Creative Kitchens LLC

Outstanding. David is the complete professional offering tips on other parts of our remodel I.e countertops,. Everything was done as estimated, completely cleaned up all work area. His team built additional cabinets and drawers to my specifications and all match perfectly.

Cabinets are great. Work was fast--less than one week. Final product was all I could hope for, and I'm very happy with it. A few minor issues. Clean up wasn't perfect--I still have a piece of equipment and a drill bit at my house that were left behind a few months ago. Also had some miscommunications--I thought they would provide cabinet pulls and they thought I would. Not a big deal, but had to make a last-minute run to the store for them. I also thought they would install the microwave surround they suggested, but it turns out they only do that if it's all there when they're doing the work (and even then they'r apparently not supposed to); mine arrived damaged and had to be reshipped, so it wasn't there (and still isn't installed...)

They did an excellent job. They were a little slow, but that's because they were inundated with other work. They were very creative and helped us with deciding what to do. They were helpful with the samples, it looks like we have a brand new kitchen.

The crew was professional and did a great job. The owner (Rich) makes promises and doesn't always keep them. I feel sorry for his lead man (Tomas) who is often placed in the middle to deal with unhappy customers because Rich is continually adjusting the work schedule to deal with complaining customers. Anyone considering using this firm needs to get everything in writing including the completion date. We engaged this firm on July 12 and were promised that the project would be completed prior to our move-in date, September 10. This gave them almost 6 weeks after our taking possession of the house. It did not happen. The project was completed on the 13th only after several phone calls.

We loved the sinwood natural woodgrain cabinets in our mid century home's country kitchen (and master bath) but after 50 years they needed new hardware and refinishing.  We wanted to keep the original cabinets as they matched the doors and woodwork throughout the house.  Creative Kitchens did an excellent job and, frankly, it turned out better than I had expected. I initially thought the overall price seemed a bit steep and wanted to be sure of how well it would turn out so Rich Pickens took an extra cabinet door to his shop and refinished it as a "sample", which turned out so well we agreed to have them do the work  (another lower priced contractor refused the opportunity to provide a similar sample of work product).  Incredibly important fact for those who have had bad experiences with remodelers and contractors:  Tomas and his crew showed up on Monday as scheduled and worked steadily until the job was done on Wednesday. They committed all of their time to getting the job done quickly, which minimized the inconvenience of not being able to use the kitchen during the process. Considering the diligence they demonstrated in completing the job and the excellent result obtained, and a nod to the remodeler's philosophy of "you get what you pay for", we ultimately decided that the price was more reasonable than we had first thought.  They took great care to "tent" and ventilate the kitchen area while they were working so sanding dust and fumes did not encroach the rest of the house. They did a very good job of cleaning up every day, and especially at the end.  Rich Pickens followed up afterwards to make sure we were satisfied. I would highly recommend Creative Kitchens and would use them again. <br />

the manager went through what we wanted.  made a list.  then he and the carpenter came over and again discussed our wishes, the carpenter measured, etc. <br /> the carpenter started almost right away. the work was completed within a week.  It is wonderful. just what we wanted.   <br /> we would recommend this business to everyone. <br />

We couldn't be more pleased with the final project...they completely transformed our kitchen!  They were on time, professional and the work that that do is AMAZING!!! <br />

Okay for the most part.  Workers did a good job on cabinets.  I called Mr. Pickens a few months later to see if he can refinish some bathroom cabinets.  We set a date for an appointment and he never showed up.  I have not heard from him since.  If he did not want the job he should just say so instead of pretending that he is interested.  Very odd. <br />

Went well.  I wasn't happy with the way the doors closed and they responded imediately and fixed it to my satisfaction. x <br />

The work was well done and quickly corrected when needed. It took a little longer than projected. I,m very happy with the results. <br /> Suggested deeper sink worked out well. <br />

We were given a very good price and given ideas to improve our kitchen that we had not thought of. <br />  The work that they did along with the quality of the products used was outstanding. The employees were outstanding. We highly recommend  them.  We had our entire kitchen refaced, they replaced the doors with wood doors and new drawers that have a built in soft  close.  We had our counterop expanded and replaced with a new top. They installed in new drop in sink and new faucet.  We also had pull out drawers installed and they moved the microwave up to make better use of the kitchen.  We had the counters enlarged, which we love. <br /> Ken & Lyn Wallway <br /> Vancouver <br />

