Can you order the cabinets from someone else and deliver them to your builder to put in - and let them know that you know you won't get a credit for the cabinets they normally provide? (probably not, but it can't hurt to ask)

Oh - regarding counters. Why not put in inexpensive laminate or butcher block for now? Or, won't they let you do that either?

This doesn't seem like a "semi-custom" home, it sounds like a cookie-cutter builder home (like Ryan or Ryland or similar builders).

the kitchen could be sold on Craigs list I would think. Plenty of people looking for deals.

No buehl, I don't believe they will allow me to supply the cabinets, but I will address that question. Granite level 1 is their standard, otherwise I would pick laminate. It is a builder similar to Ryan, but not on such a grand measure. The builder does offer custom builds on your own lot, so they are able to , but choose not to for their profit.

We already know we are carpeting with the standard, and ripping it all out and replace with hardwood flooring from a local flooring store. The builder has limited selections that he will do, at $16.00 a sq. ft. - I can get from a flooring company for $7.80 installed. I can get quality hardwood for $10-$12!

My plan is to upgrade the granite/quartz to what I want, get the upgraded sink, double oven and cooktop... the kitchen footprint will be exactly the same, so I want to reuse the granite. I'm moving here because of the community, and friends, and it's time we downsize...The home is built decent because of codes, but the finishes are much to be desired.

You could put the cabs in the garage for storage.

I would have such a hard time with all of this from an environmental perspective. I don't know what I would do n

I would consider refacing. Get a layout and diensions and see what it would cost from Conestoga or someone else who does that. The idea of putting in cabs and granite then ripping it out sounds horrible. I'm not sure what you could do with the old face frame.. But at least you wouldn't be risking cracking your granite!!

We are thinking of doing the same thing. The cost to upgrade things is out of sight and unreasonable. The cabinets in our potential new home are not up to my standards and there is so much wasted space. There are two corners in the kitchen and they just blocked them off instead of using a lazy susan or a blind corner cabinets. They did this both in the uppers and lowers. We also would just have the laminate counters and vinyl flooring that is standard. The floorplan we like is 220 and with the upgrades we would like, which are nothing fancy, It is 257. I like the floor plan but not the finishes, and because of that, we are also considering a "used" home.

I agree with crl. This would be a very tough decision. I thought the point of building your own home is to design it how YOU like? I had no idea until I joined these forums how awful home building could be. Makes me appreciate my "used" home all the more.

A friend of mine did something similar: She bought a condo, and they only offered carpet as the floor covering. She went round and round trying to figure out how to get hardwood floors installed -- in the end, it just wasn't going to happen. So she asked them to install the carpet but not stretch it thoroughly as they normally would've done -- and literally before she moved in, she had it removed and had hardwood installed. She donated it to Habitat for Humanity and got a good tax write-off, but it was a horrible waste.

In her case, it was the bank who was forcing her into this position. She was borrowing for the condo, and it had to be COMPLETE at closing. And she couldn't install anything different until it was officially her property. Again, a horrible waste.

Back to your cabinets. I don't think I could trash brand new cabinets. Just couldn't do it. If you really can't get around it, I'd live with it a while -- the white-white vs. creamy-white colors might not be as stark as you suspect once everything else is "in". And even cheap cabinets'll be nice for a while.

This house will be nearly $600,000 + with the upgrades.. it would seem like we would be able to do what we wanted, but that's not how they roll.

Problem is.. if I get the standard cabinets, they are cheap, particle board boxes, if I get the upgrade, I will spend at the minimum of $9000 in order to get plywood box construction - and end up with cabinets I don't like and a basic, basic kitchen.. no oven hood, no panels on the island - nada!

4 years ago we restored our current house, and had beautiful, inset cabinets, custom hood, panels refrigerator and dishwasher made locally with an Amish company - all for about $10,000!! I'm sure that this kitchen, less cabinets and not doing anything really fancy will be less than the $22,000 (+) upgrades!

I have no problem donating the carpets or cabinets to any person or organization in need. It's cash - so I don't even have to worry about a lender.... My biggest worry is the granite.

Do you have to actually let them install? It would be easier to just donate/sell cabinets, granite, and carpet before they actually put them in and you have the expense of ripping it all out.

If you're financing this project, it probably has a lot to do with the bank requiring this stuff be installed. And the builder wants to get paid by the bank ASAP.

