I'm using IKEA boxes with custom doors. I've had it priced out all ways — all IKEA, all semi-custom, the combination that I finally settled on and the upshot is, if you are happy with the IKEA door styles (or at least one door style), you'll save thousands. In the New York area, I've heard very good things about the Kitchen Couple who do solely IKEA kitchens:

Houzz - older reviews

https://www.houzz.com/pro/12bek12/the-kitchen-couple

Yelp - newer reviews

https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-kitchen-couple-bedford-corners

(I don't know them and I'm not connected with them in any way - I've just heard good word of mouth.)

here is what i know. I have had a couple ikea pieces that have lasted me over 10 years. I know a woman who bought a whole kitchen appliances and all. she has had hers for over 20 years. on second husband still has it. and it was not top of the line, but she has always been perfectly happy. of course that is not current. but, with back up research i would feel comfortable.

I've had good experience with IKEA. I wouldn't get your quartz from them, but cabinet wise they're good quality for the price. There are some design limitations but they're good for a basic kitchen. If you're looking to save money, consider trying to put the cabinets together yourself first to see how much you struggle with it before going to them to do it.

I just had my Ikea kitchen installed (on Long Island). I only bought Ikea cabinets and lighting, the countertop was not from Ikea. I am pretty happy with the cabinet install. Quite possibly it will be the same guys, since they have local sub-contractors. It took 4 days for a medium-sized kitchen, they came at 9 and left at 4. My refrigerator side panels were backordered and they came back once they arrived to finish the job. I just installed a countertop and the install was a breeze because the guys did a good job leveling the cabinets (and it's easy with Ikea because they don't rest on the floor), since my walls and floor are not even.

Overall very happy with the results and the total cost was half of the price of mid-range Home Depot cabinets (without all the extras like soft-close drawers and integrated lighting). I also priced Semihandmade doors and they are way too expensive, in my opinion. The fronts and panels alone for my kitchen were 11k, and my entire kitchen from Ikea with cabinets and panels and doors was 7k.

Jules, do you mind me asking how many cabinets you have? And maybe your countertop installer? I was thinking of the bobdyn grey style and maybe a white or lighter grey quartz. Thank you everyone!

I’ve installed three IKEA kitchens. With countertops from them too. Make sure they come out and measure when your cabs are installed and check what the tolerances are for the dims. I had one too come back too short, but it was within tolerance. Luckily for me it had been damage in transport so I had a new one made and made some changes to the dims. I think ikea kitchens are great quality and offer many good solutions. At least the doors I’ve chosen have really help up. Never did use their installation service though.

I had 15 cabinets (wall and base) and 5 tall pantry cabinets. I did the Bodbyn white (grey looked too dark in my space) and I'm very happy with it. I used GranMarb Inc for countertops, they were really great.

Just had someone come and measure and plan our suite kitchen today! This is our second ikea kitchen and the first worked beautifully and the design and install service was a dream. Last time we got our quartz through them too and no issues. This time quartz is all from same person and we need it for main kitchen and master too so not from Ikea.

gotta love it. that will allow you to spend more dollars on something really important. might even squeeze in bespoke, yeah!

I highly recommend Ikea. Great product for the price.

I haven't bought kitchen cabinets from them, but the Hicksville store service isn't always the best though.

In reality, putting together the boxes yourself is quite easy.

Sina Sadeddin Architectural Design

Can you say more about your experience with IKEA quartz? I got a bid from them that seems high to me. They put in a lot of add ons to their $69/sq ft advertised price.

why not go local with that part, then you can choose exactly which piece etc.

I have experience with ikea cabinets that we installed ourselves (we are too far away from the store to utilize either their full service or the quartz). Highly recommend them for many reasons: value, quality was better than my previous “custom” cabinets, easy to DIY, nice features (soft close, organizational inserts, etc.) and they looked great. We had a local fabricator install granite.

I've never used IKEA quartz, it's just one of those things I would only ever buy from a stone yard/fabricator. With a local fabricator you get their expertise in installation, templating, and more. But it seems like other's had a good experience with it so maybe it's not too bad. I still suggest you at least take a look at the prices at your local fabricator.

