I really like Ikea! IMO your kitchen is a focal point of the home and it is likely that you are going to need customization anyways. If you can afford the extra $$'s then I would suggest going the extra custom.

Not using the rail defeats the whole purpose of the DIY simplicity of IKEA. You could have something with a lot more options and more sizes if you don’t DIY. DIY is the whole point of IKEA, and it’s only advantage. . You’re just costing yourself money that could go to other things, and better cabinets.

In the end it doesn’t matter. For the diy Person rail and adjustable legs are far easier than a plinth. I did some of both in my kitchen. Once complete it doesn’t matter. So to me that’s a red herring, just ignore it. One guy prefers Bosch one prefers Makita…. You say one has more customization. What does THAT mean? Have you specified what you want? Have you included extra cover panels for them to play with? Led lighting?

We used a mix. I found using the rail when stacking cabinets sometimes caused a small gap. Using a rail is easier to get it up there and then make small adjustments.

Where we used direct set, we used the legs to make fine adjustments.

Either way - a laser level is critical.

I'd PROBABLY go with whoever has done more IKEA installs - as you do get better with each installation / build.

The design is critical, and then it's a matter of execution.

I think so much depends on how "ready" your kitchen is for install - here's what I mean. We used Ikea wall and base cabinets for the gut renovation of a kitchen in our 130 year old farmhouse - all the walls were made square and plumb, but we still had the wavy floor to deal with. For that reason, we used the rail on the wall cabs but built our own bases so that we could get all three cabinet runs (one island, two perimeter) to be exactly level with one another.

In my opinion, use the rail even if you are building custom plinths. When using custom plinths you still have to attach the cabinets to the home's structure somehow. So either your plinth has to be screwed to the floor and the cabinets screwed to the plinth, or your cabinets have to attached to the wall once they are set on the plinth... Why not use a rail?

I would assume that the cabinets are going to be attached to the plinth by screwing through the floor of the cabinets, but why do that if there is already a hole and system in a place that you can't see?

Ikea installers are great. we used the Ikea installers to built and install cabinets, with several modifications to cabinets (4+ years ago at $100 per cabinet), trims, etc. Our contractor did all the other work. He was willing to install the cabinets if we built them, but I wasn't keen on paying for his learning curve The Ikea guys were pros, in and out in two days.

We did both with ours (and we DIY'ed, but are on the upper end of the "handy people" scale). We used Kody Horvey's video series as a guide (search YouTube for Up to Kode) where he does the bases, which we preferred because I wanted heftier toe kicks than the ones IKEA offers. Worked great and would recommend.

Depends on the customization you are looking for. I really like Ikea, but their toekicks and decorative moulding are a little janky IMO. However, you can still customize both of those when using the rail system. If it were my kitchen, I would want those customized. If you need plumbing work, you can always contract that yourself, but maybe it's easier to have someone else handle it?

Will the Ikea installers handle demo? If not, who will do that? You may want to Gantt chart out all the projects that need to be done, so you understand what you are going to pay and when things need to be completed. I think you need to get more info from both installers in order to make a decision. I'm not in a market where I can hire Ikea installers, so I have no experience with them. It may end up being a wash once you add customization to the $6k bid.

OP never returned to his other thread (linked here). Instead he came back and started this new one. Who knows whether he will return to this one. Let’s move on to other posters who need our help. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6402182/soliciting-opinions-on-backsplash

To those asking about who designed - It is nearly the same layout as our current kitchen. We had the Ikea design team help to make sure that there is clearance for doors to open, etc. I will describe it here. The only "custom" structural changes that we have specified the Ikea install team can do. These are: (1) bump out cabinets on the cooktop wall by 2" - accomplished by adding a rough 2x4 for the rail - must be installed prior to their arrival, (2) cut the corner cab with shelf (far left of the cooktop) by 3" to change from a 21" to an 18" door - this will get allow us to center the sink under the window - that corner cab will store the RO filter and tank back in the corner with several feet of hose so that they can be removed for maintenance - that clears up the sink for under the sink trash - the alternative would be to leave the filter and/or filter and tank under the sink and mod the corner cab for a trash pull out - when removed one could access the corner for rarely used items (like large turkey pan), (3) modify sink cab for two drawers, left and right - requires 1 1/2 wide x 3 1/2 tall wood piece down center to mount blum/ikea slides for the drawers, (4) cut down the depth of a cabinet installed in the corner next to the sliding glass window, (5) bump out and replace the window above the sink 4 in to space behind the sink. I am on the upper end of DIY skills. Here is a pantry that I built with blum drawer slides and ikea doors (blue protective film still on). Interior drawers, etc. Broom closet to the left. Knocked out wall and stole 17" from the master bedroom closet.

M Miller Sorry for the delay. I am intently reading responses and very interested to hear what others have to say. The differing opinions make decisions difficult.

M Miller That's jumping the gun on my return to the threads. I was busy with non-kitchen related responsibilities and still digesting the responses. Plus, not being big on social media, I wasn't aware that thanking and liking were an expected response. Paying more attention to that now.

If you are that handy, you are wasting all the money on all of the labor. Do it yourself, as god and Ingvar Kamprad intended. Or, god Ingvar Kamprad.

Agree with Lomo - IKEA cabinets are really pretty simple to install and it’s a good place to save money if you’re a diy-er. Save your money for plumbing and electrical or appliances.