Has anyone had their kitchen redone by Home Depot? Or Ikea?

We are going to redo our kitchen. We went to Home Depot 3 weeks ago and picked out cabinets and a countertop. We had them come out and measure our kitchen and were ready to move forward with them. Well, at our first meeting with the designer she had designed our kitchen backwards. She had a graph of our kitchen and pictures and she had everything backwards. She changed things around while we were there, but while doing so wanted us to pay for the kitchen that we had not seen yet. We told her that we would be ready to pay when the design met our expectations. She was suppose to call us that Sunday with an estimate for the counter,cabinets, molding and kickplates she didn't. She was suppose to have faxed us on Monday a rough draft of the kitchen she didn't. We called her 3 times and she did not return our call until Friday. When I did speak to her she asked again about payment. I told her that she was not going to see a penny until we saw the design and had a rough estimate. She did not have either for me. Then she wants me to come to Home Depot to finish picking out the rest if the kitchen right then. I was going to work. I asked if there was another time and she tells me that she is going on vacation for 3 weeks. I am so frustrated. Has this been anyone else's experience with Home Depot? I just don't feel confident in her. I honestly am afraid (after watching her struggle with the computer) that our design is going to fit in our space.


I am thinking about going to Ikea and see what they have to offer. I read in Consumer Repots that their cabinets are rated really well. Anyone know anything about them? TIA

Re: Has anyone had their kitchen redone by Home Depot? Or Ikea?

I don't know anything about Ikea's cabinets or services, but I would strongly caution you from using Home Depot for your kitchen (or anything for that matter). Of everyone I know, virtually no one has had a pleasant experience dealing with Home Depot for special orders (and I'm renovating my third house - so I've had lots of experience).

I'd strongly recommend that you check out Consumer's Kitchens and Baths. We used them last year for our kitchen and they were great (and we priced them against Home Depot, and actually saved money going with a place that specializes in kitchens).

For what it's worth, my dad works at Home Depot and he swears that he'd NEVER order a special order from there .

Good luck!

Re: Has anyone had their kitchen redone by Home Depot? Or Ikea?

We are using Consumers Kitchen for our kitchen. They guy we worked with was great & very patient with our many questions.

DH and I cant stand home depot & have messed up every special order we have placed so I would not recommend them.

Re: Has anyone had their kitchen redone by Home Depot? Or Ikea?

Home Depot is so hot and cold it's ridiculous.
We have had great experiences with them, and some horrific ones (we pretty much built a new house) Our kitchen designer was terrific, but when the kitchen came in they LOST IT! They lost it IN the store! They put it up on a shelf, and forgot where they put the shipment. It took them 3 weeks to find our kitchen. It was insane. But our kitchen did come out gorgeous.

With that said, if you have had a bad experience with the one person, I'd go to another store and work with another person.

BUT
It sounds like you heard great things about IKEA, so I would definitley go and still check them out. You might find their prices to be better!!

Re: Has anyone had their kitchen redone by Home Depot? Or Ikea?

Where is Consumer's? I would love to check them out. Do you know if they do work in the city?

Re: Has anyone had their kitchen redone by Home Depot? Or Ikea?

I had a great experience with Home Depot. Our kitchen desinger was nothing like the lady you described. Too bad you are not out here by me!
The pictures of my kitchen (so far) are in my long home post towards the last page.

Re: Has anyone had their kitchen redone by Home Depot? Or Ikea?

We had a very poor experience just trying to get a design session!!! We had appointments and every time we got there, they were with someone else & busy!!

Incredibly annoying!!!



ETA: We used Comsumer's ... and were very happy.

Message edited 4/18/2005 4:50:10 PM.

Re: Has anyone had their kitchen redone by Home Depot? Or Ikea?

guess everybody has different experiences...

We're redesigning out kitchen now, and I HATED Consumers. The "designer" was awful - such a salesman and didn't care anything about what we wanted. He also flat out lied to us a couple times.

We went to Home Depot and its been a dream. I love the person we're dealing with and I'm meeting with her for the thrid and final time tomorrow to order everything. So far, we've had 2 design sessions and she's spent about 4 hours with us working on the design and has really taken the time to make sure we get what we want and don't pay for things we don't want or need.

I think its more about the PERSON you're dealing with rather than the PLACE.

Good luck

Re: Has anyone had their kitchen redone by Home Depot? Or Ikea?

Home Depot never even returned our request for a consultation.

I don't like their cabinets anyway because I want frameless, which are European style and less clunky. Ikea has great designs and the prices are fabulous. Go on their web site, chose kitchens, and you can download the program yourself where you enter the measurments and chose the cabinets. It's fun!!

We went to Consumers and I didn't like their stuff either, no frameless.

Well now I just want a new house altogether so it doesn't look like we will be doing the kitchen after all!!

Good luck, but I would go with Ikea.

Re: Has anyone had their kitchen redone by Home Depot? Or Ikea?

We bought our cabinets and countertops from Ikea, but had a contractor put them in. The cabinets are Thomasville and are gorgeous!