Chicago IKEA Kitchen Installer discusses the Significance of a Professionally Designed IKEA Kitchen Plan and his Favourite Cupboard Hacks.

And why he feels cellular IKEA kitchen islands are harmful and the way we dealt with a 3-story laundry chute.

You’re prepared to begin your kitchen rework utilizing IKEA cupboards, so that you’ve probably performed a good quantity of analysis. You might even have begun a guidelines. That’s begin. However maybe you understand there are some customized cupboard modifications you’d like so as to add otherwise you wish to make certain your kitchen is as secure for your loved ones as doable. Or maybe you’ve got some hesitancy about whether or not you’ve taken correct measurements or should you can assemble and set up your IKEA cupboards correctly.

These are all points {that a} skilled IKEA cupboard installer can assist you with to verify your kitchen (or different room venture) venture goes as easily as doable. So says Meris, proprietor of M&H Carpentry in Chicago, whose agency has been putting in IKEA kitchens since 2009.

We not too long ago spoke with Meris to debate the IKEA cupboard set up course of; completely different IKEA cupboard hacks his agency has performed, the necessity for security with a accomplished IKEA kitchen (particularly for households with youngsters) and the significance of a professionally designed IKEA kitchen plan. We belief IKEA clients will discover plenty of worth in Meris’ insights and this info will assist you’ve got an IKEA kitchen that not solely appears nice however features easily as properly.

Let’s hear from Meris!


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IKD: It might be nice should you may share your historical past and the way your organization began.

Meris: We began round 2009 as basic development with framing, constructing and such. Round 2011-12, we began getting questions from purchasers about whether or not we do IKEA kitchens. That obtained us inquisitive about IKEA cupboards. I didn’t know that IKEA was that well-liked with promoting kitchens typically. Then we took on an IKEA kitchen venture. It was just a little overwhelming the primary time when there’s 500 gadgets in entrance of you. You need to make a kitchen out of it. However then after three or 4 IKEA kitchens, my guys had been snug. Then, I made a plan. I spotted we are able to make plenty of enterprise as a result of it’s just a little area of interest. There’s plenty of contractors who’re just a little afraid to tackle IKEA kitchens. It’s really gone rather well. We ended up having plenty of purchasers and plenty of purchasers giving our title to different purchasers. Quick ahead to 2014-15, we ended up being on the TV present Kitchen Crashers for 4 episodes.

I do promote on-line too. As quickly as an IKEA kitchen arrives, plenty of purchasers begin searching for contractors that concentrate on IKEA cupboards. That’s the place we actually, actually stepped in and crammed in these spots and took on that enterprise.

IKD: So what do you assume attracts folks to IKEA cupboards?

Meris: IKEA affords a greater worth with extra modern-looking cupboards, extra equipment, and extra choices typically. That is against going with a customized kitchen when you will get precisely what IKEA affords with all these drawers and inside organizers. A customized kitchen prices so much so IKEA actually is like half that worth That’s one of many causes clients like it. Secondly it’s very customizable. It affords plenty of modifications and modular elements which you can change on it. It’s additionally the comfort as a result of clients can simply go straight to the shop. So in the event that they wish to change one thing, they only go to the shop and trade. I feel the look is the place individuals are and the affordability. You get a pleasant kitchen for the cash.

IKD: How do clients usually discover you?

Meris: Usually we have now Yelp. Plus we have now our personal Web page. So our Web page and phrase mouth, We had been on Angie’s record for a short while and the Higher Enterprise Bureau. I at all times ask clients how they discovered us. I’d say within the final 10 years, it was like 65% phrase of mouth.

IKD: You’re within the Chicago space. What’s the geographic radius you’ll journey to?

Meris: About 30 miles round. We don’t do downtown for quite a lot of causes, together with parking and conveniences. As an example, vans are too large to park in these garages. We simply discovered it’s only a lack of time to attempt to accommodate these purchasers. In the long run they’re attempting to save cash. I inform them we’re going to take just a little longer in the event that they’re downtown or in excessive rises. So it does take just a little longer to complete these initiatives. There’s additionally extra inspections by the constructing engineers and extra inspections by everyone. We actually simply stayed away from that. If it’s a small constructing, or a apartment constructing with three or 4 flooring, you don’t have to leap by hoops to attempt to get the job began. With hi-rises they want an software for transforming and permits pulled and all these items. So there’s plenty of processes in these high-rises earlier than you can begin work.

