Countertops and Cabinetry By Design

Went well but the granite cracked during production and I was notified the day of the install. As a result, the installation was delayed 2 weeks.

Got estimate for granite install, corian removal, tile backsplash, stainless sink. Very nice salesperson in showroom. Selection average compared to other places we visited. Received estimate in timely manner. Followed up with a few questions and they never responded. We finally heard back about 2.5 weeks later. Prices were extremely high compared with others. We received 4 estimates for work - 3 of them were comparable - this one was a good $2500+ above the others for a bit less service (plumbing, electrical, etc.)

Great. See above description.

Picked out the granite slab at their factory a couple miles from the showroom. They had a lot of granite from which to choose. They measured and installed just a short time later. They did a beautiful job, were very professional. I highly recommend them and would definitely do business with them again.

Overall I was very satisfied with the process. The selection at c&c by design is limited but adequate. They showed up on time and did a good job of the work and cleaning up. The only problem I had was a mixup in the delivery of the countertop and sink which they addressed and completed

We first met with Mike Vanselow at the West Chester showroom in mid February. We took in basic measurements and a few pictures our of kitchen as requested. We looked through several different brands of cabinets and countertop materials. My wife decided to keep the cabinets light in color and we agreed on a maple cabinet with a medium colored glazed finish. The countertops were also a neutral color of granite. Mike recommended a tile pattern and style that complimented our cabinets and granite. A few days passed and we went back to the showroom to review the cost of our project. After reviewing the details and price, we decided to proceed with the proposal. Mike scheduled their installation manager to come to out to our home to double check everything. The measurements checked out so the cabinets were ordered. They came in after 4 or 5 weeks and Mike scheduled them to be installed along with the countertops and tile. It took 3 days for the old cabinets to be removed and the new cabinets to be put in. The countertops were measured and installed about a week later. The backsplash tile was installed right after that. The cabinets, countertops and tile were installed by 3 different crews all employed by Countertops and Cabinetry by Design. Andy kept everything moving along for us and our kitchen was only down for about 2 weeks. Everything seemed to go pretty well and the finished kitchen is more than we expected! What a difference in quality from what the builder put in! We will definately use them again as we move through the house updating the bathrooms.