You might check with the "building a home" forum. I've read about people frustrated with this same situation over there.

Also, I wouldn't assume that custom in your new house is going to be $22,000. From what I've gathered in the forums, the cost of products and services has skyrocketed since 2011 as the economy has recovered.

ETA: I just caught the comment that you're paying cash. If you really really don't want these materials, I'd make them stack this stuff in the garage. I don't see how they can refuse to NOT install something. Perhaps because they want the permits closed?

Before you can settle, you have to have an occupancy permit - and you have to have a functioning kitchen to get the permit.

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"...She donated it to Habitat for Humanity and got a good tax write-off, but it was a horrible waste..."

If it's donated to H4H, it's not a waste - someone is using them! They're not ending up in the dump. It is a waste of your money, but you do get some back via deductions on your taxes. But, if this is your forever home and you can afford it - I would do it!

If you're careful, you might also be able to salvage the countertop and maybe H4H would take that as well - a full kitchen (minus appliances)!

What about putting bare minimum in - can you reconfigure the kitchen? Put in a sink cabinet, two cabs around stove, etc? Then you won't feel quiet as bad? Or is floor plan non negotiable?

Find a builder that will actually build what you want.

You're paying. You write up an offer with the terms you want and submit it. Subtract the items you aren't going to use from the price and make the offer. Cash is a strong bargaining chip. Talk is one thing. The possibility of losing your sale is another chip in your favor. Submit a written offer and let them consider their options.

I'm amazed that your DH is OK with this. I'd just use the cabinets. They are NEW! Nobody else s junk has ever been in them. I have to agree with Taylor's Cabinets. Find a builder that will build what you want. Walk away.

I'd live with the kitchen for a little bit to make sure the layout works for you before buying new cabinets. After the excitement of having our new build we realized the kitchen layout didn't work for us at all. Now we have a solid idea of the space and we are ripping it all out...five years later. I don't feel guilty at all about it.

Is this in a development? Will you be over-improving? (Maybe you don't care!)

I doubt an occupancy certificate depends on having cabinets. The building inspector needs to see that all the building codes have been followed and that you have heat, light, plumbing. I remember putting blank plates over some electrical boxes where we hadn't chosen fixtures yet. Our only sink already installed was the laundry sink.

Taylor's Cabinets & Interiors, all we ever had for the last 15 years is custom build homes, this is different.. it's a community of 1900 with ONE builder (one very rich builder). Our kids just build a nice home (not custom, but it's a nice $590m home- their 2nd home). We own a nice 5 acre lot we were going to build on but we WANT to live by them and in this community - so we are stuck with this builder, who by the way, has an A+ BBB rating, and people seem happy. I just returned from Home Depot to look at them again.. they are just not what I want. :(

Suzi... lol, he is fighting me a little.

Dan1888 - honestly, the builder is building about 40 homes in 4-5 counties. He has lots of people walk away because he doesn't open lots - but one at a time, once a month!

benjesbride, I'll be going to kitchen places in the next week or so to get prices. This is a small kitchen, 4 - 30" base cabinets, 1 - 36" cooktop base and the simple island with sink & dishwasher.

chisue, I remember you from 2011! My user name changed but here's my kitchen going in from back then! http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2697368/sneek-peek-cabinets-being-installed?n=33

Happy you recognized that there are two of you. He will fight. I recently asked my DH "are you a contrarian?" He thought, and decided yep, he is. But men look at the bottom line. Personally, I could live with brand new builder grade cabinets.

If you can't then you should back out and buy a lot and go completely custom.

Will you have a laundry area? Maybe measure that out and get the kitchen cabs to magically fit in that area. No bells/whistles. We are replacing builder grade cabs and plan to redo the laundry with some of them. The island is going to young friends just starting out. The rest to H4H. No waste as in filling a landfill. Just an expense we are okay making.

Seems to me to get a CO, you don't need to have cabinets on the walls. Seems odd. Just have them delivered and left for future use. Same with carpeting. Just leave it in rolls on the subfloor.

Suzi -- LOL -- FYI -- I am female, make 3x what DH makes, and we share financial decisions equally. Females are capable of making sound decisions.

I wouldn't do it. As a retired builder, kitchens, in my mind, are a huge scam. That being said, if you're set on this house and that's the kitchen that comes with it, I'd take it, and live with it for a couple years so you can both build up a budget and to figure out exactly what you do and don't like.

But that's just my 2 cents.