IKD: What companies do you present?

Meris: I’m a basic contractor, so I do every little thing from begin to end. I do every little thing from the demolition section to planning, begin to end. I’ll go away it to the professionals to design the kitchens for me, however typically I do assist purchasers out with the beginning concepts to see if we are able to knock some partitions down. One in every of my specialties is structural modifications to the home. We will open up properties to open ideas, to extra fashionable design themes. One factor I don’t supply is portray and I don’t re-sand flooring. These are the 2 gadgets I don’t do. Every part else we are able to maintain so our companies embody demolition, cleanup, tough work, and so forth. I can set up hardwood flooring, I simply don’t end it. We don’t do high-voltage electrical.

IKD: Do you put in home equipment?

Meris: I’d extremely desire that the shop or the place the shopper is shopping for the home equipment from ought to set up it — resulting from plenty of causes of guarantee and every little thing else that sort of goes with it. So if one thing is leaking or one thing goes unhealthy with a dishwasher, I wish to guarantee that the shop goes to take that full duty as a result of I’ve seen it occur the place the home equipment are put in and the fridge goes haywire and begins pouring water out of the place the ice maker is and destroyed the flooring for the shopper and every little thing. So, I’m not taking any of the home equipment as a result of it may actually trigger plenty of injury. And I’d like to have the shopper simply have the shop put in.

IKD: Do you put in laminate counter tops?

Meris: Completely. We do IKEA laminates and stainless counter tops. We even have an organization that I’ve partnered with that we do stone counter tops as properly. So long as the shopper is aware of what they need, in the event that they choose it out from a showroom the place they know precisely what they need, I give them a catalog and so they can select or go and pick the countertop they’d like at one among our fabrication retailers right here in Skokie.

IKD: What number of jobs do you normally do a yr?

Meris: A yr is dependent upon which class are we placing them in. Is it simply installations or are we speaking about full remodels? When it’s a full rework, clearly that’s much less of a quantity, I’ve slowed down just a little bit since COVID. All people’s been affected by that. Previous to COVID, in 2017 it was like 137 installations we did that yr. After that, it clearly slowed down just a little bit. We had been round 190 installations a yr. After which after COVID, we had been like 70 or perhaps 60 installations.

IKD: What number of installers and workers do you’ve got in your workforce proper now?

Meris: As of proper now I’ve three. I’ve sort of slowed down just a little bit, however as of proper now, three guys and so they’re totally geared up with data to do IKEA cupboards. They like it. It’s second nature to them at this level.

IKD: Are you continue to noticing any again orders with IKEA cupboards?

Meris: Considerably. There are some people who find themselves nonetheless ready on particular finishes and fronts. Usually the containers, the precise frames and the part frames have been fairly good recently with the inventory at IKEA. All the roles that I’ve been scheduling, they’ve been receiving them fairly quick.

IKD: That’s nice to listen to. Are you able to speak a bit about some IKEA cupboard hacks that you just do so much?

Meris: So the preferred hack that I feel everyone runs into is IKEA stops at 12 inches with the smallest base cupboard. We’re in a position to convert a ten″ (h) x 30″ (w) into a cupboard. So we are able to make from a 12″ to a ten″. We will do customized fridge cupboards or customized microwave cupboards, for instance. So once more, convert the 15″ cupboard, comparable to a microwave cupboard, so it’s not too low to the range. You may convert it to a ten″ with a flip-up door. I’m attempting to consider few different ones that we’ve performed, particularly ones we’ve performed particularly with Semihandmade (SHM) and different third-party fronts that we’ve performed. There’s been various modifications that we’ve performed to make every little thing work proper. So for making inner dividers we’d take a body cupboard from one other body package and reduce it down and ensure we are able to really make dividers. I consider that the final one we’ve performed was for a Kosher kitchen the place we separated a pair cupboards so they may place sure plates on one facet and sure ones on the opposite facet.