<p>They we excellent. They would call if they were going to be late because we live in the middle of no ware. The showed up did their work they nice buys. One of the guys helped me unload hay. They just people and they did an incredible job the kitchen totally changed,. They did a lot of thing that they didn't need to do because they said that if they did not do it would not look right if they did not do it. Nothing but good things to say about them. It was better then we expected when it got done. They answered all of my questions and it would do it again. I would not consider using anyone else.</p>

<p>The job went very well....they came out and removed all doors and drawers , Zeb removed the tile counter tops that were to be replaced with granite and built up the front of our island to receive the new breakfast bar.</p> <p>They stripped all cabinets and refinished them and were very clean about their work.....the finish is beautiful and looks great with our new granite counters and appliances.</p> <p><br /></p> <br />

We had our kitchen cabinets refinished by Creative Kitchens approximately 2 years ago.  I have waited this long to comment for a few reasons but mainly because I was so upset when they first finished that I knew I could not provide a constructive review and because I wanted to see how the work held up.  We had 3 companies come look at our kitchen and ended up going with Creative Kitchens because their price was reasonable (it was not the cheapest) and because they appreared to know their business.  Our custom built maple and cherry cabinets were orignally installed in 1996 so were in need of a good cleanup and refinish but not any changes to the coloration or configuration.  We were very concerned about the process causing any coloration change other than the possible slight lightening that would normally come with removing the original finish.  Both Rich and Gary went on and on about how important it was to correctly deal with both maple and cherry wood to keep them from turning off color so that gave us great confidence in their services.  We felt they were as concerned about this possible problem as we were.  We also, multiple time, told both Rich & Gary that the original finish on the cabinets was wax based and not a lacquer or shellac.  While it appeared that they listened to us it was obvious that they did not when the first problem came up.  When Thomes and his crew came to "strip" the finish it was obvious that they did not use a product that removed wax but instead used their normal process for removing lacquer or shellac.  They noted how little finish was removed and how quickly they could get on to the refinish work.  One day to "strip" instead of the original estimate of 2 to 3 days.  Perhaps this should have been a wake up to Creative Kitchens that something was unusual and that maybe a conversation with the homeowners was in order.  Needless to say, no conversation was held, in fact, it is possible that they began the refinish work on day 1.  Before the entire kitchen was complete, the finish on the areas that had been done had started to peel off of the areas that were first done.  When we complained we were basically told to keep out of the kitchen and give the finish time to cure. When we continued to complain Rich and/or Gary finally came to our home to investigate and they determined that their really was a problem and that the "strip" and refinish process would have to start over.  At this point we were pretty much committed to having them finish the work since the kitchen was basically unusable.  As the work continued there were other problems, including areas that had to be done a 3rd time, and many other inconveniences along the way but Rich was always quick to effectively say, not to worry, we will make it right.  When everything was finally done, the kitchen looked good and we were generally happy with the outcome but certainly not happy with the process.  However, Gary's parting shot was to inform us that since our cabinet doors did not have handles, they would not guarantee the finish.  At no point in the process had anything been said about our doors not having handles or a voided warranty. <br /> For the first year, year and a half, we did not notice any problems but over the last 6 months the coloration on much of the cherry has started to turn.  In some areas it has lightened considerable (instead of darkening as one would expect) even in areas that recieve no natural light.  In other areas the wood is getting very blotchy and the finish is starting to appear almost opague.  Some areas are fine and some areas look terrible. <br /> A few months ago, before our cabinets startled looking bad, I ran into Rich at a home show.  As I walked by he approched me and mentioned that I looked familar and wondered where we might have met.  I re-introduced myself  and in our conversation he mentioned that they had fired the man who was their head worker (Thomas) shortly after our kitchen had been done; because of many problems with his work.  That certainly did not make me feel good about the work he did in our kitchen but since we had yet to start experience problems I didn't give it alot of thought.  I guess I should have given it more consideration at the time but now I can understand why he was let go even though when we first hired Creative Kitchens we were assured that Thomas was the best in the business. <br /> No, we were not the easiest of clients, but when one is paying to have a service performed, one has the right to expect that the work be done correctly.  In our case, the work done by Creative Cabinets has certainly not lived up to our expectations or to the promises made to us.  After spending that much money we would have expected that we would not have arrived at the point of having to consider having our cabinets redone after only 2 years.  Hopefully, the problems with the work done will not have ruined our cabinets to the point that they are unfixable. <br />

