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danielburns

Can I hire someone to help me place my Barker Cabinet order?

5 years ago

I understand that Barker doesn't really handhold the customer (which is fine) and I don't want to go back and forth in their forum. But maybe someone with experience with them could help me place my order? I'm getting a little overwhelmed with this final step.


I think I have my kitchen design all set, so I don't need design services. I have an itemized list of the cabinets I want from them. I would like someone to review my plans, tweak anything that needs it because of my ignorance (particularly, spacers, fillers, end panels, etc.), and help me place my order.


Of course I'd pay for their experience and time.


Is this even a thing?



Comments (12)

  • PRO
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I’ve done it, but it isn’t as “simple” as you think it is. :-) You can’t separate the order from the design. The two go hand in hand. Kitchen Design is much more than just a floor plan. It’s each element within that floor plan, and proper clearances, and proper details for element placement. Ordering will all be about the cabinet context within the whole design, and adjusting each of those elements based on all of the other factors combined.

    And it’s all about very accurate measurements. You have to have level measurements too, to see if the standard out of level or plumb conditions need to have the cabinets adjusted in order to work for the site. This also dovetails into installer capability. Some options are easier than others for installers. Some options are more difficult, but yield a much better result. But they might not be possible with some installers.

    All of that is to say that a “floor plan” will need to be redesigned to take into account the actual capabilities and limitations of the exact cabinet line and the installer. It’s not just entering in a database of information. Not until all of the other work is done first.

    danielburns thanked User
  • 5 years ago

    I wouldn’t do all of that for $300, that’s for sure.

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    This isn't to be rude...but more educational: It's funny how people not in the business don't realize the complexities of kitchen ordering....and the time required to write up a clean, perfect order. . Yes, some orders are easy and just require the basics. But today, most kitchens are more complex (or customized) and go floor to ceiling. Expectations are so much higher. Every little detail must be spelled out. Knowledge of how things fit and clearances all go hand in hand with a kitchen order. Also, the box construction and overlay will determine how you order the cabinets. My order of a frameless kitchen will be completely different from an inset kitchen. Many times people are shocked when I tell them in can take me anywhere from 1-3 days to get an order faxed in. Things you have to check: hinging, finished ends, corner clearances, appliances specs, hardware fit or interference, ceiling heights and crown molding design, unlevel floors and ceilings....I could go on and on. Some orders require me to hand-draw a custom cabinet for the factory. And once you get it faxed in....then you wait for the acknowledgement and you have to check it and double check it again! THEN it goes in to production. My clients think they'll get the cabinets 6 wks from when they hand me the deposit. It doesn't work that way. Figure in another week for ordering write up, factory time in processing the order and time for me to double check everything again. Have said all of that, I'm sure there are some freelance KD's out there that could help you out. Maybe Barkers has a list? Do you expect them to take on any fit responsibility to your house? If yes, I would pass. Like Greendesigns said....$300 isn't worth the liability.

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    IMO you get a KD they do the design and order what is needed , you decide to forgo that part and now you want someone to step in and figure out your design I sure as heck would not do it for 300.00

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    @ Patricia - Well not if they don't want to darling. LOL! I never said a price at all. Need an experienced pair of eyes to help me think through the final order.

    Willing to pay for that. If that's not you, then great. If that's no one, then that's fine too. Thought I'd ask.

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    I have worked with Julie before. She knows her stuff and I would trust her to check over an order for me. Not sure if she offers this service or not. Give her a call: https://www.houzz.com/pro/julie-graf/julie-graf-one-of-a-kind-design

    danielburns thanked The Kitchen Place
  • 5 years ago

    FWIW, I chose Scherr's over Barker specifically for this reason. Send them a list of the cabinets you want, and Leon Scherr will handle the order. He was extremely responsive and helpful with any questions I had.

  • 5 years ago

    I agree that that’s a big benefit to Scherr’s over Barker. You may be paying more for the cabinetry, but they do a lot more of the work for you. If you’re willing to pay someone to put the order together for you, why not pay it to Scherr’s instead?

    (And I ultimately ordered from Barker, but only because I was extremely confident in what I needed.)

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    It also comes down to, if you don't know enough to order it, you don’t know enough to really design it properly, or install it either. That knowledge is the 3 legs that a successful kitchen stands on. Like any 3 legged table, remove 1 of those legs, and it comes crashing down.

    Most people WILL make several panels, fillers, and overall sizing and clearance mistakes, some impacting timelines negatively for months. Any DIY effort will already have a hugely extended timeline to start with. Just ask the folks who started their projects and who have celebrated their first birthdays still incomplete.

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    The person designing & ordering or building the cabinets should also be the one measuring onsite.

  • 4 years ago

    Ordering from Barker is not that difficult. I recently placed an order based on drawing up plans in Visio. Didn't see the need for 3D.