Get a tailored IKEA kitchen in Denver, CO

Welcome to the latest edition of Kitchen Installation Confidential! This time around we interviewed David, the owner of Kimball Cabinet Installation, operating out of the Denver, CO area.

David specializes in IKEA cabinet installation, and has completed projects from simple updates to full kitchen renovations. He is one of our Install Connect-approved IKEA kitchen installers, and he shared his secrets and insights with us.

#1: Why do your customers hire you instead of using IKEA’s installation services?

I can offer a better IKEA kitchen installation for about 20 percent less than IKEA’s preferred national installation company can. Period.

My services are more affordable because I don’t have the overhead.

I was one of the official kitchen installers with IKEA’s national installers until they changed their service model and stopped working with subcontractors.

I loved being a part of that program, but I can offer my customers a discount now instead of paying a fee to someone else.

More important than the cost is that we understand the kitchen customer better than most installers because we deal with the product daily.

The people struggling with the IKEA system aren’t experienced contractors. They’re normal homeowners!

They need an IKEA kitchen installer who understands the terminology and the IKEA product, and can translate the info for them so they understand it. They need someone who can lead them through the process.

And, we pick up the phone when people call us.

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#2: Which situations typically cause delays for IKEA kitchen installations?

Incorrect measurements are all too common and can lead to design flaws and delays. You just can’t fudge the numbers, period.

Sometimes people will design a kitchen “too tight.” Say there’s 8 feet of wallspace to work with, and they design 7′  11 ½” worth of cabinets. That gives them only half an inch of wiggle room.

If the walls are even just slightly out of plumb, their brand new IKEA kitchen cabinets won’t fit in their kitchen. The whole kitchen will have to be redesigned.

That’s why we’re very detail-oriented installers at Kimball Cabinet Installers. Everything has to be right.

#3: What is something IKEA kitchen customers typically forget to do?

Move the appliances out of the way. But I don’t think it’s their fault.

Some customers’ friends tell them, “Oh, just leave your appliances in place! The installation people can work around them.” That’s not true, and it makes the process so much more difficult. Move your appliances before the process gets underway!

#4: What is something people shouldn’t try to save money on?

When it comes to kitchen cabinet installation, you absolutely need a professional to install a kitchen in your home. Just because IKEA is for the do-it-yourself crowd doesn’t mean you should do it yourself.

Poorly installed kitchen cabinets look atrocious and cheap. A professional IKEA kitchen installer can make your dinner guests say, “That’s an IKEA kitchen?!”

#5: Any further advice for people buying an IKEA kitchen for their homes?

The most important thing for any IKEA kitchen buyer to do is know who is in charge of what. That’s crucial.

Under normal circumstances, it’s up to the customer to book the order at the store. Make sure you bring notes from the designer with you.

Take advantage of the delivery service and make it a point to conduct your own inventory. You have a 48 hour window, after which anything left off of the order comes out of your pocket. Check that inventory immediately.

#6: What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever found during a kitchen renovation?

We found a hidden staircase while ripping out a client’s double ovens. It was crazy.

The staircase was fully functioning and went right up to the second floor – and nobody knew about it. But it had been hidden only in the last 10 or 20 years based on the type of plywood they used.

We tried to find a way to make it work but our client really wanted their kitchen back. So we just walled it back up.

Looking for a highly qualified IKEA kitchen installer near you?

If you’re not in the Denver area but you don’t want to hire IKEA to install your new kitchen, never fear. When you purchase our Express or Design package, you get free access to Install Connect, our exclusive database of independent and highly qualified IKEA kitchen installers.