Can You Identify Poor Quality?
"Anything worth doing is worth doing right."
Hunter S. Thomson said those famous words, but we don’t know if he knew how to identify poor quality. However, I am not sure the creator of Gonzo journalism was thinking about kitchen installations in particular. But we really don’t know that either – do we?
In general, I do not believe that any task’s final result is based solely on the skill set of the one who is doing the job. I also don’t believe that better and more tools will necessarily give you a better result. These two factors are essential, but the one thing that is far more important than the others when it comes to the result’s quality is the mindset.
Over the years, I’ve seen skilled tradespeople do a terrible job installing Ikea kitchens simply because they didn’t set their bar really high. Sure, they had the skills and tools, but they didn’t care about the final result enough to do whatever was necessary to excel. Or maybe they didn’t know how to identify poor quality.
It is all in the mindset.
Anyone who has decided to take on a big project, such as putting in a new kitchen, should decide how good they want the result to be before even starting. That certainly goes for professionals who ask their clients to pay for their services, but I think this approach also should be true for DIYs.
If you have decided to install your own Ikea kitchen, I think you should first decide to do a great job. Not just good enough, but GREAT.
Why settle for mediocrity when you can have perfect? The cost of the material is the same. The time for doing work is almost the same. Why not decide to be great?
Can you identify poor quality?
Years of experience with kitchen installations have provided me with an eye for detail. I know where to look and what to look for. But what about you? Do you know how to identify poor quality when it is right under your nose?
Check the examples below by pulling the slider from side to side to see if you can identify poor quality from good.
These bad examples were done in a kitchen installed by a “Certified Ikea Kitchen installer,” the customer found on Craig’s List.
Not only am I surprised that anyone would charge money to deliver such poor quality, but it puzzles me that the customer didn’t react and ask for the issue rectified. But maybe they didn’t know how to identify poor quality themselves.
When done, check my comments at the bottom of the page.
A
B
C
D
E
Comments – Can you identify poor quality?
EXAMPLE A
This is an easy one. The doors in the picture to the left are not adjusted to line up as they should. The doors to the right are much better and almost perfect.
EXAMPLE B
“Caulk is my friend” could very well be the motto of the guy who did this valence. Jeez.
EXAMPLE C
The position of the drawer hardware on the left side is wrong and secured with one screw only.
EXAMPLE D
The rail to the left is mounted using the wrong screws and cut too short, so a tiny piece has been added. Not good. The short piece of rail was not even screwed into a stud, so the cabinet was hanging all slanted. This example of inadequate quality is the worst of them all. Since only one side of the wall cabinet will be hanging on this short piece of rail, it is a severe safety hazard, which the video below clearly demonstrates.
EXAMPLE E
This one goes without saying! Inside drawers must be installed with equal space between them, of course.
How many mistakes did you identify? Please comment below.