It started off well. The staff was very knowledgeable and helpful. The granite prices were competitive with other places we'd looked (lowes, ikea, other) but their installation and demolition services seemed a little more reasonable. They walked us through the process, gave suggestions, and were overall very helpful. The installation for the most part was fairly smooth. They got there at 8:30 am and were there until ~6 pm. I believe they have the general handymen/contractors do the installation, plumbing, and electric work so if that concerns you make sure you ask about it. There were a couple of changes on the spot (some wood trim and a connection piece that didn't come with the stove) that they walked me through and made sure I was comfortable with. There were 2 negatives. 1 - a scratch on the hardwood floors. There are areas of the floor that aren't in the best condition to begin with, but this was a good part in a highly visible area that there was scratch you could tell was fresh. When we brought it up - they claimed it was there when they started and so basically washed their hands of it, gave us the names of hardwood specialists who could come fix it for us. It just left a bad taste in our mouths. 2 - unapproved seams. We had asked to approve the seams (where they cut the granite and put it together), and we got a diagram back with 1 spot and said that was OK. But they ended up putting pieces together under the cooktop, so there are 2 seams right on the edge there too that we were not told about ahead of time. The cooktop covers most of it, it's not very noticeable, and it probably wouldn't even have bothered us if we didn't get the reaction we did about the scratch on the floor, but even if you approve seams you may want to ask specifically about the cooktop area. Overall it looks nice, didn't blow our budget, and we'll enjoy it for years - we just wish their handling of he scratch had gone differently. 4/23 Update 1) Company did come and fix a scratch in the countertops that was noticed after installation, thank you. 2) Owner/Business comments: ?It was discovered 3 days prior to the scheduled installation that the sink the customer chose (a model not shown in the showroom and not kept in stock) would not be delivered from our vendor in the expected time frame.? My Comment: it might have been special order but on the day we ordered it they said they could install in 2 weeks. We even had to delay on our end so they had an extra week or two to get it in. The only time it ever came up as an issue was right before the installation was supposed to occur (and for us it was on Tuesday afternoon we were notified, the install was scheduled for Thurs morning). If they had let us know right away it may be delayed we could have adjusted, but a day and a 1/2 before we had changed our schedules around to be there and emptied our kitchen already. Of course we had an issue. But they resolved it by getting one from a different vendor which is why I didn't mention it as a negative. 3) Owner/Business comments: ?The day of installation, we arrived as scheduled and began removing the old countertops. We realized at that time the corner wall cabinet would be too short since their new granite countertop was thinner than their previous laminate countertop. We supplied material and labor to trim the bottom of the cabinet where it touched the new countertop at no additional cost to avoid any conflict similar to the previous ones. ? My Comment: We actually discussed this when we signed our contract ? not the day of installation as stated. We assumed it was in the contract and didn?t notice it wasn?t. I take this as an error on both our parts, us for missing it, them for not including it. I appreciate the trimming ? it looks wonderful. To make it sound like completely our fault and them stepping up is misleading, it was a joint error and I appreciate their taking care of it. 4) Seams: You know ? the seams were not a big deal to us but they gave us the option of approving. We approved. What we approved was different than what we got. I?m not saying one was better or worse than the other, I?m just saying it was different. We were mostly OK with it ? we just got annoyed and frustrated when we didn?t get help on something else we did care about. 5) Owner/Business comments: ?Several days later, he called explaining that they had noticed a small scratch on their hardwood floor...." My comment: ?Several days? was actually the next morning. In the time I was there I didn't see drop cloths, other than under the refrigerator. We had one cabinet taken out and put back in for this installation and I?m assuming that?s what caused the scratch in the hardwood floor. It wasn't large but it was obviously fresh.

I started with knowing the materials, size and measurements of my countertop. After submitting photos and sizing information, I deceided to use a local general contractor since the bids were so close in price. I think I would have received better service and quality by sticking with the specialist. Price would not have changed.

They did a whole kitchen. They are thorough and friendly. The work is incomplete yet and we expect them to come and finish the work.

We did have a couple of cabinets from them. This was just a couple of door rather than cabinets. It was something for our basement and we needed couple of doors or something and then there was an opening under the stairs and we needed door for that. We also needed doors for the electrical panel. They were good. They were little higher price. I will use this company again if they give a lower price.

When the countertop was installed, I noticed that the Corian appear very thin....I said something to the installers who took the whole piece back outside, added support and came in and installed the island countertop. Not knowing a thing about this business, I assumed they knew what they were doing. About two years later I was cleaning the island countertop and found a crack extending out from the area in front of the gas cooktop. I called Countertops and Cabinetry by Design, asked to speak with our salesperson and was told she was now in KY. So I spoke with another gentleman who advised me it would be better if I called Dupont myself. He said the countertop was under warranty. I was not happy about having to call Dupont, but wanted it taken care of so I called. Ultimately they put me in touch with a man from Surface Link- their warranty service company. In mid-October the Surface Llink rep came out- took the entire island, cooktop apart and took many pictures. He advised me that he didn't see anything that would explain the crack. Then he went outside to call his boss and when he came back in he advised me that he found 5 minor things that together could have caused the crack. He then said they thought it might be heat related, which would be consider customer abuse and not covered....but that he would repair the crack anyway. We discussed the fact that the countertop was chosen, fabricated and installed knowing the whole time it was going to hold a gas cooktop. We were never advised not to use Corian. And in fact, I cook once a week and not even necessarily utilizing the cooktop. He had to come back a second time to repair the crack and my husband took copious notes of all the adaptations he did- like recutting the inside corners, adding tape, adding additional support. He advised us that while he couldn't promise additional cracks wouldn't appear, that repaired crack would remain invisible. Two months later that spot recracked and another one developed extending from the backside of the cooktop. I called the countertop store and spoke to multiple men name "Chris" who made promises that they would check with Dupont and get back to me.....only to have days and weeks go by and I had to call them. Chris Holtz was just plain rude. I could not believe they wouldn't just replace the countertop-- two years old and falling apart. I even had the appliance store rep and Bosch rep come out to make sure the cooktop was installed correclty and functioning correctly. They all agreed that it was a problem with the fabrication and installation of the countertop and called the countertop store with that assessment. I spoke with someone at Lowe's- in the design center- and he could not believe they didn't just replace the countertop. He, too, said it should not have been a problem from the cooktop. I had an attorney send a letter to Dupont requesting our file and the request was denied. The attonrey sent a letter to the countertop store and they got no response. I find it unbelievable that this business could have such incredibly poor customer service. As far as I am concerned, they just don't care if they get anymore business from me and in this economy I find that ridiculous. So- I have a countertop that should last for years....that I need to replace and a business who couldn't care less.

