Hubby added crown moulding to our cabinets and it made a huge difference. They look much more finished.

$180 to ship THREE eight footers?

Something is very fishy with that number.

For that price, can't you just buy 24 feet of wood moulding at Home Depot and have it stained to match? For that matter, for 1/4 of that price??? Yikes!

Carla in Sac

A year from now, which will you miss more, the extra few hundred dollars you didn't expect to spend on the molding, or the molding?

I'm betting the molding.

I think cabinets, in general, look better with molding, depending on the style of course.

Crown moulding does add a lot, but the amounts seem awfully high. Is there another company that makes a matching crown moulding at a more reasonable price? Could you quietly contact the cabinet company on your own to double-check price and shipping? Is there any chance the company is located near enough to you that you could pick it up yourself (if you have a truck)? Best wishes!

I had crown moulding added to my existing cabinets and the ceiling. I couldn't believe I was spending $800 on such a thing! But the results were so beautiful - I don't regret it a bit!

My previous post makes me think...couldn't you get a local carpenter to do the mouldings? Ours was cut and installed on-site.

You're responses are great and very supportive -- thank you. The cabinets are from Richelieu (they are more known for their hardware), which is based in Canada. Can 3 pieces of molding that are 8ft long be $180 to ship from Canada? I mean, really! I thought about having our contractor add moulding up there himself, BUT... the cabinets are off white maple with a rush glaze... I just worry it would be almost impossible to match it. We plan to stay in this apartment 5-6 years. If I thought it was forever, it would be a no-brainer. Still thinking about all your comments. They do help!

Before you commit to ordering molding through your cabinet company, do you have any contacts who can recommend a carpenter to you?

I'm assuming you have a smallish kitchen (with only 3 lengths of molding needed). We do too, we have 4 X 9' lengths (which I hope is going to be enough). Our kitchen company hired someone to make and stain the molding for us, and we were going to install it ourselves (also need lengths of the L shaped piece that attaches to top of cupboard and then molding attaches to that). But by the time we figured in the cost of renting all the equipment needed (pnuematic nailer/mitre saw etc), and then taking a chance on screwing up a cut- we figured hiring someone to install it was the wiser course of action- and we are renoing a whole house DIY!!! For us, a carpenter was going to charge $16 a corner cut- so with 15 corners that comes to $240- I think it seems pretty steep what you are being quoted.

You may have customs and brokerage charges in there too, but $180 shipping seems excessive. Of course the headache of trying to find a local carpenter and then depending on his capabilites/competence... may outweigh the financial savings- but sometimes one needs to step back and question things- I think you really need to here.

hmmm... could you call the cabinet company and fish around for some info?? maybe find out what the cost to ship actually is... maybe get the cabinet lady feeling like she'll be in hot water with Richelieu for not treating you as well as she could (I certainly think she should be absorbing the cost beyond the quote... getting you to sign on and then informing you of the upcharge is not a business practice I would conform to if I cared about my customers!... she probably feels like she has you captive now and can do whatever she wants to you -- this stinks, and if I were you I'd want to get her in a little bit of trouble with the company she is representing -- sorry for the rant). Having said all of that I agree with jeannie kitchen that in a year you'll probably wish you had the factory matched molding in place and to me I don't think it would be that easy to match it given the color and glaze. I hope she will decide to step up to the plate and honor her original quote. let us know what happens.

Definitely get an estimate from a local carpenter and a good painter who can match your paint or stain. My friends had theirs separately done. The painter matched the glazed painted finish perfectly and I believe they had someone at a reasonable rate do the trim cuts. I know my cabinet builder told me that ceiling moulding is quite inexpensive per foot. In my kitchen, I can't imagine not having it. It really adds a beautiful touch.

In my opinion, crown mouldings complete the design. Without all the trim, the project would tend to look unfinished. My husband works for a large local cabinet shop as a finish carpenter and since we are redoing our kitchen, we have found out just how expensive crown is, even to those in the business. We pay cost + 10% and I still fell off my chair at the price.

But....there is another option: you could find some crown you like and have a painter match the stain or color of your cabinets and spray the finish onto the crown for a factory-produced look. The final coat can include the clear and if they use a lacquer-based product you will never have problems with it peeling or chipping. We did this to save some money and our painter was even able to match the glaze on our cabinets perfectly. You can't tell one "recreated" piece from the factory-produced piece! Good luck to you.

Your advice and support are all so helpful. The more I think about it, I either want to do the moulding from Richelieu or scrap it all together. I just know I will worry that the carpenter/contractor won't be able to match the color right and -- if it doesn't work -- I will be disappointed.

