Whether you do a full kitchen remodel or just a facelift – remodeling kitchen cabinets is BIG. However, when it comes to remodeling kitchen cabinets on a budget, many of us think it’s not quite possible, since the largest share of expenses during kitchen remodel comes exactly from cabinets.
Remodeling kitchen cabinets on a budget has never been as easy as nowadays: many suppliers offer budget-friendly cabinets or endless possibilities to reface existing cabinetry.
Basically, you have three options to look at when it comes to the cheapest way to remodel kitchen cabinets:
- Remodel the whole cabinetry on a budget, including the interiors as well
- Change the cabinet and drawer fronts but keep the existing interiors of the cabinets
- facelift the existing cabinet and drawer fronts while keeping the interiors as they are
Let’s discuss each option separately and see, how you can do things on a budget, where you can save money, and where it’s not a good idea to do so. Remember, that “on a budget” does not mean that it should look cheap.
Prefab vs. custom and semi-custom cabinetry
If you plan to change the whole cabinetry, there are a few things you might want to have in mind to keep things as low on budget as possible.
You have three options when it comes to types of cabinets: prefabricated units, semi-custom, and custom cabinetry. Prefab cabinets are the cheapest – averaging 70USD per linear foot, but they come in limited sizes.
Semi-custom cabinetry offers a perfect middle-ground between expensive custom and budget-friendly prefab cabinets. Semi-custom cabinets typically come in 3″ increments that let you be more precise in the kitchen configuration. The average cost for semi-custom cabinetry ranges between 150-250 USD per linear foot, depending on the material and the area you live in.
Custom cabinets are the most expensive option, so let’s leave them out this time.
What is the cheapest way to replace kitchen cabinets?
Fully assembled vs Ready To Assemble RTA cabinets
We already established that prefab kitchen cabinets are the cheapest. However, not all prefab cabinets are the same.
Prefab cabinets can be bought as Fully Assembled Stock cabinets – ready-to-hang cabinets, or RTA – Ready to Assemble kitchen cabinets.
While Fully Assembled cabinet units might sound less of a headache, RTA cabinetry will let you save money in two different ways: transportation is much cheaper as disassembled units take up less space, and you don’t have to pay the cost of assembling the units because you do it yourself.
However, consider the cost of tools that you might need to purchase to assemble the cabinets if you don’t have a handyman neighbor to borrow them from. The time and effort are another consideration – if this type of work is something you absolutely hate, then probably it’s not worth dedicating weekends to it.
Tools that you absolutely need to assemble RTA kitchen cabinets:
- Drill
- Utility knife
- multi-use screwdriver
- level
- hammer
- protective gloves
- average DIY skills
- and patience
Factors that define the RTA cabinet price
We established that RTA cabinets cost less than Ready-to-Hang cabinets. However, there are price differences between RTA cabinets based on factors such as
- Size
- type of cabinet interiors (drawers vs shelves, soft-close drawers vs regular ones)
- material of the cabinet box
- material of the door
- type of the door
The size of the prefab kitchen cabinet units affects the overall price. Same length cabinetry would cost you less if it is achieved with fewer numbers of larger size units. Let me explain: 48 inches of total cabinetry length can be achieved by putting together two 24-inch or four 12-inch units. The first option would be cheaper in the end, because it saves side-of-the-box material pieces and hardware units.
Regarding the type of cabinet interiors, keep in mind that drawers cost more than simple cabinets. Drawers with soft close cost more than regular ones, but definitely worth it: drawers give more possibilities for effective utilization and organization of space.
Another factor affecting the price of Ready to Assemble kitchen cabinets is the material type. In today’s markets there are mainly the following options:
- Wood veneer
- MDF
- Plywood
- laminate
- wood
Of all these options, solid wood is the most expensive and MDF is the cheapest. Using MDF in a kitchen might not be the greatest idea, since the material swells and distorts if water gets in. However, it really depends on how you use the kitchen. MDF is definitely worth considering as it is something that is widely used in budget-friendly cabinetry.
While using MDF for cabinet boxes is a totally fine and acceptable practice, I would recommend using higher quality material for cabinet fronts. Cabinet and drawer fronts have the greatest influence on how stylish and high-quality the kitchen will look.
Another factor that affects the overall price of the kitchen cabinet remodel project, is the type of the doors.
When it comes to door types, there are three available options that differ in terms of how the door sits on a frame.
- Partial overlay
- Full overlay
- Inset
To give an example, this shaker-style basic kitchen costs $3,514 with the partial overlay doors, while a shaker-style kitchen from the same supplier with the same specs costs $5,487 for Inset cabinet doors.
