Built-in refrigerator

sonoma said:
Any updates?
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I called a cabinet maker and they charge upto $1500 to modify the cabinet to fit a built-in.  It includes replacing crown molding, removing taller cabinet, builiding and installing shorter cabinet to make the opening taller, and putting the filler on the sides to make the opening about 1/2" narrower.
So if you do want a built-in, you may want to have the builder do it.

I am leaning towards a free standing as I read on the Consumer Reports that the built-ins are repair proned.  The repair cost will be much higher also.  Finally after getting conflicting information about longevity of built-in vs freestanding, I called KitchenAid and they told me the life expectancy for built-in is identical to a free standing fridge which is 13 years. 

 
I have heard about that its costly to repair built in frig.  I kind of like the idea of getting a counter depth and modifying the cabinets to make it look built in.  With this approach you can even that the frig with you if you move.  However, I'm still up in the air about this.
 
what do you expect kitchenaid to say about their more profitable product?  that it is *more* repair needy?

unless the built-in has an access panel, they are a true pain to repair. 

and how do you vacuum the condenser coils? 

and how much higher is the operating temperature in the enclosed space that the compressor has to work against?

 
freedomcm said:
what do you expect kitchenaid to say about their more profitable product?  that it is *more* repair needy?

unless the built-in has an access panel, they are a true pain to repair. 

and how do you vacuum the condenser coils? 

and how much higher is the operating temperature in the enclosed space that the compressor has to work against?
Click to expand...

The built-ins have access panel above the frigde.  That's why they are 84 inches high.  You remove the top panel when you need to get to the compressor.  You would also remove the top panel to vacuum the coils, so vacuuming is actually easier with built-in since you don't have to move the fridge.

The problem I see is that when the built-in breaks, then you will have to pay HIGH dollars to repair them.  The parts will cost a lot more since they are for high-end, low-volume product.  Also, the repair man will be charging more because he will figure you can afford more since you paid $8K+ for a fridge.  He will also have to covers himself by charging more in case he messes up something and pay out of his pocket.

And finally, when the fridge does break to the point where you have to replace it, you will need to pay another $8K+.

Having said that, I am about to go cancel my built-in fridge order.
 
I talked to some of my coworkers who have nice houses on whether they have built-in fridge or not.

It seems like that the ones who do have built-in fridge also has rest of the appliances of similar level of luxury.  For example, they have 48" commercial style cooktop, or Viking dual fuel Range, or Miele dishwasher, etc.

For Sonoma's 36" $1000 cooktop, is the $8000 built-in fridge is way over the top and not a good match??


 
Walking through the unfinished Sonoma homes, I want to say only 1 out of 6 homes got the built-in from the builder.
 
sonoma said:
Walking through the unfinished Sonoma homes, I want to say only 1 out of 6 homes got the built-in from the builder.
Click to expand...

That sounds about right.  I walked through many homes also saw only a few with built-in from the builder.

I would think that built-in fridge may fit Carmel better since they have nicer appliances.  I remember Carmel showing me 48" 6 burner cooktop with griddle as standard cooktop.  It was much nicer than the 36" 5 burner cooktop at Sonoma.  I don't remember too much about other appliances, but am sure they are nicer also.
 
something to consider which seems to have been mentioned by another poster.  i considered a built-in (outside of the builder) and a counter-depth.  i went with a counter-depth with additional matching molding to fill in the gaps to give a somewhat near appearance of a built-in.  i'm glad i did.  here is what i noticed between the two options.

built-in:  (1) cost of refrigerator with cabinet modification would have run ~$7,500, (2) color of the stainless steel would have more closely matched the stainless steel of the other appliances, (3) like true stainless steel built-ins, the doors are not magnetic, (4) looks nicer

counter-depth:  (1) cost of refrigerator with cabinet filled in cost ~$2,700, (2) color of stainless a little off, (3) doors are magnetic, (5) looks good when the gaps are filled in, (6) based on the model selected results in a loss of only ~0.7 cu ft which is like half of those tiny dorm refrigerators (7) it may be slightly noisier than a built-in but not a big deal

i figured that in case my counter-depth breaks down, i can replace it twice before i get to the cost of the built-in
 
myirvine said:
something to consider which seems to have been mentioned by another poster.  i considered a built-in (outside of the builder) and a counter-depth.  i went with a counter-depth with additional matching molding to fill in the gaps to give a somewhat near appearance of a built-in.  i'm glad i did.  here is what i noticed between the two options.