I am very happy with the work they did when they finally got around to doing it. I wanted to also have my counter tops done, but have finally given up because after calling 4 to 5 times, and finally getting a response, I was promised to get a call back the next day, and have not heard again for almost a week. This has happened several times now. I started this project with them in July and it is now November and I have to give up - as they obviously don't want any more of my business. Very disappointed - Rich is a really nice guy and I think the company does great work - but I have totally lost confidence in their ability to follow through.

unknown

Fianl outcome was good,but challenging to communicate with this compant per dues dates and confirmation of onsite service delivery.

<p>Rich Pickens is very personable and knowledgeable about kitchen remodeling.  They do not "oversell" and their pricing is extremely reasonable.  The project began on March 11, and the last item that needed to be fixed was completed on May 9.  The stain on the cabinets looks very nice, but Rich talked us into keeping a wood finish on the windowsill behind the sink.  That has already showed signs of water spotting (which is what we had before).  We have been informed that its the way the wood is, not water spotting.  Consequently when we have the tile backsplash installed (by another company), the window sill will be tiled as well.  Communication with Creative Kitchens/Rich is HORRIBLE!  Initially, after receiving the estimate and making the down payment, Rich said it would be about 3-4 weeks before they could start.  One week later we receive a call saying they'll be there in two days.  So the kitchen got packed up quickly!  </p> When the team completed refinishing the cabinets, and we asked when the new doors and drawers would be installed for the linen cabinets (on a Friday), we were told "sometime next week".  When I tried to contact Rich to find out what "sometime next week" meant so we could arrange for someone to be at the house.....no response.  "Sometime next week" was actually the following Monday afternoon when Zeb showed up to install the cabinets.  Fortunately, my son was home to let him in.  NOTE:  Zeb does AMAZING cabinetry work and is the sole reason we didn't grade Creative Kitchens lower.  The linen closets are beautiful---thank you Zeb! <br /> Rich referred us to Galaxy Stoneworks for the countertops, and Galaxy is a great place to work with--but we learned they only accept orders through general contractors so we were at the mercy of waiting for Rich to communicate the countertop pricing......that took three weeks and several phone calls to make happen.  I fully believe had it not been for the intervention of Galaxy's sales rep, Charlene, we'd still be waiting for countertops.  Rich/Creative Kitchens was generous in keeping labor and material costs low, to make up for the lack of communication during the countertop process. <br /> Overall, the kitchen looks nice.  They did forget to install one edge strip on the inside of three of the cabinets.  It has been installed, but the stain is about 2 shades lighter than the rest of the kitchen.  It's behind doors, so we let it go at that.  Overall, the kitchen looks nice.  If you use Creative Kitchens, understand that communication is not their strong suit and "I'll get back to you tomorrow" usually means a minimum of a week. <br />

