In the end, is the custom made kitchen cabinet or modular type like Signature Kitchen and Ikea has better quality?

Is white color the best option for solid surface? I want to get grey color solid surface but don't know whether it's hard to maintain. Scratches easily visible?

Huh? I thought dark color solid surface will have more obvious scratches?
I like grey color.. just worried the lines will be very visible.

Means grey is still ok then...

One more thing, is it better to have oven install below the hobs or at a tall cabinet? If under the hobs, can we use both the hobs and oven at the same time?

This post has been edited by lowlowc: Oct 6 2011, 09:48 AM

Oh yah.. you reminded me of point 2... I have two very active nieces and they like to come to my house.

I'm the type who like to keep hide things in drawers, cabinet etc so my place looks tidy eventhough inside it's like tornado

So I guess, under hobs or in tall cabinet, there won't be any functioning issue?

May I know what's the usual height of non modular base cabinet?Went to a cooking class recently and the chef mention it's best to have the cabinet higher so we can cook and cut without bending over. In long term it's going to hurt our back if we keep bending. I measured his cabinet and it's around 90cm.

Thanks for the info, do u think I can ask my kc installer to rise the height to 900mm?

Thanks, glad to know that.

Where do we usually place the switch for oven in tall cabinet? I was surprised when my contractor said wanna put the switch behind the oven and tall cabinet because all the while I thought the switch will be at somewhere we can turn it on and off when we like for safety measure. Which one is correct?

Thanks. I'll ask the contractor to do that.

Kitchen cabinet and the backsplash mosaic, which comes first?

Thanks. I think my contractor forgot wanna do mosaic backsplash that's y he say wanna install kitchen cabinet already.

I loved Ikea designs too until a lot of cabinet makers and contractors assured me that their quality is not good. My contractor cum cabinet maker did my kitchen cabinet and it ended up as nightmare. It looks nice but bad quality and I highly doubt he'll let me claim any warranty later even though he says he'll come and repair for free within a year. My kitchen cost me 11.5K while Ikea quote is about 14K, both with solid surface but Ikea comes with the accessories and warranty. Also the Ikea price already include sink and tap. If I ever get a new house or renovate the kitchen, I will seriously consider getting Ikea. Of course let's not forget some kitchen cabinet maker that comes highly recommended here too.

You may go to their website, use their kitchen planner to draw out your plan, choose material and get the price. Then take the plan to Ikea and let them add in other charges for you. If I remember correctly the installation price is RM80 per foot run and RM160 if it's tall cabinet, usually adds up to a few hundred ringgit. Other installation charge : Sink and tap RM160, Oven RM80, Hobs and Hood RM160, Delivery RM60. Play around with the kitchen planner and you will then know how to cut the cost to get better price. Take note that Ikea won't do box up.

Now, I have one question:

My 'clever' kitchen cabinet maker did not leave a space at the side, under the gas hob. Can I put the gas tank direct below the hob? Cause last time when I got quote from other KC makers, they all said it's dangerous.

This post has been edited by lowlowc: Jan 2 2012, 06:35 PM

Can I opt for smaller tank instead?

So far all the KC maker suggested I put beneath the beside of the hob.

Lol... that will ruin all the money I spent for the kitchen..

How do I test whether it transfer heat down there? Just open the cabinet to see it's hot or not after cooking?

Hehe... glad to know some people are safely having gas tank below their hobs too. Ok, say if you still see me posting in this forum 1 month later... means no kaboom loh..

Yah... I wanna know any recommendation on this too.

I find 3 contractors to quote my renovation, all think my work too small, wont do my renovation unless let them do my kitchen. So ended up let my contractor do loh. What are the ikea stuff u'll install? Cos other than kitchen cabinet, I tot all other else are diy type? I'll upload the pic at home later, very hard to do frm handphone, but my kitchen very small only with bad quality. Luckily at least he got my color scheme right.

Let's see.. without the kitchen cabinet I only wanna add 6 panel windows to my backyard, mirror mosaics at my cooking area, add 4 power points, add 1 light points, install conceal piping for 3 aircons, install fans & lights, paintings, walk in wardrobe, total less than 15K. Somemore year end already, they might better off handle big renovations for those rushing for CNY.

Adele, here's it. Sorry, photo a bit blur.
The cheapest quote I get is 9K for my kitchen but U shape, not with island. But that one need to pay deposit first before measurement so gave it a pass. Kian Classic quoted me 12K+. Another quote me 11K plus.



Oh one more thing, my solid top (included in the price) is installed by Kitch Top. Bad service. First time they came, measurement is wrong. Luckily I was there on that day (my contractor no where to be seen) to monitor and insisted they take it back to amend. They try to BS me said it's normal to have a gap between the mosaics and the solid surface (1.5 inch gap) but I said NO! Second time, they came with someone like their boss, when I asked him something, he didn't want to answer me! Later I noticed the solid surface, although fit in nicely, when pressed our body weight on it, it will slant. My hubby checked it and notice the solid surface thickness is slightly uneven. Asked them to rectify, they said will settle. I was busy with the curtain people and my hubby busy with the hood & hob guys. Suddenly, we realised the solid surface people already slipped and drove away quietly!!!

This post has been edited by lowlowc: Jan 4 2012, 09:36 PM

Adele, I like how it looks, just hate the quality. My chipboard very fragile that I think i'll have to find somewhere else to put my heavy pots. Hmm maybe order a pull out larder cabinet from ikea and put inside storeroom.. We copy this design from a set we saw at ab kitchen.

As for kitch top, they didn't come back anymore. I'll just be careful, not to put much weight on it and also hope the silicone adhesive stays.

This post has been edited by lowlowc: Jan 6 2012, 09:56 AM

Say no and ask them for replacement on the spot. If not, later they ask u to uninstall and take back to exchange urself.

Also take pic of the scratches.

This post has been edited by lowlowc: Jan 6 2012, 03:11 PM