built-in:  (1) cost of refrigerator with cabinet modification would have run ~$7,500, (2) color of the stainless steel would have more closely matched the stainless steel of the other appliances, (3) like true stainless steel built-ins, the doors are not magnetic, (4) looks nicer

counter-depth:  (1) cost of refrigerator with cabinet filled in cost ~$2,700, (2) color of stainless a little off, (3) doors are magnetic, (5) looks good when the gaps are filled in, (6) based on the model selected results in a loss of only ~0.7 cu ft which is like half of those tiny dorm refrigerators (7) it may be slightly noisier than a built-in but not a big deal

i figured that in case my counter-depth breaks down, i can replace it twice before i get to the cost of the built-in
Click to expand...

Did you purchase 2010 collection? 

 
Irvine2Irvine said:
sonoma said:
Any updates?
Click to expand...

I called a cabinet maker and they charge upto $1500 to modify the cabinet to fit a built-in.  It includes replacing crown molding, removing taller cabinet, builiding and installing shorter cabinet to make the opening taller, and putting the filler on the sides to make the opening about 1/2" narrower.
So if you do want a built-in, you may want to have the builder do it.

I am leaning towards a free standing as I read on the Consumer Reports that the built-ins are repair proned.  The repair cost will be much higher also.  Finally after getting conflicting information about longevity of built-in vs freestanding, I called KitchenAid and they told me the life expectancy for built-in is identical to a free standing fridge which is 13 years.
Click to expand...

I went into a store, which I won't mention the name, and the sales guy basically convinced me not to get a built-in.  He said the expectancy is more like 10 years rather than 13.  He also said that these built-in will not work better than the freestandings.  I'm like 99% sure I won't do the built-in now.
 
sonoma said:
I went into a store, which I won't mention the name, and the sales guy basically convinced me not to get a built-in.  He said the expectancy is more like 10 years rather than 13.  He also said that these built-in will not work better than the freestandings.  I'm like 99% sure I won't do the built-in now.
Click to expand...

I cancelled my built-in order and got money back.  I am going to stick with the freestanding.  The built-in looks better outside, but the freestanding has looks nicer inside and has more features.  So, I call them a draw, except for the price.
 
I took a look at the built-ins, counter-depths and freestanding this weekend.  The probably with the counter dept is they don't make a 42" (leaves a lot of gaps.  The freestanding has better features but seems to stick out a lot in the front.  I've not made up my mine but the way the sonoma homes are built is kind of tough to get a fridge that sticks out at least 6+ inches from the rest of the cabinets.
 
nytransplant said:
I took a look at the built-ins, counter-depths and freestanding this weekend.  The probably with the counter dept is they don't make a 42" (leaves a lot of gaps.  The freestanding has better features but seems to stick out a lot in the front.  I've not made up my mine but the way the sonoma homes are built is kind of tough to get a fridge that sticks out at least 6+ inches from the rest of the cabinets.
Click to expand...

If you do go with counterdepth freestanding fridge, you can cover up the side gaps with trim kits stained to match the cabinet.  Any cabinet maker can do that fairly easily.  The cabinet guy I am talking to right now for the dining room buffet will do the trim kit for free if I go with him for the buffet cabinets.  Hartmark will charge me $300+ for the 3 trim pieces and installation.
 
My cabinet guy started work on the dining room cabinets.  I am having him take out the tall cabinet above the fridge space and  put in a panel so a built-in fridge will fit.  At the same time, he is making me trim kits on 3 sides to fit my current 36" freestanding refrigerator.  This way I will have an option to go either built-in or freestanding.  He is charging a couple of hundred dollars extra to do this, but it will give me time to think about it and shop around if I dedide to change the fridge.
 
nytransplant said:
Is your freestanding fridge a counter-depth?
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No it's not, but it is a nice stainless steel fridge that I had for a few years.  It sticks out a few inches but it looks just OK in the slot.  Counter depth or built-in will definitely look better. 
 
I really don't like that ice/water dispenser on the front of my fridge... I prefer the clean industrial look.

And I'm a bit picky about water piped through a pvc pipe into my fridge and through a water filter. I'd rather use a Brita filter on the faucet, bottled water or something else. Actually, I put store-bought ice in my ice dispenser... my relatives think I'm nuts.
 
Fridge without ice/water dispenser definitely looks nicer and I want to get one. 

But, my active kids make a very good use out of ice/water dispenser. 
 
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