They were fine to work with. I worked with Matt. They did a really nice job. I didn’t check the price with anyone else. I thought it was a pretty good deal in comparison to what my brother paid. I would use their services again.

They were pretty responsive. I would use them again.

They did a great job. Their price was extremely reasonable. My house was a disaster area for about 6 weeks, but they were extremely considerate and cleaned up during the project. I’m happy with their services.

I thought they were very professional, and gave us lots of helpful information. We selected another company because they were cheaper than Countertops. I would consider using them in the future.

UpdateI Initial installation concluded in two weeks as originally discussed. (12/16/11). The workmen were prompt and hard working as well as respectful of our home. They answered questions thoroughly and problem solved quickly as several small unexpected issues developed with the demolition and installation. We had two main workmen; one who completed 80% of the project and the other workman who completed all the electrical installation and was equally professional. An Issue with the cabinets created a delay in their installation until 1/27/12. In addition, the cabinet doors also needed to be replaced which resulted in another several weeks delay, but the bathroom was functional as of 1/27/12. CAC responded appropriately to these issues and provided solutions that were agreeable to us. Overall, we were pleased with the work and professionalism of the CAC team. We would use their services again the future. This was our first remodel and the experience taught us a great deal.

After shopping around, I chose this company based on recommendations from Angie's List. I received an estimate and went both to their granite center and Mont Granite to look at slabs of granite. There was a huge mistake made by both companies, and the result was the wrong countertops were installed on Aug. 31. I am absolutely positive this type of mistake has never happened to them before and will never happen again. On Friday, Sept. 2, I returned to CAC By Design's granite center and confirmed the correct slab. We set up another install date for the following Wednesday. The installers were very professional, courteous and friendly. I was upset as I had spent $108 to kennel two dogs for the install and had to put them back in the kennel for the second install. I was very impressed. though, that CAC By Design offered to reimburse me for the extra charge at the kennel. I know there was already a large loss of income because of the mistake on the first install, and I feel that it showed that this company is very concerned about their clients. In spite of the mistake, I would highly recommend them and in fact did so today to a friend.

A very good experience with this company.

Worked with Matt. No pressure, explained options well. Somehow slight miscommunication on size of island counter when installed. They promptly replaced the island counter with the correct size counter.

We received a very prompt estimate and found we had plenty of granite and tile options from which to choose. Scheduling was easy as I work from home and usually available. They arrived on time and began right away. Everything went well until they noticed a slight crack in the granite just in front of the sink. They informed me right away. They and I agreed a new piece was needed. We had been instructed to choose two slabs in the beginning of the process so we had plenty left to cut a new section. At that point, since it was a Friday, they did not want to leave us without water so they installed a temporary sink/counter/faucet for us to use over the weekend. I was also contacted that day by my sales person and the warehouse to schedule time on the following Monday to install the new piece. Everyone was eager to keep the project moving. They were here on time Monday and the install went well and the granite looked beautiful. They were able to move the tile install back a day to Tues so things proceeded. They were flexible when we decided to add a little more backsplash, and since they were a little short on the mosaic tile for the original job they just ordered it along with the additional pieces we requested and returned the next day to finish placing the tile. It took one more day to complete the job (grouting) and they returned one week later to seal the grout for me. The granite installers (I'm sorry, I can't remember their names) were great to work with. Pleasant , efficient and cleaned everything up when they were done. The tile installer, Andy I think, did a beautiful job. He also was great to work with, efficient and cleaned everything up when he finished. All in all, we are pleased with the job. The kitchen looks great!

