Coval Cabinets
(562) 634-0351

Where in SoCal are you?

I'm in Alhambra, so anywhere around LA, the Valley or Orange County would work. Thanks!

Thanks gailrolfe, I am happy to take the info on the two cabinet guys! I also didn't know about Expressions in Wood, so will definitely check them out as well.

rem1970, the first guy is Will Powers. His number is 213-948-1643. I have seen cabinets he made and designed and they are very very nice. He was recommended to me by three different women for whom he built cabinets. He seems to be very easy to work with but again I have not yet actually worked with him, just received a bid which was very reasonable. The second guy is Dave Penn. Three women have recommended him to me as well and I have seen two kitchens for which he built the cabinets; again, they are very nice. The consensus seems to be that he is particularly good if you want someone to just turn over the planning to and don't have strong opinions about what you want to do. His bid was in the same ballpark as Will's, perhaps slightly higher. His phone number is 626-590-9548.

I think you'll find Expressions in Wood to be very helpful and easy to work with as well but they tend to be a bit higher. However, if you have your own finisher, their cabinets prices are pretty competitive; it seems to me that the place they are highest is in their finishing bid which they sub out. They do have a showroom and are willing to answer lots of questions. Good luck!

gailrolfe, I appreciate this information more than you know. Thank you! Please forgive my ignorance, but what do you mean by having my own finisher and a finishing bid? This is my first kitchen remodel and I am just starting the process. I've learned so much just by browsing these forums, but clearly have so much more to learn!

rem1970, so far all of the custom cabinetmakers I've dealt with here have given me a quote for the installed cabinets that does NOT include the painting/staining. That was a surprise to me as well but apparently the finishing is considered a specialty in itself. Some contractors have painters that are qualified to do the cabinet refinishing (which is different from painting a wall for example) and some do not but so far all of the cabinetmakers have had someone that they recommend and often can get a preliminary quote from that finisher to include as a separate line item in the quote. You can then choose whether to use that finisher or one you find on your own. However, a couple of years ago we had our contractor choose, install and finish the cabinets in our bathroom redo because it had been a long process and we had a little baby and were all exhausted...and it is the only thing in the bathroom we dislike. The finishing job on it is so poor that every time we look at it we cringe (we even had the painters return twice but we didn't know then that cabinet finishing is a specialty unto itself). When they finish our kitchen cabs we may have the same guys redo our bathroom cabs! So, yeah, just one more thing to make a decision about....:-) If you do want to find a finisher on your own, be sure to see some examples of his work to be sure that he really is qualified as a cabinet finisher.

You'll find that there has been an entrepreneurial interpretation of the term "custom" when referring to cabinet shops, due in part to the remodeling boom.
There are those who will order unfinished/pre-finished product, assembled it at their shop and delivered to your residence for installation.
Some will provide Bag-n-Box product, offered as custom because of "special sizes" ordered.
The professionals build the product in a local cabinet shop they own, to your design specifications.
Its not uncommon for the professionals to have available, referrals to other trades, such as demo, plumb., elec., wall patching painting/staining, appliance installation and hook-ups.
Some will also coordinate the project to effect as seamless
a completion as possible.

Of the several enterprises for whom I install custom appliance panels for, Coval has the strongest customer service and have, on several occasions, been featured
in Architectural Digest.

Before you call any cabinet shop, have a good idea of your appliances, including dimensioned brochures.

Enjoy the ride.

http://www.decore.com/products.asp#
http://www.dreeswoodproducts.com/

snoonyb and gailrolfe,thank you so much for all the valuable information. I would never have known about all the other things to consider with custom cabinet makers if not for you two. I started investigating custom cabinet makers because it was suggested I could get great quality cabinets with all the options I care about, for about the same price or less than semi-custom.

The other thing is that I'm considering knocking down a wall that separates my tiny kitchen from my laundry room, to open up the space. If I end up doing that I would want to hide my washer & dryer behind a wall cabinet that matches those in my kitchen. Does anyone have any thoughts about that? I imagine that there would have to be a certain amount of clearance for the appliances as well as proper venting.

Any time, and the price is right.
Comparable quality is subjective and the variables are the material/s and staining/finish.

Enclosing the laundry facilities is common and can be accomplished in several ways.
Full depth cab. above bi-fold doors and storage cab./shelves above the appliances and a folding counter above the dryer.
No cab. or doors or above the app. storage, a folding counter above the dryer and over an 18" storage base cab. beside.
Or any of the above.

I take it that your washer is presently adjoining a "slop-sink", which can be removed and the plumbing amended to fit your new design, in conjunction with the wall removal, demo and any elec. changes.

Actually there is no slop sink there anymore. My dryer is gas, so it doesn't sit back quite flush against the wall because of the gas venting behind it. I imagine that could be sorted out when figuring out a cabinet to surround it.

Most dryers have a side "punch-out" which allows for venting out an adjacent exterior wall.
Another alternative, depending upon the direction of the floor joists, unless you are on the slab, is in the wall and through the floor.

gailrolfe - Not sure if you are still on Gardenweb...but wondering if you did in fact go with Expression in Wood?