I agree with buehl, put laminate tops in now. It will be much easier when you have the cabinets removed and replaced with your dream kitchen. I have a similar problem and I'm dreading seeing the granite taken out. I'm sure it has to be very messy. Laminate tops will be so much easier and I wish I'd have thought to do that. Good luck!

I wouldn't want to settle for builder grade either. But I did just visit a store that takes high end kitchens out and resells them, and I would say that about 25% had the granite broken when they were being taken out. And these were people who's job was just to demo kitchens. Also would you mind sharing the name of the Amish cabinet makers that did your custom inset cabinets?

You're not going to be able to reuse the granite. My insurance company went thru great lengths to protect my granite so that they don't have to replace it and it still got broken when they took the cabinets out. There were five guys slowly moving the cabinet out with levers to prop up the counter and still it broke.

I've had pretty good success rate at removal and reusing stone/e-stone counters, so it is possible. It's also possible that you break the counters into many pieces. If you are want to reuse the counter, see if the installers will just silicone the seams instead of epoxy/polyester. That's always the hard part of removal, breaking the seams free cleanly. It's a case by case thing, with 100 different factors.

On the other side, you need an artist to reinstall. Not your regular drop it on and caulk it in guys.

I'm not clear on what is needed for a CO for you and whether a bank is involved and actually will do an inspection. If the cabs can be placed in your garage or similar protected space and left in their packaging, them I second the idea of omelet and nightowl. Pre-arrange pick up by H4H. Same for granite. Not sure where you live but I have read about companies in the greater NYC area that will buy - and remove - kitchen cabs. For carpeting I'd have the rolls delivered and picked up by H4H. No installation. I've read that it is quite pricey to have carpeting removed! If for some reason everything has to be installed, then Ichabod's idea of living with the arrangement for a short while to see what does and doesn't work sounds like a good idea. Lemonade from lemons.

Thank you all for the feedback. I'll be working on getting a firm price for the EXACT same kitchen going in with custom cabinets, so I can accurately compare. their $22,000 upgraded charge. I than will get a price for the custom cab's, with the same layout, but quality. I HAVE to buy the granite, but I will insist that it NOT be installed and I'll install cheap laminate. I have already been to the flooring company and the price includes installation, so I already saved $12,000 on my floors and will get quality flooring that I love. Certainly not the ideal way to build a house.... but we love the community, desire to live there. There is no bank involved.... but why wait an live in a house that with finishes I don't like? I expect to be saving money going this route, not spending more... just the inconvenience of this is a pain, however, I much rather do it now than be living in it and having it done 2 -3 years from now.

We picked up a brand new kitchen with cabinets and granite and a sink for under $200 from a couple that bought a house that the kitchen had been refinished before they bought it and never used, but they did not like it. We went in and took it all out and hauled it to the ranch for the hunting cabin.. fanciest kitchen out there with granite counters and all.. lol.

Russ

I am too practical myself to tear out a brand new kitchen and replace it, but that's just me. You will have to have some kind of working kitchen done before you can get the C.O. (certificate of occupancy) If you are stuck with the builders kitchen, you can either live with it for a while, or pick the basic option, without any upgrades, laminate counters, just to get the C.O. and then either sell or donate it , then replace with the kitchen you really want. But, of course, if DH is not in agreement on this, doesn't he get any say in his home as well? It would seem to me that something like this would be a joint decision. If he prefers to keep the builder kitchen, perhaps a compromise of living with it for a year or 2? Moving is enough of a hassle without adding a tear out and replace as soon as you move in, IMO.

If you just need a "working" kitchen to get the CO, then why not just get a sink and cabinet from H4H and have it set in place and working? I think that is not uncommon in kitchen renos anyway where there are going to be delays. Plug in a refrigerator. Set up a surface, cabinet or whatever, and put an induction hot plate in place. And a Breville oven maybe. That's a functional kitchen. CO's don't differentiate between beautiful and ugly, just safe and functional. Have all outlets, etc up to code and finished. Vent hood in place if you can be pretty certain of location. If you aren't sure of the location, you will need to get a permit (later, when you real cabinets are installed) because you'll be going through walls/roof and wiring (although maybe the wiring can be done now if you know the general location, so you wouldn't need a later permit).

I'm thinking you actually have an almost ideal situation now. A big empty room with all wiring, plumbing and finish work done, just waiting for the cabinets you love to be installed.