Best Place to Buy Kitchen Cabinets for a Remodel

The best place to buy kitchen cabinets for a remodel depends on what you want to trade: a big box store for convenience, a local showroom for hands-on service, a custom shop for an unusual space, or an online ready to assemble store for the most cabinet for the money. For most remodels with standard walls and a firm budget, online RTA cabinets with a free design and sample doors are the best value, as long as the box is plywood and the finish is real paint or stain.

Here is what each option is good at, who it suits, and the questions to ask whichever one you choose.

The four places to buy

Big box home stores

Good at: convenience. You can see some cabinets in person and buy them alongside everything else for the remodel.

Watch for: the build varies widely from line to line, so read the spec of the exact line you are quoted. At any store, the lowest priced lines are the ones most likely to use particle board boxes or wrapped finishes.

Local kitchen showrooms and dealers

Good at: service. A designer comes to the house, the showroom has full display kitchens, and installation is often part of the package.

Watch for: price. Showrooms, display kitchens and in-person design are real costs, and they are built into the cabinets.

Custom cabinet shops

Good at: rooms that standard sizes cannot fit: odd angles, very tall ceilings, unusual materials.

Watch for: cost and lead time. Every box is built to order. For a room with standard walls, you pay for flexibility you may not need.

Online RTA cabinet stores

Good at: value. The cabinet ships flat and you click the box together, so you are not paying to ship a built box or to have it built first, and there is no showroom to pay for.

Watch for: the spec and the policies. Check the box material, the finish and the return terms before you order. Our guide to RTA vs assembled cabinets covers the trade in detail.

How to decide

• Your budget. If the cabinets are the biggest line in the remodel, the savings from RTA are the biggest saving available.
• Who is doing the work. A homeowner, a handyman or a contractor can all build and hang RTA cabinets. Hanging and leveling is the same job for any kitchen.
• The room. Standard walls and ceilings suit stock sizes. Odd angles and one-off details may need custom.
• How much help you want. If you want someone to own the whole project, a showroom with installation is simpler. If you want a plan and the cabinets, an online store with free design covers it.

Questions to ask any seller

1. What are the box, back, bottom and shelves made of?
2. Is the finish real paint or stain, or a wrap?
3. What are the drawers built from, and what do they run on?
4. Are soft-close hinges and glides standard?
5. Can I buy a sample door in the finish I want?
6. What is the return policy, and is there a restocking fee?
7. What does the warranty cover, and is it published?
8. How is delivery charged, and where does the driver leave the order?

Remodel tips that save money whichever you choose

• Measure before you shop. Wall lengths, windows, doors, and where the water, gas and power come out. Our kitchen measurement guide walks through it.
• Keep the plumbing where it is. Moving a sink or a range adds trades and cost that have nothing to do with the cabinets.
• Get a layout before an order. Fillers, panels and toe kick are easy to forget and slow to add later. Our free kitchen design lists every one, with no obligation to buy.
• Order samples first. A full sample door is $19.99 and a quarter door sample is $4.99, shipping included, and the sample price is refundable.
• Mix where it makes sense. You can mix ready to assemble and pre assembled cabinets in a single order to balance labor against budget.

Questions

Is it cheaper to buy kitchen cabinets online?
Usually, for the same build, because online RTA stores have no showroom to pay for and the cabinets ship flat. Compare the delivered total for the same list of cabinets.

Should I buy RTA or assembled cabinets for a remodel?
RTA costs less for the same cabinet. Assembled saves the build time. With our click-together boxes, the build is the quick part of the job.

Can my contractor install RTA cabinets?
Yes. Installing them is ordinary carpentry. Contractors and remodelers can also apply to our Trade Pro program.