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How to get Kitchen Cabinets for Cheap

Kitchen cabinets are one the element which takes a big part of the budget when renovating the kitchen. Approximately it takes 30-40 percent of the cost from the budget for kitchen cabinets only. If your existing cabinets are in good shape then you can update kitchen cabinets for cheap by painting them. Read our DIY guide to spray paint kitchen cabinets here.

There are a lot of kitchen cabinets in the market. You can even hire professionals to make custom cabinets or have ready to fit designer made cabinets. Problem is most the options are expensive.

To get kitchen cabinets for cheap you have to be little creative. By doing some work on your own and finding economical material. You can save cost by choosing from RTA cabinets or finding old cabinets and transforming them according to your own personal taste. In this post, we will find some ways to get kitchen cabinets for cheap.

We also mentioned the pros and cons of them for you to decide.

Image Source: Pexels

Ready to assemble (RTA) cabinets

This one is a good choice if your budget is tight and you are looking for a temporary solution. Their cost varies depending on the material and design you choose. They have multiple design option which is very suitable for the small kitchen. If you have a bigger kitchen you can choose the same model in multiple quantities according to the size of your kitchen.

RTA cabinets can be a good option if you are looking kitchen cabinets for cheap. These cabinets are manufactured with pre-drill holes and cam lock system. They are not assembled so you will receive them in boxes. You can assemble them yourself or hire someone locally. They are available for cheap as a manufacturer is saving on the labor cost required for doing the assembly.

They are also saving on the cost of shipping and storage. With time quality of RTA, materials can increase very much. You can choose from low to high quality depending on your budget and time period you are expecting them to last.

Check out this 10 x 10 RTA kitchen cabinets from Amazon.

Image Source: Amazon

Pros of RTA cabinets

  • Cost efficient: If you consider the quality then they are fairly cost-efficient. It will be hard to find the same quality material at the cost you will spend on RTA cabinets
  • Quality: RTA cabinets are more qualified in quality as compare to IKEA. RTA cabinets are manufactured by many companies. So if you find a good supplier you can get more quality built cabinets.
  • Multiple options: RTA cabinets are manufactured in a variety of styles and color. You can choose from a wide range of options.

Cons of RTA cabinets

  • Additional parts: RTA cabinets are usually sold in full sets. Problem is if you want additional add-on then it can be expensive. For example, if you break any knob of the cabinet it is wiser to buy similar from Amazon or your local store.
  • Lack of directions: As we mentioned earlier RTA is manufactured by a different manufacturer. So in some cases, you might find a lack of directions when your package arrived. In most case, it is best to contact the supplier and ask them to provide detailed instructions so you can understand it easily.
  • Shipping: Cost of shipping can be high if you are not ordering at once. You can calculate how many kitchen cabinets and other supplies for remodeling and order them all at once.

Pre-owned Cabinets

Pre-owned cabinets are like any other pre-owned products. If you are comfortable with fact that somebody has used them before then you can get kitchen cabinets for cheap. You can find previously owned cabinets near your location from craigslist or another local internet marketplace. Like any other pre-owned product, you have to be careful. You don’t want to pay someone for their garbage.

On the bright side, some people give away fairly good stuff on craigslist. Sometimes people just want to get better ones. Cost of disposing of old cabinets is high so people and people don’t want to dump good items in the garbage.

Nowadays more and more people are getting eco-concerned and often give their existing cabinets for almost free or very less price. Things you should be concerned before searching is a condition of the cabinets. Whether they will fit into your kitchen and how much it will cost to do it.

You might want to search options which are near to you as you may have to drive and bring them yourself. Some of the places you can find our local reseller shop, craigslist, local facebook marketplace, or local Habitat for Humanity Re-Store.

Image source: Pixabay

Pros of Pre-owned cabinets

  • Cost efficient: kitchen cabinets almost take around 30-40% of the cost of remodeling kitchen. With pre-owned cabinets, you have a chance to get some high-value kitchen cabinets at the very low price.
  • Quality: You can find a sweet deal with high-quality woods which can go for decades. If you are looking for antique style cabinets of solid wood then this can be your cost-saving option.
  • Going green: By choosing something used and reusing it, you are having a positive impact on the planet by reducing waste. Check out our list in which you can reduce waste at home.

Cons of Pre-owned cabinets

  • Find genuine seller: One of the drawbacks is to find a genuine seller. It is hard to find good condition cabinets available all the time. You may need to do some research and wait before to find suitable kitchen cabinets.
  • Price: Some sellers attach emotional value to their furniture and might quote you the higher price than the item is worth of. In this, you can bargain and remain in contact to wait how much price they are willing to drop.

 Display cabinets from Showroom

This one seems like the best deal but it is hard to find. There are many showrooms from big brands to local domestic brands displaying product to potential customers. With time they change their display products with new styles and according to their inventory available. Usually, they sell old displayed kitchen cabinets for the cheap price because of minor scratches. You can easily fix that with little sanding and polishing.

You can find these cabinets from major brand stores, home improvement stores, to local kitchen design showrooms. You will need persistence with social skills and a lot of legwork to find such sweet deals. On the advantage, you will get good quality at the big discounted price.

Image Source: Pexels

Pros of buying display cabinets

  • Good quality and stylish cabinets which are never used before.
  • Big brand products at a big discounted rate.
  • The latest design which experts of industry trusted and displayed to their customers.

Cons of buying display cabinets

  • You may find minor scratches or faults which you need to attend before installing in your kitchen.
  • You need to be persistent and social skill when you contact showroom staff.
  • Requires a lot of legwork as you have to spend time on research to find your potential kitchen cabinets.

Conclusion

With every restoration work, you have multiple options to save by making some smart choices. The kitchen restoration is also the same. With research and some creative ideas, you can save a lot of money and have kitchen cabinets for cheap. Tell us in the comments below which option which you choose while restoring your kitchen?

Check out here to learn about Kitchen standard sizes.