The partial overlay is the cheapest option, however, I would not save money on this, as cabinet fronts are the first thing you see in the kitchen and you need to make sure you are not compromising style and look.
Budget-friendly ways to remodel kitchen cabinet boxes
If you decide that you are going for standard size RTA cabinetry, then you have a lot of options to get them for a low price. While some of the suppliers might be only locally available, others might have stores in many different locations, including your city. Other suppliers might have low shipping costs that would make a purchase worth it, even if you have to transport the pieces over a long distance.
IKEA
IKEA offers a great variety of kitchen cabinets. You can buy both, cabinet fronts and cabinet boxes at IKEA, but you also have an option to purchase only cabinet boxes, including all the interiors, but get the cabinet fronts from another supplier for a high-end look.
An average price for IKEA’s basic 10X10 kitchen, including cabinets, door and drawer fronts, drawers, shelves, hinges, cover panels, toe-kicks, and legs at IKEA ranges from $1 655 to $3 058, without installation and shipping costs. That means roughly averaging 160-300 USD per cabinet, including cabinet fronts.
For a basic 10X10 shaker style kitchen, the price is around 2,420 USD.
Getting kitchen cabinet boxes and interiors at IKEA has its advantages:
- online kitchen design tool makes it super easy to plan your kitchen, including all the interiors and features. Once you are done with planning, the tool gives you the exact price.
- A great variety of cabinet sizes will allow you to find the perfect configuration for your space
- Fast and easy delivery – within several business days. This is really great, compared to custom cabinetry for which you have to wait 6-8 weeks.
- Despite the fact that IKEA cabinet boxes are made of fiberboard and melamine foil, they are quite strong.
- 18 mm thick frame construction has a melamine surface that is moisture- and scratch resistant, and easy to keep clean
- IKEA cabinets are intended for DIY installers
- The rail system lets you hang the cabinets on the wall and keep the level straight
- The organization that IKEA offers for the interiors of the drawers, is great
- The basic standard upper cabinets at IKEA are 15 inches deep, whereas, standard upper cabinets at Home Depot or Lowes are 12 inches, and 15 inches deep cabinet is considered an upgrade that costs around 50% more.
- All hinges of IKEA products are manufactured by Blum, which is the leading hinge manufacturer in the world.
- All of the cabinets come with a soft close, as a standard, whereas many other suppliers consider a soft close as an upgrade and charge you more
- Great variety of cabinet and drawer fronts. If you can’t find the right one, you can always order from another supplier, such as Reform or Semihandmade.
- options for in-drawer or under-the-cabinet lighting.
- IKEA offers a great return policy which allows you to return practically anything within a year with the receipt
- 25-year warranty
Wholesale Cabinets
Wholesale Cabinets are another great option for RTA DIY kitchen cabinets. For comparison, the standard 10X10 shaker-style white kitchen costs $2,800-$3,599, but the quality upgrade compared to IKEA is the materials they use:
- HDF Frame, HDF Panel for doors
- 1/2″ Plywood (Birch) for cabinet frame (compared to IKEA’s Fiberboard)
- and the price includes soft-close drawers and doors, just like IKEA.
The shipping time and costs are reasonable, and they make the assembly process smooth and easy by providing video tutorials:
Prefinished Cabinets
The Prefinished Cabinets offer a great variety of RTA kitchen cabinets. The price for a standard 10X10 shaker-style kitchen cabinetry ranges from $2630-$3208. The quality upgrade compared to IKEA is the materials they use:
- Solid Plywood Cabinet Boxes
- Constructed of Solid Birch
However, their warranty is only 5 years compared to IKEA’s 25-year warranty policy.
Kabinet King
Kabinet King uses 1/2″ A-grade plywood with wood for cabinet box construction, which is an upgrade compared to IKEA. However, the prices are almost double. The dramatic price difference might be a result of differences in door types: Kabinet King offers full-overlay cabinet fronts.
The RTA Store
The RTA Store is another great option to order your Ready to Assemble kitchen cabinets. For comparison, the 10X10 shaker-style kitchen would cost you $2,694. Compared to IKEA, the RTA Store uses 1/2″ plywood for cabinet door construction, but the rest of the specs are pretty much comparable:
- Full extension, soft closing, under-mount glides just like IKEA
- comes with installation rail, just like IKEA,
- Full overlay doors
shop on online marketplaces for used cabinet boxes
You can look around on online marketplaces to find a good deal. Sometimes, homeowners just need to get rid of their old cabinet boxes and they are willing to give them away for a really good price. If this is something you can assign yourself for – definitely worth it.
Check out Craigslist to find good deals in your area, or visit Facebook groups targeted to your city or area.
