Bathroom sticker shock.
Kendrah
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (31)
HU-178658043
2 years agoAnna (6B/7A in MD)
2 years agoRelated Discussions
Sticker shock
Comments (16)Lights are incredibly variable. Go to Lowe's and see how low you can go. Obviously, you can buy a $20 vanity light but very few people here would do that. Same with a $10 surface mount light. Be wary of builder's price. We did that and I am not suggesting the builder got a cut but he did use a local lighting store. The vanity's we got were $140. Flash forward 2 years, the vanity is now available on the internet and we used it in a different build - $60. Local lighting stores provide good service to builders but they can't compete with online. Oh yeah - retail price of vanity - $280. Our local lighting store does not have $10 surface mounts like Lowe's does. Ceiling fans example - lowest builder price at lighting store - $120. Builder basic at Lowes - $35. I have both and the builder basic actually works fine. So we just did a build at about $1700 for lights - 6 ceiling fans with lights, 4 bath vanities, 10 outdoor fixtures, 8 surface mounts and 1 chandelier (Pottery Barn). That did not include the 10 cans or so in 2100 sqft 5/4. Lowe's and internet can go a long way. Also know that lighting allowance around here covers smoke detectors, any flood lights, florescent fixtures, door bell....See MoreSticker Shock, or Why I Decided to DIY
Comments (10)Thanks for the tips, especially the one about seeking psychiatric help. @flyleft: I guess I wasn't very clear...my fault! My architect has been paid very well. He probably sleeps on a mattress filled with money. Very well. The GC didn't do anything more than take much too long to provide a cost plus bid for me. Also, I forgot to mention the 300 SF includes a 1/2 bath, but yeah -- you're right. The entire house is about 3400 SF GLA, so not a mega-mansion by any means, but I've been in several thousands of houses over the course of my career (appraisal) and I suppose I'm jaded about bath size! @sherry -- your bath is beautiful! You must be thrilled! And the cat is adorable. I'll check out that site in a bit. Thanks so much! @Bill -- will do -- thanks so much!...See MoreCabnet Sticker Shock
Comments (31)It's important to understand what you are getting for your money so that you can adequately compare your choices. That means not only an "apples to apples" comparison based on the same cabinets and trim, but also understanding quality differences. Builder grade cabinets are generally not customizable at all compared to mid grade semi custom cabinetry which has some customization available. The biggest difference between builder grade cabinets and mid grade cabinets is the material. The construction material and hardware is lower grade for builder grade. But many lower grade cabinets available will still pass KCMA construction guidelines, and you would not be purchasing significantly more durability by purchasing more expensive cabinet boxes. Once you reach a certain level of construction in boxes, anything above that is overkill with little return. The doors are a different matter. What separates mid grade cabinets from upper grade cabinets is the finishing of the doors. The boxes and the hardware are pretty comparable. What you are buying is the extra time required to do a more premium job in selecting and finishing the wood for the doors. We all know that labor is the most expensive component of any product or service. In higher quality cabinets, the wood matches better, it's sanded smoother, and the staining or painting is of better quality. Since the doors and drawers are what show on cabinetry, the difference in finishing can impart significant differences in appearance and wear over time. The difference between upper grade cabinets and premium grade cabinets is back to the materials chosen and the ability to completely customize them to any degree. Exotic woods, solid polished stainless, or specialty box materials like no VOC plywood can be part of the mix. You're also talking custom labor installation from people who do nothing else and are part of the package. Christopher Peacock customers aren't DIYers. ;) The term "custom" gets bandied about a lot, but it doesn't have a fixed unalterable meaning because some wood workers (NOT woodworkers) have usurped the term to make themselves sound more skilled than they are. The term is stretched almost to the breaking between a builder's carpenter who makes a couple of big long boxes on the wall to fit doors that he pre-ordered from a wholesaler to a true craftsman who will make any wood you want in any door configuration and in any size. Custom is NO guarantee of quality---EVER. Some of the worst slapdash quality cabinets you will ever see will come with that label, as well as some of the finest furniture quality casework. Be sure to do enough research to know what you are getting for your money. Sometimes the products considered are not worth the money difference, but much of the time it is. But, even if it's intrinsically worth the money doesn't mean that it's not overkill for your situation and thus not "worth" the money to you. There is sometimes a world of difference between what we want and what we really need. It's not "settling" to spend 20K on full overlay semi custom cabinets rather than inset fully custom 100K cabinets if that is where your budget number needs to be. It's probably where your house needs to be as well....See MoreCabinet sticker sticker shock
