I will start by saying that what my kitchen has turned into from the 1960's / '90's look we had is amazing. Also, three stars in my opinion is average based on the totality of the experience. The new cabinetry, countertops, and lighting are fantastic. Anyone walking into the new kitchen would be amazed at most of what they see.
Pros: Everyone who we came into contact with through A Plus was very friendly and trustworthy. The final quality of the cabinets was outstanding. I felt comfortable leaving the workers, in most cases, alone at my home to do their work in the beginning. The carpenters (Mark specifically) was extremely detailed, helpful, and skilled every time he showed up. The plumbers (Patrick and Co.) were also very skilled, helpful, and willing to help out with little extras and advice.
Cons: Design details and help. My wife and I need help with design which is why we went with A Plus. After the cabinet layout was done we never heard from Alex again with any design help, or at all. We were expecting a bit more help with surface choice, backsplash, lighting, colors, etc. Any information we received was only after we asked. The layout with the function of our appliances was not designed will. I have to move my bar stool to fully open my refrigerator, and I have to have someone move from their seat to open my double oven. The installed island/countertop was not what was in the plans and created the lack of a seating position we wanted.
Supervision of trades was almost nonexistent. Many mistakes had to be corrected after the fact due to miscommunications among trades. Biggest problem other than the island was the stone fabrication. Backsplash was cut wrong and uneven which had to be retooled. But how can you fix two seams when there was supposed to be one in the quartzite? The stone fabricators were not professional, and did not cut correctly on the expensive quartzite. Unable to match anything close for the caulking/latex on the counter/backsplash seam. Eventually used a product I researched and purchased on my own. Apparently having someone come in and try to use something other than white or clear caulk on the grey quartzite was an extra service.
Scheduling and communication between us and the workers was not good. Usually inconsistent scheduling/timeline. We signed our contract in July '20, kitchen just finished in April '21.
Making up for the problems, we have damage to our existing wood floor from appliance moving, debris under the masonite, etc., that cannot be fixed without refinishing. Baseboards, painting/finishing of the kitchen window casing from rough not included. I was provided rough instal of baseboards, paint for the kitchen casing, and "included" work to color match caulk for the stone, in an effort to make up for the messed up island, flooring, stone fabrication and install. I still have to finish the base and paint.
Granted, we did not have an endless budget and were not redoing the flooring. We paid "over" contract price for hardware, and the quartzite we decided on after being told that our granite choice may not go with the new style. We agreed to these overages because we liked what we chose, and upon selecting a stone that was actually available to fabricate, we did not want to delay the project anymore.
Very nice people, the kitchen looks good (once I finish the base/casing), and I love our material choices. I don't feel as though A Plus did the right thing in the end and not providing us a discount for the mess up's that cannot be fixed. I don't like that we never heard from the designer after we signed and he took measurements. I don't like that my kitchen doesn't look done even when they are finished. I am not surprised, after all I have worked with contractors in the past and understand the struggles. I wound not definitively say go with A Plus, it was an average experience in my opinion. However, I have not used any other kitchen remodel company to compare to. For sure have them come out and give you a quote, just be prepared to be really involved in supervising and checking the details at every step. read more