Rubio Custom Cabinetry

The original formica shade was no longer made so we had to find as close a match as possible.  The first replacement snapped off a piece of formica when it was closed and he had to redo it.  He did that at no charge, of course, and was very pleasant and helpful througout.  I don't really remember the date or the cost.  These are guesses.

He was excellent. It just took a while for me to get my furniture made and he was understaffed. He was very honest. He kept in touch with me. The people that he did have working for him were not available when he needed them. But he made a fine cabinet for me and it was reasonable priced. I would hire them again. He finished the cabinet at his shop and he brought it to me and installed it himself. I ordered it and made a 50% down-payment and it took a while for him to come and speak to me, because he had another call that took him out of the country for a month. In the meantime I was calling to find out if anybody was in his office to tell me how the project was going. He did not have anyone to answer the phone and he himself did not call me to notify me that he was leaving the country. Then finally, a month later, I got a hold of him and he apologized for not getting back to me or notifying me. So then I asked if he could come and make me a sketch of what the project would be and measured the wall for where I am going to put it. He came back and we did that. He just didn't have adequate staffing to follow-through with anything. I will use him again. I have a couple of other things I want him to make. I was very honest with him and I said I expected this to be done at the end of the year last year, and it is already March and we are just getting down to installing it. So he apologized and I will use him again, but he understands me and I understand him. He was professional when I did see him, however very slow in the process.

We could not be happier. While a bit skeptical of re-facing vs replacement, Leo converted our kitchen cabinets from bleached 80's oak to distressed white oak using a 1/4" veneer (not tape) at half the cost while adding many custom features along the way. The Virginia Black granite counter tops and the white marble over the distressed black island Leo built including a built-in spice, pan and recycling bins gave us the kitchen of our dreams.

 Leo also built and installed a custom cabinet for our (190lb) farm sink and another to enclose the refrigerator as we wanted to keep a full size refrigerator.  Bead board was used to enclose the refrigerator.  All kitchen cabinets have crown molding top and bottom detailing which was the perfect finishing touch.

The island is the centerpiece of the new kitchen and has drawn raves from all who visit.  He customized it to our standards and offered ideas further enhancing the outcome.

 He removed a dated wet-bar and installed bead board against the back wall with distressing.  His work is impeccable.

He worked with our designer to construct a beautiful wood fireplace mantle and surround.   His next project will be an entertainment center for the family room.

Leo Rubio did a wonderful job for us at an extremely reasonable price.  Unlike another refacing company I interviewed, he was very willing to customize the job to suit our needs rather being concerned with "the company look."  We have ideas of our own and he made them happen very beautifully in gorgeous maple wood exquisitely finished.  He completely rebuilt all of the drawers and used very excellent quality hardware so that all drawers pull out completely and all doors/drawers close quietly.  He transformed 2 false fronts into very helpful drawers, rebuilt the wood framing around our lighting fixture to match the cabinets and installed the door and drawer handles we purchased.  The kitchen looks brand new and much better than it ever has.  Everyone who seen it has been so impressed with the beauty and craftsmanship!  In addition, Leo redesigned the space and cabinetry surrounding our new our new oven and microwave with consideration to our unusual needs.  He also customized my knife drawer with a custom knife block insert.  Leo Rubio is also just a really nice man and a pleasure to have working in the house.  I gave him a B grade on punctuality because he was usually 20 minutes late and needed an extra day to complete the job - wasn't a problem to me at all and we are so very happy with the work that it seems very trivial. We feel like we made a friend in Leo Rubio!

Leo Rubio is an true craftsman.  He is also kind, experienced and knowledgeable.  My grandfather, father and uncles were cabinet makers in another state.  I saw very high quality custom made cabinets at his shop.  He makes them himself from scratch.  Its good to have someone here in San Diego to go to for these needs.  
When I need a cabinet maker again, I will definitely call on Rubio Custom Cabinetry.  His updated contacts are:
Leo Rubio
Rubio Custom Cabinetry
1244 Knoxville Street, #B
San Diego, CA 92110
Tel: 858-518-5971
www.rubiocustomcabinetry.com
Email: [email protected]
Leo is a prince of a man!
 