Ikea quartz is like any other quartz and is installed by a person who works elsewhere but is recommended by ikea. You can go see the slab too. Not a big deal.

"Ikea quartz" is currently plain old caesarstone (in the past it's been Hanstone and others), so it's just a question of where you can get the best price. During a sale, you probably can't beat the ikea price, but of course you'll get the same quality of service you'd get from any big box store. Like HD, Lowes, etc., Ikea just contracts out for quartz.

Thanks for the responses. Just a follow up that’s probably a very stupid question...if I have IKEA install the cabinets, a local fabricator install counters...who installs my sink and faucet? Could the countertop people do it before setting the counters, since I’m thinking of going Undermount style anyway? Just trying to get a rough idea of who I would be paying for all of this and set a budget.

Making yourself the GC of the job is never a very good idea when you don’t have any idea of the consequences of that decision. Such as you will need to schedule and supervise all the trades. And perform quality control. And pick up the slack of all of the in the cracks of the jobs.

Krystin, my countertop people installed the sink (they have to seal around it). I asked the guy to screw in my faucet because it would be next to impossible to get to after the sink is installed (very little space between the sink and cabinet wall), and he did it as a favor. They don't attach anything to the plumbing, but it was easy enough to do on my own. I do have a guy who actually demoed my kitchen whom I could call for random things here and there, and he will also be doing my backsplash.

My countertop fabricator installed the sink and faucet for me. They had a plumber who came in at the end to do it (this was optional).we had him hook up our fridge line, dishwasher and gas range also.

Susie and Jules, were you both your own General Contractors? I feel like my project is too “small” (for lack of a better word) to hire one. No walls being taken down, no plumbing moved or changed, no electrical/gas...Thank you again

My kitchen project was similar to yours - I kept the same footprint, just swapped cabinets basically one for one. I made no structural changes. It started with me looking for someone to do a demo and a person on my neighborhood list-serve put me in contact with a kitchen and bath contractor who typically does the whole thing beginning to end. I asked him to do my demo and backsplash and he agreed. I explained to him why I was using Ikea installers, since they are very familiar with install process as Ikea is very different from regular cabinets. He agreed that it would be best to use them since he didn't work with Ikea kitchens much in the past. I've had everything installed now except backsplash, and happy with the result so far.

That said, I was lucky that I wasn't working during the days Ikea people were doing the install, because I literally had to go to Ikea almost every day to either exchange something that was damaged on arrival, or get additional parts.

cannot get back on.trying hard

Krystin, you can definitely do this! Sometimes a fabricator will provide the sink as part of the cost. If you're providing the sink, there are two possibilities. One, they'll take your sink and attach it before the install. Two, they'll use a template to cut the opening and then attach the sink at your home. Never ever let the cutout be made before you have the actual sink and you've confirmed its in perfect condition! You don't want to wait on a replacement that's on back order for a month or is no longer available! As far as plumbing, most fabricators will not offer plumbing so you'll schedule one yourself. However, I'd ask for a recommendation. A plumber who does a lot of "new ctop installs" will understand the need to be flexible with the timing. You'll want to have it done asap but installs don't always go as planned.

you know ones first thought is go with one of the big boys. but i have had much luck going with semiretired. sometimes they even allow to help with labor. they often don't mind you doing part of the shopping either. you should still shop around. but i remember finding one semiretired electrician, who told us what wire to buy-we then could run it without tearing out walls. when he came to move the box, we both called the city. they knew him so well they did not even show up. so we got certified work at much lest cost.

Thanks for your help everyone! I’m in no rush to get this done, however I’m one of those people that does research and obsesses about things 6 months in advance haha. But I will most likely go with IKEA but not until the fall (or maybe even early next year if there’s a sale sometime).

They have the kitchen event sale once a season. Just keep your eye out for it.

We were able to purchase gift cards at xmas during a promo. buy 100 get 20 and we used that toward our ikea kitchen in the spring.

heck krystin i go years!