The most important thing for me was the price I got from them was better than I could get from anyone else. The quality of the product was excellent. They delivered right on schedule. The installation was wonderful. Their work was very impressive. I would have them come in for my bathrooms and to put one more piece of granite and I will use them forever now.

They did a really good job. Our house is older. The cabinets we have are uneven. They were successful in dealing with our kitchen with uneven cabinetry. They worked hard to solve issues due to the age of the house. The experience I had in their showroom was excellent. They took me to the warehouse to show me the granite. They were excellent at working with my deadline. The two guys that did the installation were very courteous. They cleaned up everything and were done in a day. They came at 8:30 and left at 5. They had to do extra trimming and sawing. They did a good job getting the counter tops installed in spite of the problems the house gave them.

I remember we had a very good service and we were very satisfied with them. We got very good service from them, they were very helpful when we were looking for cabinetry and while talking about quality and those sort of things.

To start, the outcome is beautiful. This really had to do with design and product selection. Mark Harvey assisted with the design and is the reason I finally chose to go with CAC by Design. It was a challenge getting from design to destination though. Tear out/Demolition went well. They were on time and efficient. The entire kitchen (including the flooring) was gone in a day. They did a good job cleaning up as well. Flooring installation went ok. A tile layer and carpenter were sent out to do the work. However, due to their mistake, a hole was drilled in a tile for electric to the island. This tile had to be replaced and is not level with other tiles. The grout is also darker in this area. Cabinet install went well but in the carpenter made a mistake on installing hardware on 8 of my drawers. They all had to be reordered causing a month and a half delay before the job could be finished. I had a significant amount of electrical work done as well. The outlets for my under cabinet lighting was redone 3 times due to lack of communication within the company. An electrician was out once or twice to make connections, but most of the electrical was done by the carpenter and their #1 drywall guy (who also did my demo). I also had some lights added and moved. Drywall...here is my big problem with CAC. I had a pretty good amount of patchwork that needed to be done from moving lights, light switches, and outlets. I also had some walls extended and i niche filled in. So a pretty significant amount of drywall. Who did the drywall work? It wasn't their #1 drywall guy who did my demo and pulled electrical. Nope, it was carpenters, helpers, or tile setters. The drywall work was horrible. I ended up paying another company to fix what they had done. If they would have sent the right person to do the job right the first time I would not have had this extra expense. Granite...Another big issue. The countertops are fine. We did go with a full granite backsplash. When they came to install it they had miscut the holes for the outlets. They had to scrap some of the pieces and use others. This resulted in some color and pattern mismatch where the backsplash is seamed. This would not be like this if they had not miscut it. In my opinion, they should have offered some money back for this mistake because it would have been far nicer if it was done right the first time. In conclusion I know that not everything is going to go right with a job this big. The end result is nice but again I think that goes back to product, design, and materials. They just made too many mistakes along the way that could have been avoided. They also need to learn to send the right skill people to do the right job. I still can't believe that they did not use the drywall guy to do my drywall work and I had to have it redone at my expense. This is the main reason for the D on professionalism and quality.

Very professional group to work with. Came to make the template on 12/3/2010 -- actually came a bit early! Everything was installed on 12/14/2010 except the soap dispenser, which was installed later that week. Installation went very well. Excellent seam in the countertop! Plumbing was done very well. We love the new look and functionality. Will have them install a tile backsplash in January. Tile backsplash was installed on Jan. 13 and 14. Beautiful job!