[cptskippy]

The fit and finish items in new construction in the US is also what I would deem substandard but with the option to upgrade. That's typically how developers can offer homes starting at very low price points, because quality finishes can increase the home selling price by 25-50%.

There are plenty of renovators that will be happy to install floating floor systems and other garbage but the traditional materials and installers still exist and don't charge that much of a premium. Many times the newer methods require subfloor modifications or other added costs that usually bring them in parity with the traditional products but the end result is much lower quality.

[NeedMoreTea]

Here, the bespoke cabinet makers doing things the traditional way are often on par or even less than the installation companies. I think people simply assume they are right at the premium end so don't even ask for a quote -- as a result may not get all the work they deserve. Box installers meanwhile have bumped prices up to "insane", right where I might expect a carpenter making genuinely fitted cabinetry.