Cabinetry comparison shopping

by Clay Cox

We realize that our customers prefer to get pricing from two or more kitchen companies for their remodels and we can appreciate that. But do they really know who they are hiring and do they pursue the whys of some being much lower in price than others?

Are they shopping the company or are they shopping the price? Have they checked out the history of the company or have they just looked in the window superficially?  Does the company they are pricing in fact even have a history or are they the “new kids on the block?”

Take pricing for example. A lot of cabinetry looks the same but are you aware of the differences in quality? The white painted Shaker door is the perfect example. This style and color is very much in vogue right now and on the top of most peoples “must have” list. You can go to dozens of cabinet companies locally and find that the pricing varies from one store to the other for the same look. The question is why is that? Are the finishes the same? Will they last equally as long? Is the door made of wood? Where is the product made? Does it meet all industry standards for manufacturing?

Like I said earlier we realize that people shop for savings but in reality where is that savings coming from? My experience has taught me that if I look hard enough I can find a product I can sell cheaply. But what does that mean to you the consumer? In reality the large majority of my costs are fixed. The cost of shipping, installation, hardware, office personnel, banking fees to name a few does not change. They are what they are. Therefore your savings could be coming from cheap cabinetry and for the life of me I don’t understand why anyone would accept an inferior product that they will have to live with for many years to come. After all why would you knowingly buy a kitchen with a finish that will start rubbing off or paint that will crack shortly after the project is completed?

Another way businesses get the price down is through lack of customer service. It amounts to lots of promises and very little satisfaction. I fear that this is running
rampant in the cabinetry industry right now. We have respectable builders stopping by our stores seeking our services because they have heard that our quality and services are exceptional. We find that in order for them to fulfill the promises that they have made to their clients they are forsaking the companies they have worked with in the past and coming to us. Why? We have many years of great quality and unsurpassed service standards.

So when it comes down to it are you shopping price or are you shopping the company and its history as it pertains to your specific project? I beg of you to shop the company first. Then start your price comparison. Remember if it looks too good to be true…it is.

Please E-mail Clay with your questions or comments at clay@kitchensbyclay.com. Be sure to sign up for our e-newsletter at www.kitchensbyclay.com!