be cherry to match my existing base cabs, but I don't know if we can get it to match well enough, and I guess it would mean that the Ikea idea is out. ALthough I could get just the cherry drawer fronts. If it seemed like it would end up being better to paint the island we could do that instead.

For the hutch I think I need a 36" drawer base, a 24" cab base, two 12" stacked cabs on top (as they have been called here lately) and some kind of shelving in the middle to connect the two stacked cabs (one on either side). Again I am wondering if I could do Ikea bases and nicer drawer fronts and top cabs (this unit will be painted), or if it will just make some poor carpenter's head explode and/or make them think I'm cheap and difficult and/or ending up looking yucky.

So I could really use some guidance here!

My architect is really great but I had a conversation with her today where I felt like every idea I came up with to save money was met with, "Well,that will save you a few dollars, but it might not make a big difference" or "well, if you don't do x, then you will have to do y." And I'm like, well, we have to do something, so is y cheaper? aargh...I know she was just little tired today (she is doing this as a favor to me, on top of her regular job) but I feel like if I say, well, we're going to use Ikea cabs and then some pieces from Medallion and then maybe this leaded glass door I got from a salvage place (another matter entirely, LOL) she will just look at me like I have three heads. Three cheapskate heads.

Sorry to go on and on...looking forward to GW wisdom as always...

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