Home Improvement

Kobayashi

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Any experience with cabinetry? How difficult is installing prefab cabinets? Base and uppers.
I haven't done it myself, but a semi-handy coworker did (I believe Ikea ones) and this was the only home project that defeated him. You apparently get to learn how out of square your walls really are and all sorts of shimming techniques in order to do it right. I'm sure there's some practical ways you could design your cabinets that mitigates these challenges - I think corners are where things really went awry.
 

Haus

I am Big Balls!
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We did the cabinets to go on our last remodel. I had to go out of town for a few days for work and when I got back the Wife had assembled most of them.. if that tells you anything.
I did Cabinets To Go when we redid our kitchen around a decade ago. If you have a basic nail gun and moderate competency using it then assembly of them is pretty easy peasy. Once I got an idea of the scope of the project through the guy at the CtG store showed me how he had a contractor who would come assemble/hang/mount them for $40 a cabinet and I was quickly sold on signing over that work.

I watched as the guy put them in, You'd be good to have a few specialty tools like the hoist/supports to push/hold the upper cabinets in place while you shim/mount/adjust them. You will want a good set of levels, both traditional and probably a tripod mounted laser one. And if you're like me you'll want as assistant (I watched this guy do it solo, but quickly realized I wouldn't try that).
 

Siliconemelons

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Any experience with cabinetry? How difficult is installing prefab cabinets? Base and uppers.

As others have said, it comes down to a lot of small things like how level and square your stuff is. You will need shims no matter what.

IKEA and newer stuff use rails for uppers so you get your rail perfect then hang the uppers.

Lowers, most mid and above like ikea have feet you can adjust others just shims.

If your doing granite tops- it must be super level or it will crack - good installers wont install if its not right.

A buddy always helps. If your not seeking no gap seam feel perfection, then watch some applicable YouTube etc and see how ya feel.
 
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