But I still don't know which option to choose. I am leaning toward getting the moulding, but my husband is leaning the other way.

I love the idea of calling Richelieu for more info. I've been toying with that idea myself. I STILL think $180 for shipping sounds nuts!

I hate when suppliers add on like this. It's very upsetting. Having said that, I would get the molding and have them install it and have it perfect. I'd tell them for the extra you're paying it better be gorgeous.

Shipping costs have gone up by double -- it's the fuel. I have things shipped from various places around the country and what was $35 6 months ago is now $70. It makes no sense but that's what's happened.

I would not want to look back when the kitchen was installed and complete and either have the cabinets look slightly unfinished without the crown, or not have the crown look good.

My 2 cents

shipping from canada to usa involves a customs brokerage charge, which makes the price go up a lot, I used to have a business in which I shipped paintings, that extra fee used to be 50 to 75$ per shipment ; in your shoes, I would bite the bullet and get the proper molding for your cabinets. Bummer that it's more expensive than you thought, but it's a no brainer vs trying to save $ by substituting and not being guaranteed a perfect match.

I echo everyone else. In general, if you're looking for a higher-end look (i.e., not builder-grade look), then crown molding is pretty much a "must". With few exceptions, cabinets look unfinished without the crown molding. To a lesser extent I think the same applies to light rail.

What's the exception? If you have very sleek, modern, or European cabinets then you probably don't need the crown molding. Indeed, I think the crown molding would look out of place or "wrong" in those instances.

Check out some of Giacomo's posts...he specializes in Italian/European style cabinetry. No, it's not for everyone, but for what they are they are nice.

Thread: Contemporary (Italian style) white litchen cabinet doors!
...http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0703520730358.html

Thread: Frustration with a kitchen 'designer'
...http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0713584216581.html

Thread: [Pictures] Modern Italian kitchen quite big
...http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0716231310223.html

Here's another idea. Use a CONTRAST molding to finish it off - that way you don't need an exact match and can get something local.

I would definitely see if they will move with the price as it seems like alot, but with that said I definitely would get the moulding that will match. Staining no matter how good you are at it will never match exactly. It just gives it a finished beautiful look. I agree with buehl, I tried to get away without the undercabinet lightrail as my lights were only 1" but at certain angles you can see them so didnt want to pay another 325.00 but bit the bullet on Friday and ordered. I spent alot of money on these cabinets and want them to look finished. Good Luck!

If you don't have your cabinets yet, and this molding is coming from the cabinet company, why is it costing $180 to ship? I understand if they are shipping ONLY the molding, but not when its part of a larger order. I would not try to find someone to match it after the fact that rarely works out well, especially with a glazed finish. There is a lot of work in sanding finishing sanding several more times and then finishing crown molding, not to mention the cost of clear wood the widths neede. What your really talkbing about is a few hundred $.

The trouble was not getting in on the original quote. Now they have you by the short hairs and they know it. They are taking advantage of you with the price, but if you want it to match,,,, buy it. You will regret not getting it or getting it cheaper and not being able to match the color. You may see if they sell matching stain and glaze for your kitchen. Then you can buy it locally and have a match.
Kenneth

When you signed off on the cabinet order, was the order placed right away or did it wait until the molding price came in? I bet you are being penalized for placing a separate small order and they may have a minimum shipping charge that you would not have had to pay if the molding had been ordered at the same time. Do not mention it until you get an answer, but if yes, it is more for that reason, you should let them know you expect they will take care of this without penalty to you and speak with a manager if necessary. They should not have placed your order until it was complete if it would cost you more to do wo without discussing it with you. If they didn't, you should not have to abosrb the cost. If you are still within the time when you can cancel the entire order with minimal/no loss, you might nicely inquire if that is possible while you work this out, and then place the order again with everything included. Before you say anyththing else you might want inquire if this is the case. The fact that the labor for the molding was included in the original contract clearly indicates that they were aware that you wanted it. And, yes, I think molding makes a huge difference in the finished look of the kitchen even if it is a very simple molding. The one exception might be a galley type kitchen or a contemporary style. JMHO. Unless DH is exceptional, most men don't place anywhere near as much importance on aesthetics as you would, but chances are when you go to sell, the molding will pay for itself.

Sue

Sue -- to answer your question, I was told that the moulding had to ship separately so it did not matter if I ordered them at the same time. I think that's true because I called Richelieu and they told me the same thing.

Richelieu also told me the shipping price ($180) is the same whether I ordered 3 pieces of moulding or 10 pieces of moulding. I think this is ridiculous, but what am I going to do?

THANK YOU for all of your advice. After much consideration, I'm going to bite the bullet and do it. I think I might be sad later otherwise...