Comments (31)Old River Cabinets is a custom company like Geppetto is with pricing about the same. Old river does not have a book and is a pain to price on the fly because you have to know every little upcharge that is based in their computer system they only have. Geppetto on the other hand has a book with cabinets every 3" with countless modifcation charges that I can apply to any cabinet to make it what ever size I want as I stated in the original post of modifying depth width or height in any combination. If they do not have a cabinet I can start with I have to fax in what I want and wait for a quote back. 3" increments just gives you an easier way to arrive at an exact cost. I can stack them verticaly, I can join them horizontaly up to 8' long for a custom look when they are installed. I can change the doors add a drawer anything you can think of. I can custom color match the fireplace which we are doing. I can custom color match the door sample which has the perfect color wood she wants which she has looked for 2 years to find. She is very picky when it comes to color. Geppetto will make anything I can dream. They are custom just in a manner that is easier to price as a designer who is not a employee of theirs. My overhead excluding gas is $3,000 a month. This business is about competing with the prices of the next guy. Lowes and Home Depot who's cabinet companies they represent sell approx half of all the cabinets in the US are the largest competition. 50% markups on semi custom products are about what you have to do to compete on price but then you can not compete on being as established as as they are when you are self employed per say. A typical set of semi custom cabinets cost the dealer 4-6k so a mark up would be 2-3k per transaction. Now since most people want to go with the established to big to fail company they will only buy with you if you give them a deal they can not turn down. So you drop your margin to do it if it is possible. Or you have contractors that want to work with you where the end price to customer is close in price to Lowes and Home Depot but they want money the owner is not aware of which makes you cut your margin in half and share it with the contractor. So either way you slice it I sell cabinets for the average kitchen that are all plywood dove tail full overlay soft close full extension for 6k most of the time and make $1,200 if you are lucky! So a custom kitchen which takes about twice as much time to figure out as there are many more ways you can layout the kitchen so you do multiple layouts before you find the perfect one for the customer has 400% more profit in it then the semi custom prices of the big box stores. And according to multiple posts on here the competition in supposed "custom" is 50k and up! Where I would be a total price of half that! I was not trying to make this about me I was more agreeing with the title of the thread of sticker shock shock. I have other people who buy fix and sell condo's and town houses here in the dc area where the cabinets cost me 900 - 1200 and I mark it up the same 50% to stay competitive. That translates to 450 profit. But wait.... that customer comes from a granite company that wants money for referring the business. So when you give them a 15% discount the profit on those kitchens goes to less then 200 including in home delivery costs. The industry forces you to work on percent markups. You spend as much time on a small job like that as you do on a semi custom kitchen which pays 1,200 or a custom one which takes a little longer that I doubled the price like other companies do I would make 25-50k on one kitchen? And people want to say that is the way you stay in business because you have overhead? Sticker Shock Shock. I agree. I must be to practical. I just wanted to give some context to the prices and point out that the orignial poster was correct to be shocked in my opinion and state some facts as to why it is true. Antss is right that it does take money to sustain a showroom. But you do not have to rip off your customer to do it by doubling the price of custom cabinets. How much money do you need to make on one job to stay in business when you are talking about profits upwards of 35k per transaction?...See MoreDragonfly Tile & Stone Works, Inc.
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoKendrah
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoSkippack Tile & Stone
2 years agoUser
2 years agoAnna (6B/7A in MD)
2 years agola_la Girl
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoPatricia Colwell Consulting
2 years agokandrewspa
2 years agoLynzy
2 years agoKendrah
2 years agoKendrah
2 years agoJoseph Corlett, LLC
2 years agoKendrah
2 years agoDebbi Washburn
2 years agoDragonfly Tile & Stone Works, Inc.
2 years agoKendrah
2 years agoDebbi Washburn
2 years agoDebbi Washburn
2 years agoDragonfly Tile & Stone Works, Inc.
2 years agoHelen
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agopricklypearcactus
2 years agoHelen
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoJoseph Corlett, LLC
2 years agoRachel
2 years ago
Related Stories
LATEST NEWS FOR PROFESSIONALSDesigning a Business: How Do I Deal With Client Sticker Shock?
Design business coach Chelsea Coryell offers tips for helping clients understand the actual costs of their projects
Full StoryREMODELING GUIDESBathroom Workbook: How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost?
Learn what features to expect for $3,000 to $100,000-plus, to help you plan your bathroom remodel
Full StoryHOME TECHThe Bathroom of the Future: 4 Places for Tech in the Bathroom
Digital shower controls, smart mirrors, high-tech toilets and innovative faucets can add efficiency and convenience
Full StoryINSIDE HOUZZInside Houzz: Rich Wood Transforms a Dallas Bathroom
All white was all wrong for this Texas couple. See how they remodeled their bath with high-end materials in warm tones
Full StoryBATHROOM MAKEOVERSReader Bathroom: $39,000 Brings New Jersey Bath Into the 21st Century
Removing an awkward closet in a 100-year-old bathroom makes way for a beautiful shower that pays tribute to the home’s history
Full StoryCOLOR8 Pink and Purple Rooms Sans Sugar Shock
Little-girl dreams find grown-up expression in rooms that work pink and purple into chic and sophisticated palettes
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGN12 Things to Consider for Your Bathroom Remodel
Maybe a tub doesn’t float your boat, but having no threshold is a no-brainer. These points to ponder will help you plan
Full StoryBATHROOM WORKBOOK5 Ways With a 5-by-8-Foot Bathroom
Look to these bathroom makeovers to learn about budgets, special features, splurges, bargains and more
Full StoryPRODUCT PICKSGuest Picks: Extravagant Sinks for Luxurious Bathrooms
Make a statement with a sink that celebrates artistry and individuality — just be prepared for the price tag
Full StoryPRODUCT PICKSGuest Picks: Beautify a Bathroom on a Budget
Give your bath a coastal-inspired upgrade while keeping costs in check, with affordable furniture, fixtures and accessories
Full Story
Helen