I need to start by saying that this was a large project. The house is filled with beautiful woodwork, but everything was oak and looked dated. I found Creative Kitchens on-line and was happy with the reviews so I gave a call and met Rich Pickens at the house. At the time, I really didn?t know much about the cost difference between refacing and refinishing. Rich was helpful in explaining the cost difference and actually encouraged me to take the less expensive route. Since the woodwork and craftsmanship in the house really was top quality, he recommended not replacing all of the cabinet fronts (the much more expensive route) and just stripping and refinishing them. I was concerned that I would not be able to get the look I wanted with oak, but he stated that his guys could work miracles with oak ? and he was right. I had done plenty of research on what look I was going for, and Rich gave me at least a hundred of small finished pieces of stained oak to pick just the right stain. I went with a darker stain that would also get glazed (this puts a bit of a black finish around the corners and crevices). Then for the island, I choose a black stain that would be slightly distressed. The darker look complements the white counter tops that I would be keeping. Rich had his team stain a few of the cabinet doors with the colors I chose and let me ?sit on it? for awhile to make sure I really had what I wanted. He also had his colleague Gary come and look at the house for a second opinion concerning cost. Rich gave me the estimate which was just under $16,000. I agreed to it and then he created the contract which we went over and both signed. I was to pay in 3 installments; one beginning, middle, and then the end. We also committed to the work timeline/schedule. <br />   <br /> Next the work began. At this point I met the crew that would do the bulk of the work, led by Tomas. They were all very courteous and polite. Once Tomas saw the house, he had some additional suggestions that were great concerning the more detailed aspects of the job, including picking knobs and pulls and some of the custom styled cabinets . The first thing they did was to tape off everything that could be affected by their work. They did an extremely thorough job. <br />   <br /> Here comes the difficult part for my family which really couldn?t be avoided. The areas where they were working really couldn?t be used for the duration of the project, which meant we didn?t have a kitchen. It would have been great if we could have planned a 2 week vacation around this project, but that just didn?t work for my family's schedules. I have three busy kids and my husband and I couldn?t take the time off work. We went into the project knowing that this would be the case, so we were prepared. Kudos to the crew, in that they stuck to the schedule and we were not out of the kitchen for any longer than what was planned (about 2 weeks). The crew was great ? I had complete trust in them to be in our house while we were gone during the days. If they finished before we got home, then they would lock up for us. Each day they left the house as user friendly as they could. <br />   <br /> The project was completed on time and the house is absolutely beautiful ? I couldn?t be more pleased. Rich, Gary, and Tomas reassured me that if there was anything that wasn?t quite right or that needed fixing down the road to just call and they would be out. I?ve already tested this when a couple of hinges weren?t working quite right ? and they?ve already taken care of it. <br />   <br /> I highly recommend Creative Kitchens for any refinishing/refacing work ? simple or complex. I especially recommend them for updating oak ? it?s really is amazing how they can transform the look of a room.

I met the owner Rich Pickens at one of those remodeler's conventions. I went with my husband and had wanted to update our home in some small and less expensive ways. I just clicked with him. So, I had him come to the house for he bid. He was upbeat but not pushy and he was fun to talk with, which put me more at ease. Easy to listen to and understand and he always wanted to know if I had questions or concerns and if I was understanding what he was saying. This was all a new world for me and I told him this to begin with. I felt like I needed to be guided through this maze and he did so with ease and grace and never made me feel l like a dummy. Then the crews came in started the work. This all went pretty well, given that now there are guys in the house that just do not belong there. They were very careful with the carpets, took all of the old materials away, and generally respected my space. Oh, the work went past the Christmas holidays so just before Christmas they cleared out and put most of the kitchen back together so I could cook (sort of) and made it much easier to get through the holidays than it might have been. They were very concerned about this for my family. Then when Christmas was over, they came back in and started again. All in all, it was done very quickly and very smoothly. Now I have this wonderful, beautiful kitchen that I love! And, when they were done, Rich said, call for any reason and we will come out and help with any problems or concern you have. It was money well spent and this company is well worth the cost. Very high quality and very good company ethics.

unknown

I just could not believe how nice they were. They acted like they cared when they came out to give us an estimate. They just impressed us completely. They were on time which is important to me. They were on budget. The workers were so considerate. Everything about it turned out way beyond my expectations. I just did not expect such a great experience. Every time I walk into the kitchen I smile. It is absolutely just wonderful. I can find nothing wrong with the kitchen. They were absolutely wonderful and just give them glowing, rave reviews.

My experience with Creative Kitchens was very positive from beginning to end. Gary was very accessible and would return my calls promptly. I had many questions but Gary was patient with me and offered good advice. The installers were cordial and clean. They arrived on time and worked efficiently. Gary didn't ask me for final payment until the process was complete and I was happy. I would recommend Creative Kitchens and will use them again should the need arise.