We were looking into factory kitchen cabinets but discovered that using standard sizes for our 70…read moreyear old kitchen would require us to have our back door moved a few inches. The cost of moving the door was about as much as the price difference between factory and custom; and going custom really opened up a whole new level of options for materials, finishes and maximizing our space.
We then considered one of those smaller custom cabinet factories in Oregon, but we wanted a local cabinetmaker who could see our project, make his own measurements, adjust the plans as things changed (and they did!), offer suggestions, and keep us from making any costly mistakes. It's also good to have a local cabinetmaker who can look at your finished walls before installation, with a fresh set of eyes, and validate that the walls are square and plumb, and all of the electrical, plumbing and ductwork are exactly where they should be.
Vinny was one of only two cabinetmakers we'd visited, and I was sold; his shop was very clean and organized, his joinery was the tightest and cleanest that I've ever seen, his attention to detail is obvious with the spacing of every screw and nail, each project was neatly organized and sequestered from every other project, and his work combines decades of experience with the most modern and reliable hardware- like a servo operated trash and recycling drawer.
Vinny was thorough and responsive with emails and estimates, his work was completed ahead of time and waiting for our other contractors to catch up. Vinny has probably built hundreds of kitchens over the years and has great instincts on what sort of kitchen would compliment the rest of your architecture and what's trendy vs what will give lasting value; he made great suggestions along the way which my wife sees with the clarity of hindsight as spot on.
We also chose to have Vinny install our kitchen; the cabinets arrived wrapped in blankets and numbered, he is the most organized tradesman that I've ever worked with in 30 years- he arrived with everything he needed from the large tools right down to totes with all of the tiny hardware and even the smallest compressor I've ever seen for driving his tiny little finishing nails. Vinny prefers to do all of his most detailed work all by himself, methodically and with an unbroken train of thought, and I think this allows him to achieve a remarkable consistency that would be impossible if he delegated to a shop full of helpers. We've had the new kitchen for about 6 months now, and I'm still impressed with Vinny's work. The cherry cabinets have a clear finish that has a consistent luster, the grain is well matched from drawer to drawer, there's an iridescence/ chatoyance that shines through the grain as the sun makes its way across the kitchen; and beyond the aesthetics, I was impressed with the assembly of the cabinet boxes which were strong, rigid, and lined up perfectly. I've measured all cabinet doors and drawer fronts and all I could find is one door that may be a fraction of a millimeter wider than the other one. I'm also impressed that we have the drawers and pantry very heavily loaded but everything closes smoothly and gently.
It's also worth mentioning, by contrast, that we did get a bathroom vanity from a small factory in Oregon- we couldn't go wrong in ordering a 48" vanity. We did save $500, but we had to assemble it ourselves, it required driving self tapping hardware into veneered flakeboard, all of the drawers and doors needed adjustment and tweaking, the drawer closing hardware seems a bit clunky, the wood grain isn't as well matched, and the finish just doesn't have the same luster, so we are of course all the happier that we went with Vinny for the kitchen!