Budget-friendly ways to remodel kitchen cabinet and drawer Fronts
Remodeling cabinet and drawer fronts is super important since that’s what you see the most in the kitchen. You might have decided to keep the existing cabinet boxes, or you are remodeling everything – having chic cabinet fronts is super important, even though you might want to keep everything within a budget.
Budget-friendly cabinet fronts do not have to look cheap. In today’s market, there are numerous options that are incredibly sleek and of great quality compared to what they cost. IKEA cabinet fronts are one of them.
IKEA
IKEA offers a great variety of affordable but stylish cabinet fronts. For inspiration go to IKEA Online Catalog, where you can see images and prices per piece at the same time. Count around 45-60USD per cabinet door, depending on the material. Ikea offers natural wood cabinet fronts, unlike cabinet boxes that are a combo of fiberboard and melamine foil.
Helsingo
A.S. Helsingo is another amazing option that provides top-notch quality cabinet and drawer fronts, as well as hardware for IKEA cabinet frames. The beautiful modern designs they offer will transform your regular kitchen into a jaw-dropping masterpiece that all of your guests would admire.
The only downside is the delivery time which is around 9-11 weeks, as all of their products are made-to-order. However, looking at these gorgeous kitchen fronts and beautiful hardware, I am convinced that it is 100% worth waiting for.
The pricing just for Doors, Plinths & sides depends on the size of the kitchen. For a Small kitchen, it’s around €2.100, while for a medium size kitchen it’s €3.821.
Natural Walnut
Ingarö Upper Cabinets in Thermal Grey
Feather Grey, Natural Oak
Semihandmade
Who would imagine these gorgeous blue shaker-style kitchen cabinets with glass doors are bought in IKEA and re-designed using Semihandmade cabinet fronts? And you don’t even have to change your old IKEA cabinet boxes! Right, Semihandmade offers cabinet and drawer fronts for older and newer IKEA cabinet boxes.
Photographer: @stofferphotographyinteriors
Superfront
Superfront provides products all around the world, including, Europe, Australia, Asia, and United States. The sleep posh cabinet fronts they offer look Instagram-worthy and absolutely incredible. The list of material options is pretty long as well, including natural wood. You can mix, match, and customize your kitchen until you are totally happy with the design and 100% ready to order.
The customization options include not only color but also surface pattern and material variations. Basically, mix and match until you can’t take it anymore.
The Faktum kitchen cabinet frames, as well as the drawers and hinges, are not included.
Cabinet frames, drawers, and hinges from Ikea are not included
Tips to save money on remodeling kitchen cabinets
This article discussed different options for remodeling your kitchen cabinets on a budget. Where can you actually cut costs?
I would say, if you are happy with the current kitchen layout, keep it. Changing the configuration is always related to further expenses, especially if it involves moving around the water, gas, or wastewater connections.
If it is possible, keep as many old cabinet boxes as possible. It can save you tons of money. However, if you DO have to remodel the cabinet boxes, go for modular, Ready-to-assemble cabinets, and DIY as much of the project as you possibly can.
You can save money by choosing budget-friendly materials for cabinet boxes. Natural wood costs the most expensive. Neither MDF nor HDF nor plywood is bad at all and they can serve you for decades to come. And you can always make your very functional and durable IKEA cabinet boxes and interiors sexier by switching up the cabinet fronts and hardware, or other details that meet the eye the most.
FAQ
How do you assemble RTA cabinets?
Most of the suppliers make it extremely easy and intuitive to assemble RTA cabinets using wood dowels, screws, screwdrivers, knives, and some wood glue. You can find tutorials on either their websites in written form or illustrated, or as videos on Youtube
What does RTA cabinets stand for?
RTA stands for Ready-to-assemble cabinets. It means that the suppliers cut all the pieces that go together and ship them to your house, while you take the responsibility to assemble them on your own. RTA is different from Ready-to-Hang cabinets, which are delivered to your house already assembled.
Ikea is one of the best examples of providers of RTA kitchen cabinets. The whole beauty of the concept lies in the affordability of the price, which is achieved by saving money on labor, and transportation. RTA is considered one of the most budget-friendly cabinets, especially if you go for relatively cheaper materials.
what is a 10×10 kitchen
The 10×10 kitchen layout is used by retailers and kitchen cabinet suppliers to give you a rough idea of your new kitchen cabinets. It is a great way to compare the prices from retailer to retailer. The 10×10 represents the square footage of a kitchen, which equals the size of most small to average kitchen layouts and it includes both, base and upper cabinets. In Ikea’s example, the 10X10 kitchen is L-shaped, however, the configuration might vary from retailer to retailer.
