HI -- Sounds odd to me that putting handles on was not included in the price of the kitchen project . Like who puts in a kitchen without handles . Not sure on this one but putting on hardware should be part of the total package I would think . When I did kitchens the only question about hardware was ..what style handles would you like .... nothing about charging extra to put them on.

I spent half a day drilling and installing pulls in a kitchen once. $5.00 each? Jump on that before this joker finds out how long it takes. You've got to build a reversible jig so all the holes are positioned identically and to keep yourself from screwing up if you try to do it by measuring each one.

Thank you both. The holes were not predrilled. As of this morning my mother had come to terms with her carpenter about the pulls and he was infact tere installig them. Since she feels comfortable with her decision (whatever that might be) I am going to hold off with any more of vocal feedback. Nonetheless it sure seems to me that handles would be included in the price of the kitchen renovation. Hoping the pulls are installed properly. We bought 4" on center pulls with good reviews. I bought my mother a template from Amazon that was well reviewed and which appeared to have the proper template holes. My mother told me that the template did not work and so the installer was working off his own template. Trusing. Trusting. That is my new word. Thank you.

Nothing is included that is not in the contract. Old school cabinet guys use partial overlay cabinets with no pulls because your hands can just grab the doors and open. If your mom and the cabinet guy are somewhat similar in age, that's what they probably installed.

I bought two templates, an IKEA template and a top rated template on Amazon that seemed to have more typical US spacing holes. At the time my Mom had not yet purchased the handles but I was trying to be proactive. My intention was so my Mom could become immediately famiilar with possible tools to facilitate the project and so she could offer the template if she felt the handle install was not going so well.

Sorry seems reasonable to me, this is a pain in the a__ job . The template is a great idea and I wish her luck

Thank you all for the feedback. Install of hardware is apparently complete and my mother worked out a reasonable solution for all. As someone commented earlier all details should be called out in the contract. I never saw the contract and I believe that my mother accepted it based on her "1955 price and practice assumptions" and "did not really know what she did not know". No doubt pro-active commuication is key in these jobs and I think that is where many of their struggles (my mom and the carpenters) have gone astray but apparently they are ok today. Now for the step edge detail.... Thank you again.

this is all water under the bridge by now, but... it strikes me as a reasonable charge to do this job. as to whether it was reasonable to expect it was included, i'd agree with that. i've had 3 kitchens redone and never had a called out line item in my contract for putting the pulls on.

BUT

when a job isnt going well, either through mistakes, mis communications, indecisiveness, whatever...i do feel contractors have a 'bag of tricks' they can pull charges out of. this feels like one of them. which is why i try to have a great relationship with the contractor and his minions, complaints can be expensive in many small ways.

not saying this happened, just that i've felt like this is how it can be done.

I'm not usually negative, but wow, really? A separate charge for that seems ridiculous and needing a template? Why? I'm not a professional and don't even really like to do things like this, but have done a lot out of necessity. I refinished all my kitchen cabinets and put pulls and handles on using a tape measure. I did not find it difficult at all. All you need is a little patience and concentration. They charge way too much for this.

Belahn:

You missed something in your calculations. Risk. One mis-measure and miss-drill and you just bought the lady a new door or drawer front. She's gonna sit on the 6 large she owes you until that thing arrives in 6 weeks. Let's hope the stain and finish match and you can suck up the drain on your cash flow.

I make drill jigs with wood scraps and hot melt glue. I can't afford not to.

I charge $5 per pull if I have to replace existing pulls for new pulls. $8 if I have to drill 2 holes per pull, $7 for one hole drilled per pull

I work with several cabinet installers. Charging to install hardware is the norm. $5-$8 per piece is fair. It takes time to line it up & do it correctly. Time=$.

I prefer the itemized lists. Some other installers don't itemized the labor, but they calculate the time in there to install hardware.

I charge my clients $5 - $7 / pc. You have only one chance to drill the holes.

To all, especially this character Belahn... First of all, hardware is jewelry. It's personal. I NEVER include it in my contracts for the following reason: It can come as a single knob, a 4" OC spread, or long stainless 24" OC spreads for really modern high-end stuff. And some of this stuff can really be a challenge and just suck time right off the clock. In addition, not everyone has shaker or slab style doors. Try drilling into a door panel with a curvature frame or high-detailed work! So, if you think its so easy, like Belahn does, then do all of us pros a favor and DO IT YOURSELF. In the instance of the 24" OC spread for the long stainless rod, if you were to drill just a fraction short or long, and I do mean a fraction, it won't fit and you probably just bought yourself a door to hang in your garage, reminding you daily of what a dumbass you were for TRYING to be a pro.

So before you whittle the poor contractor down from $100 to $15, think time, tools, accuracy and RISK.

As for average price, as long as its fairly common hardware, I'd figure $5-$8 per. Hope this helps and good luck to all of you.

$5 is dirt cheap you got a steal!!

$8.00 + per pull/knob never included in my quotes, always ask at first but clients say they'll do it or do it later. Lots of my clients are after a particular design and hardware is not on the agenda. 40 years of carpentry experience, to each their own. However when working with a designer then it's yes/no if yes factory completed. I only do installs now no longer design/build

$15 to $26 per handle is the going rate

$15-$26? Seriously? I have 40 pulls and 36 knobs placement would be identical. Thinking $5/ knob and $7 per pull would be reasonable on a large job.

johnnybu:

You're forgetting the risks. One wrong drilled hole and you've not only worked a half day for nothing, you're in the hole metaphorically. You've got to pay for that risk and competence.

Old topic I know but this is why i love this site. We were wondering this as well because our contractor is charging us $100 extra to install knobs after he casually mentioned he’d do it earlier in the project. Now we see it is not included in the contract so we learned our lesson. Was going to just do it ourselves but seeing all these comments about screwing up the cabinets we will just fork over the $100 to get this done correctly.