Built-IN Refrigerators

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Paris167

Paris167

New member
I've never dealt with built-in refrigerators but the home we are purchasing has a 42" width by 84" height for a built-in refrigerator. The design center was charging $5k for the refrigerator which initially we thought was crazy! But looking at these large ones out on the market they are selling for 7k-9k! (the most I've ever spent of a refrigerator in the past has been 3k)

Anyone have experience or have done research on built in refrigerators? Any preferred brands? I heard Subzero was good but they are pricyey. The design center gives a GE monogram and the few reviews I've read on it were not so good.

We have to decide if we're going with the design center within the next 2 days. Appreciate any recs.
 
WTTCMN said:
www.talkirvine.com/index.php/topic,11876.msg234426.html#msg234426

On the brands, not that many choices. I would take the ge at that price.
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I know looking at the costs out there now the design center actually looks like a deal FOR ONCE!
Looking at the different brands they all have average reviews and the GE monogram ones were not so good for the reviews I saw.
Is it worth paying 2-3k out of pocket additonally after COE for a better built-in?
(although there aren't any outstaning ones on the market that I can see)
 
WTTCMN said:
Oh and are you doing flooring outside?  If so, see if the design center will let you buy it and have it installed after COE so you can get flooring done first. Mine let me do that. My fridge was installed about a week after COE.
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So do you buy the flooring material through them and have it installed independently? They said that by COE they needed flooring on everything to "pass code". Because I didn't want to drill into the tile in kitchen and entry way and go through that headache I was going to just do 1st floor flooring through them and then get a guy to rip out carpet on stairs and upstairs and do a matching wood flooring on those. It's so much easier to just rip out carpet than break up tile.

DC wanted 10k JUST for wood on stairs - crazy!
 
If you have to do a built-in, I would do it through the design center.

And I don't think you need get a manufacturer extended warranty... you'll get builder coverage for at least the first year and then after that buy a home warranty that will cover everything.
 
Subzero is well regarded but pricey.  Aftermarket flooring companies will have to move out the built in and put it back in place. 

Btw, if you want wood stairs, you should go with the builder.  It's not an after COE type of job cuz the newels and balusters are already in place.  I love wood stairs, beautiful and easy to keep clean, but pricey.
 
OCgasman said:
Subzero is well regarded but pricey.  Aftermarket flooring companies will have to move out the built in and put it back in place. 

Btw, if you want wood stairs, you should go with the builder.  It's not an after COE type of job cuz the newels and balusters are already in place.  I love wood stairs, beautiful and easy to keep clean, but pricey.
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What?? There's no way to do it after COE??!!
 
Paris167 said:
I've never dealt with built-in refrigerators but the home we are purchasing has a 42" width by 84" height for a built-in refrigerator. The design center was charging $5k for the refrigerator which initially we thought was crazy! But looking at these large ones out on the market they are selling for 7k-9k! (the most I've ever spent of a refrigerator in the past has been 3k)

Anyone have experience or have done research on built in refrigerators? Any preferred brands? I heard Subzero was good but they are pricyey. The design center gives a GE monogram and the few reviews I've read on it were not so good.

We have to decide if we're going with the design center within the next 2 days. Appreciate any recs.
Click to expand...

It was pricey, but doing our SubZero through the builder was one of the best decisions in my new home. It wasn't a standard offering/upgrade, but still got builder pricing since our builder was doing other SubZero fridges as part of their offerings. After dealing with warranty issues on things done through the builder and things done not through the builder, I'm a big advocate of doing as much as you can afford through the builder.

download_zps49423558.jpg
 
I agree - go with the builder for electrical, kitchen/bathroom upgrades. But for flooring, washer/dryer, shutters, refrigerator I did not go with the builder.
 
NYT said:
Paris167 said:
I've never dealt with built-in refrigerators but the home we are purchasing has a 42" width by 84" height for a built-in refrigerator. The design center was charging $5k for the refrigerator which initially we thought was crazy! But looking at these large ones out on the market they are selling for 7k-9k! (the most I've ever spent of a refrigerator in the past has been 3k)

Anyone have experience or have done research on built in refrigerators? Any preferred brands? I heard Subzero was good but they are pricyey. The design center gives a GE monogram and the few reviews I've read on it were not so good.

We have to decide if we're going with the design center within the next 2 days. Appreciate any recs.
Click to expand...

It was pricey, but doing our SubZero through the builder was one of the best decisions in my new home. It wasn't a standard offering/upgrade, but still got builder pricing since our builder was doing other SubZero fridges as part of their offerings. After dealing with warranty issues on things done through the builder and things done not through the builder, I'm a big advocate of doing as much as you can afford through the builder.

download_zps49423558.jpg
Click to expand...

Oh I love that subzero built in! Ok I will ask DC if they can do another type of built in - they may offer other types for Saviero or their other builds - I didn't know you could do that.
 
Pro for not doing built-in:

If you don't plan on staying in the home long, you can take your fridge with you.

Con for not doing built-in:

When you list, test will post a picture of your fridge.
 
Let me ask the stupid question. Other than the look, is there any reason to buy a built-in fridge?

Going by the looks of NYT, I dont see much difference between standalone and built-in.. don't they all look the same? I should be missing something.
 
Yeah, just looks.  I think a freestanding fridge in the built in space looks Fugly.  And especially looks odd on a high end home.  Spend the extra money.
 
OCgasman said:
Yeah, just looks.  I think a freestanding fridge in the built in space looks Fugly.  And especially looks odd on a high end home.  Spend the extra money.
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Agreed! Oh that photo looks horrible!
 
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