Thank you, Steve Solomon

My kitchen was completed in February 2013.  Work was accomplished by Leobardo (Leo) Rubio, owner of Rubio Custom Cabinetry.  Initial work was begun in July of 2012.  Although this may seem like a long time, the remodel consisted of a complete rip out (plumbing.  floor tile, and partial wallboard) and rebuild.  The wait was worth it!
When Leo and I first met, we discussed what I was looking for ? there were no plans.  Initially, I was going to have maple cabinets, but a week or two after we talked I decided that, even though it was more expensive, bamboo would be more fitting and, since Leo was still in the process of generating plans, there was no problem modifying the wood type.  My custom house has a light colored tongue-in-groove ceiling and all of the furniture is light colored Scandinavian style.  There are four major areas in the open floor design ? living room, dining room, breakfast nook, and kitchen.  The only features that break up the rooms are the partial walls that surround the pantry and a huge double-sided fireplace.  This makes the kitchen perfect for parties as it is visible from almost any location in the living area.  For this reason, my idea was to have European cabinets in natural colored bamboo to enhance the
open nature of the space.
One of the best things about working with Leo was his flexibility and willingness to try new ideas.  When I mentioned bamboo he indicated he had never used that material, but he was excited to take on the challenge.  Numerous modifications and additions occurred during the build and installation and Leo took them all in stride ? never losing his good humor and ?can do? attitude.
All kitchen cabinets use soft-closing drawers (Blum hardware) rather than doors and all cupboard doors hinge upward in a bi-fold
fashion using soft close Blum hardware.  I requested this design due to my dislike of running into cupboard doors that were left open and this works out fantastically when cooking, as you can leave all of the cupboards open to access spices, dishes, and other items needed for cooking without closing a single door.  Once cooking is complete, all of the doors are closed and only a huge expanse of wood is visible.  No exposed hinges and only minimal hardware in the form of drawer pulls are visible.
Everything is custom ? no precut cabinet boxes, drawers, etc.  All dimensions were adjusted for my specific kitchen and then crafted out of solid ¾? bamboo.  Each set of cupboards and each of the major drawer areas have perfectly matched grain. 
Minimal gaps between the doors and drawers accentuate the matched grain and expanse of wood.
As Leo progressed, I decided I wanted my pantry shelves in an adjoining area to match the kitchen cabinets.  Leo custom fitted shelves and made a wet bar area with an opening for my wine cooler and designed custom wine racks that fit perfectly into my cabinets (upward hinged, of course).  Leo also made custom drawer trays for the island drawers.
One area that might have been a problem was the sink.  I selected a composite granite sink with an integral drain board.  The entire sink is roughly 5? wide and the drain board is located immediately over a corner lazy Susan, so building a door in that corner was a feat.  Leo manufactured a perfectly fitting folding door that perfectly matches the cabinetry right down to all of the edge trim
features afforded by bamboo.
I also requested a full shelf above the cupboards, sink, preparation area, and refrigerator that extended over the partial wall between my pantry and kitchen.  The shelf has a stainless steel strip recessed into the face that acts as an accent and matches all of the appliances.  The shelf also acts as a ?runway? for my Siamese cat (who assisted Leo throughout the project), so he
can oversee food preparation without being on counters where food is being prepared.
During the installation, Leo cleaned up every day.  Clutter was kept to a minimum and every effort was made to reduce sawdust from being tracked into other areas.  A majority of the woodwork was accomplished in Leo?s shop and floor protection, constant vacuuming, and attention to detail kept the area clean (even my cat couldn?t track and dirt out of the area!)
I cannot recommend Leo too highly.  His friendly nature, willingness to please and perfectionist nature make him a joy to work with ? and that doesn?t even take into account reasonable pricing (When you look at the price please recognize the wood and hardware I had Leo use are top of the line - expensive - and a good portion of the cost).  Leo truly loves his job and the result is exceptional quality.  You will not regret hiring him.

We received our estimate and decided to go ahead with the project.  Leo had superior knowledge of the refinishing and eased our minds.  At times he did run late when coming over but we are retired so we did not mind it.  The work that was done was well worth the times that we did have to wait for him to arrive.  Once it was completed we were amazed and the completed project.  He actually did more than what was on the bid and he did not charge any extra for it.  It now looks like we have a complete custom kitchen.  If you are ready to reface your cabinets I would definitely recommend him.  We have more projects for him after the holidays.  Very Very Very happy!!

Leo came over and gave me a quote for the cabinet work I needed done.  Though several things changed over the course of the work he never came back asking for a higher price which I found very impressive since there were a few time consuming hangups that every project seems to have.  Over the course of about a week he came in and refaced a tall wall cabinet in my bathroom as well as built and installed a beautiful new custom vanity to match.   Leo's attention to detail really showed itself when it comes to the finish on the pieces.  They are luminous. The stain and quality of the finish work on them make them as beautiful as several pieces of woodworking that I purchased as art (think turned bowls).  I absolutely can't wait until Leo can come refinish my kitchen cabinets!!!

So the inside of the cabinets are top notch as well. He worked with me to use a pre-fab quartz top I had bought. He installed soft close mechanisms on all doors and drawers. He even redesigned one of the door designs and started over on them because he didn't like how the finish product was working.  He also added several features that make the smallish vanity very useful: an interior hidden double decker drawer hidden under the sink, a hidden wide and deep drawer where the tow kick would usually be, and an awesomely deep drawer specifically designed for hairspray bottles etc.

Overall Leo is an artist and makes beautiful cabinets.  He is also very mild mannered and unassuming, and I felt comfortable being alone with him in my home. Seriously, don't buy a Home Depot or Lowers cabinet when for a very very similar price you can have Leo make you something that will be a showstopper. Oh, also he is fine with small jobs like mine, so don't think he won't return calls etc like some of the bigger operations.

After talking to several contractors and obtaining three estimates, I was happy to find Leo Rubio with Rubio Custom Cabinetry. His company not only did what I was looking for within the budget I had allocated for this project, but exceeded my expectations. Leo was involved hands-on in all the phases of the project. The end result is a beautiful and highly organized kitchen for my condo.

I am recommending Rubio Custom Cabinetry as a company well-specialized in the product offered, affordable, reliable, and professional.

His workmanship is excellent, and if you don't mind lack of punctuality, give him a call.

Leo Rubio came to my home and offered suggestions as to possibilities in updating my old cabinets.  We discussed the proceedure and finish options.  About a day later he came by with an estimate.  Based on his professional manner and other high grades he had received on Angie's List, we decided to proceed. I chose a simple Shaker style cabinet front in a painted finish which was appropriate for my beach home.  He took detailed measurements and told us that the work in his workshop woud take approximately 2 weeks. 
Everything was completed on time.  He is extremely considerate and the quality of the workmanship is beautiful.  We could not be happier with the appearance and function of this project.  I feel like we have a brand new kitchen equal to new cabinets that would cost thousands of dollars more.  I plan to contat him in the future for some custom cabinetry.

Amazingly well. We were nervous about having everything torn apart, but they were clean, very fast & efficient and the quality is excellent. There was no need to do much on our end at all, other than move stuff from old drawers to new drawers.