We had one in Chicago the place we made a 40″ fridge cupboard out of a wall cupboard. It was a Sub-Zero fridge. So there’s so much that the place we sort of reduce down cupboards and make completely different cupboards. We had excessive ceilings the place we convert base cupboards right into a fridge cupboard.

With that Kosher kitchen, we had been in a position to accommodate all of the shopper’s requests and make all that work. It wasn’t an excellent giant kitchen to work with, nevertheless it did work completely.

IKD: So how do you establish easy methods to cost in your cupboard hacks?

Meris: So the best way it really works, I’ve tried to do pricing per cupboard. It’s actually exhausting as a result of it’s difficult to cite one thing primarily based on how a lot time you’re going to wish, particularly completely different layouts of kitchens. I’ve had kitchens the place it has 30 cupboards and 15 cupboards on one wall with 15 cupboards on prime and 15 cupboards on backside. I’m in a position to knock all this out in in the future. However when you’ve got 30 cupboards which might be in a U-Formed kitchen, it in all probability takes about 30 days to finish. The problem is realizing which kind of format it’s and what sort of trim stage it’s. I began calculating my cupboards and I feel I used to be round 220 per cupboard. It’s a three-step course of; the meeting half, set up half after which there’s trim out, which is trimming every little thing from toe kick to {hardware} to interiors and every little thing else.

IKD: Do most of your clients submit their designs to you utilizing the IKEA House Planner? And if that’s the case, do you encounter plenty of issues with that?

Meris: So one out of 10 could be performed precisely — the place every little thing’s included, the place the shopper doesn’t have to return to the shop or me requesting sure panels. Usually once they ship it to me or they go to the shop to design it themselves or whatnot, it’s normally problematic as a result of there’s plenty of particulars and panels that it’s important to take into consideration ordering to guarantee that every little thing suits properly. I like when the kitchens are designed by professionals.

However relating to exact design, I inform them that it’s on them as a result of they gave me this design If there’s gadgets lacking and I’ve to return again for 3 or 4 panels to complete, then I should begin charging per day to return again. That’s primarily as a result of I’m dropping 4 hours from the opposite job to attempt to come and end this as a result of we have now to select up new panels and stuff that was lacking. Every time I’ve IKD or anyone else design it, it’s professionally designed. You may wager we’re ending that kitchen as a result of every little thing’s there.

IKD: Have you ever put in with an IKD design and what had been the benefits for the house owner?

Meris: All of the element work. IKD makes use of the color-coded labeling, with the crimson colour in your design plan. IKD just about labels every little thing. It’s very detailed and clear on sizes and what’s going the place. IKEA’s House Planner could be very blurry. Typically you attempt to print out the House Planner nevertheless it’s such a small design on an 8” x 11” paper. It’s very minimized on that. And the IKD design is rather more expanded on that paper. So you may really see all of the element work. It helps the shopper perceive every little thing and it helps my guys perceive every little thing. It’s a stroll within the park with these kinds of skilled designs.

IKD: So how do your installations differ than say if the house owner was doing it themselves?

Meris: Many of the compliments that we have now gotten is, first, the velocity. That’s primary. And quantity two is me simply including my further data about IKEA or third-party trims, like deco strips. I take advantage of contact cement, pin nailing and stuff that’s going to make it look seamless and it’s going to make it very good and completed. I’ve seen some butcher job the place they used heavier gauge nailing weapons and so they simply made holes in every single place within the panels. We make it actually clear to the purpose the place my connecting screws — the panel head screws the place we join panels — to I even get white head screws as a result of I simply I simply love the work. It appears so skilled and a clear end. I don’t even use IKEA’s panels. I get my very own, particularly when it’s Semihandmade (SHM) I get my very own excellent high quality screws and so they simply work significantly better, they don’t strip.

We additionally glue panels to present them further as a result of issues do broaden and transfer round with weight. So we have a tendency to actually beef up the cupboards to guarantee that they keep very inflexible and don’t transfer over time. As an example, the best way we construct our islands, we don’t use IKEA’s brackets. We use their legs to stage the island, however then we construct a base underneath the island. For me, that’s a security factor that I’ve performed from the start. I used to be interested by children in properties climbing on issues, children play and you’ll’t watch them on a regular basis. So I’m at all times considering what if this flips? So I don’t need this to flip over. Let’s safe this down and ensure this might be very secure — though we’re in all probability breaking the principles of what they need resulting from their guarantee. However I feel we’re doing 3 times stronger than what they need — and clients like it! You need to make certain they really feel snug. As soon as they really feel the consolation stage, and see that you’re assured – that’s the important thing. And we’re past assured in our companies.

IKD: Inform us in regards to the timing of your set up course of. What can clients count on?

Meris: On new installations, we’ll are available in early and I’ll ship a few my guys forward. Let’s say that we’re doing the initiatives on subsequent Monday. I do ask the house owner if they’ve free time for us to simply are available in and begin placing issues collectively; make certain we have now your itemized record and that you’ve every little thing earlier than the set up begins. If they are saying sure, I ship anyone in and begin assembling these items and getting them so as. Like I stated, a minimal, small kitchen is like 150 gadgets. So that you wish to undergo it. Then the best way we work is I’ll ship my guys and inform them to depend the frames. Subsequent to that body, I’ll need the drawer stacked and I would like the hinges stacked Then I would like the entrance stacked, after which every cupboard. For every cupboard there’ll be a pile. If it’s 16 cupboards, there might be 16 little piles of every factor that goes with that cupboard.

IKD: Do you do installations for different rooms as properly, like mud rooms, media facilities, laundry rooms, something like that?

Meris: Sure, so mud rooms are very talked-about. Media Facilities are very talked-about. We’ve even performed some industrial functions, together with the workplaces for a automobile dealership as properly. There’s fairly a number of issues, particularly with modifications, for certain. We’ve performed workplaces; full, built-in workplaces; full built-in partitions and walk-in closets that are very talked-about. We see walk-in closets with pantry cupboards. We’ve had purchasers that really wished to color the white SEKTION frames of their IKEA pantries. Additionally changing IKEA kitchen cupboards into main lavatory cupboards for the grasp bathtub. So what does that embody? It consists of reducing them down depth-wise and likewise shortening them generally to a particular top as a result of lavatory self-importance cupboards are just a little decrease.

I additionally had somebody’s workplace the place we did about 30 toes of constructing desks, however with a steady countertop the place we make desks. All these desks needed to be 30” so we needed to reduce the frames down and so they ordered customized fronts.

IKD: So what’s one of many funniest or quirkiest kitchen experiences that you just’ve run into whilst you’ve been doing cupboard set up?

Meris: That’ll be a tricky one as a result of I’m a really critical particular person once I stroll into the job websites. Once I stroll in the very first thing on my thoughts is security. That’s one of many issues that we give attention to fairly a bit. We walked into a few jobs that purchasers wished us to repair and — I actually don’t blame different contractors not realizing what they’re doing — however man, the stuff I’ve seen performed to those cupboards. One factor we’ve performed is laundry chutes which was a bizarre one. That was doing the laundry chute by the cupboard to go all the best way right down to the laundry room. It was a really odd type of construct. I couldn’t perceive the plan as a result of the architect used their very own plan versus what we drew up. So I needed to make my very own model of it! I couldn’t perceive why there was a gap within the countertop. Was it some type of a put up or a column that’s going to undergo it? Nope. It was really a laundry chute going all the best way down.

Folks even have cellular islands, like 12’ islands which was the scariest factor ever since you you’re rolling round cupboards and stone on prime, , 12 or 1500 kilos. So that you had to offer this heavy-duty base for this cupboard to roll round, but in addition make it very unnoticeable. So we’d cowl the wheels with toe kicks all the best way round so it appears prefer it’s simply stationed the place it’s at however you may really begin shifting it by these lofts on the outskirts of downtown. It was for an artwork studio so that they wanted to have the ability to transfer it. We’ve performed cupboards underneath the steps so we have now to chop doorways on an angle. So mainly it turns into a full built-in underneath the steps. We’ve performed attic remodels the place we needed to reduce frames down on an angle. So long as the thought is legitimately drawn up I don’t assume something is off the grid of what we are able to do with customization.


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