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New kitchen in every home! |
Cabinet Store, Inc. wants to put a new kitchen in every home!
We’ve all heard that the kitchen is the heart of every home, and while most homeowners would love to entertain in the kitchen of their dreams, most just settle for their old existing cabinets and counter tops. As with everything, the overall expense is the main issue as many homeowners believe that new cabinets and counter tops will cost them tens of thousands of dollars. This is far from true! The truth is that new cabinets and counter tops are much more affordable than you think. In most cases one of our experienced designers here at Cabinet Store, Inc. can provide new cabinets, counter tops and installation labor within just about any budget!
Just follow these 10 steps to help lead you to a brand new kitchen without breaking the bank.
- Know What You’re Shopping For. Cabinetry comes in four basic categories: Builder’s Grade, Standard, Semi-Custom and Custom. While most consumers don’t know what the differences are between the four, it’s pretty safe to say that full custom cabinets will cost a whole lot more than builder’s grade cabinets. As a matter of fact, full custom cabinetry can be as much as four to six times the amount of money than builder’s grade cabinetry to start! If your budget is tight, I suggest you stay away from semi-custom and custom cabinet lines.
- Don’t Over Do It! Kitchen cabinetry is furniture, but you don’t need 5/8” thick plywood sides on all your cabinets! Now we’re not telling you to go out and buy cheap cabinets off the shelf at a local home improvement store, we’re just telling you not to buy bomb shelters. Most cabinets have engineered wood sides as a standard feature, even in the custom lines. A lot of kitchen designers will try to sell you an all plywood cabinet to increase their commissions, but you don’t need this. Today’s engineered wood panels are just as strong as plywood panels. Although cabinets with plywood sides look much nicer, most cabinet sides are hidden anyway because they are installed side-by-side. Just using all plywood cabinets for the end units, the ones with the sides exposed, could save hundreds of dollars.
- Be Practical! Stick to standard door styles and stains. Although you may love that double beaded inset raised panel door with the canvas paint and chocolate glaze and the pewter barrel hinges you saw in Better Homes and Gardens, you may want to reconsider. Sticking to standard door styles and stains could save hundreds or even thousands of dollars! It’s pretty simple… the more elaborate the door and stain, the more money it will cost.
- Watch Out For Gimmicks! As you shop around for your new kitchen, more than likely you’re going to run into some “specials” on kitchen cabinets and counter tops. One example would be granite for $32.00 per square foot. What they don’t tell you is the $32.00 per square foot granite is for the raw material only! They then tack on charges for finishing the edges, cut-out for the sink and/or cook top, template, fabrication, delivery and installation. So now that $32.00 psf goes up to $65.00 psf, and that’s for a bottom line granite only. Granite comes in all different prices based on how rare a particular granite slab is, so now your granite can soar over $100.00 psf when it’s all said and done!
- Watch For Fictitious Numbers! One of the most common questions we get here from an inquiring client is “How much are your cabinets per linear foot?” We take our clients very seriously and we stand by the saying “There is no such thing as stupid questions, but only stupid answers.” But we try not to snicker at this one. As an experienced kitchen and bath designer, I cannot get over the fact that these huge home improvement stores actually advertise kitchen cabinet prices per linear foot! This just does not work and I cannot stress that enough! The following all contribute to the price of your cabinets: Wood species, door panel style, stain, glazing, highlighting, cabinet dimensions, overlay, construction, drawer options, door options, interior and exterior accessories, crown moldings, base moldings, cabinet type, drawer core styles, hardware options, and the list goes on and on and every option has a different price. Even the actual layout affects the pricing. If you were able to calculate the actual cost of cabinetry per linear foot then let’s consider this:
-Construction: Standard (no plywood, no dovetail drawers)
-Cabinetry Types: Standard Cabinets (no drawer bases or specialty cabinets, just straight cabinets with doors and top drawers.)
-Cost of Cabinetry: $1,250.00
-Construction: Standard (no plywood, no dovetail drawers)
-Cabinetry Types: Standard Cabinets (no drawer bases or specialty cabinets, just straight cabinets with doors and top drawers.)
-Cost of Cabinetry: $1,175.00
As you can see, both examples have the same specs; the only difference is the actual layout which affected the overall cost. If you changed these cabinets from oak to maple or cherry, that would change the pricing as well, along with a hundred other factors. So when you’re shopping and you see the big banner that says “Kitchen Cabinets For $65.00 per linear foot” Don’t buy it! You’ll be up a rude surprise after you just wasted hours of your valuable time sitting with one of their “designers”!
- Refinishing vs. Replacing. Okay. This is one of the biggest debates in the kitchen cabinet business. When you’re selecting a standard cabinet line – Replacing Wins! We have replaced kitchen cabinets and added a new granite counter top with labor included for less than the overall cost to refinish the existing cabinets in the same kitchen. Now if you pick a full custom cabinet line with all the trimmings, then you won’t be able to replace the cabinets for less than the cost to refinish them. But in most cases, those who are looking to refinish are also looking for a bargain. So if they were to look into replacing their cabinets over refinishing them, full custom lines wouldn’t be one of their selections.
- Topped to Perfection. I know we all want to get rid of that old almond colored laminate counter top in our kitchen. You know, that plain, bland surface with the scratches and pealing and the dirt that gathers under where the sink sits that we keep scrubbing with a sponge but it never seems to go away. Truth is any kind of solid surface counter top, whether it is acrylic, granite or quartz, can cost you thousands of dollars. If the cost of that granite counter top is putting your kitchen remodeling project way over budget, then don’t waste time looking at acrylic or quartz surfaces as a second choice because it will cost just as much, and if not, more. Solution? Buy a new laminate counter top instead. I know that’s probably not what you wanted to hear, but it’s the best solution to complete your kitchen while staying in your budget. Whatever you do… do not, under any circumstances, cut corners on your cabinets. Your new laminate counter top will be a good substitute until you can afford your granite top, and laminates come in hundreds of different colors, patterns and styles. Some even have a scratch resistant textured surface to mimic the look of natural stone. But if you decide to stay with the granite and skimp on the cabinets, then you’re left with this expensive beautiful granite counter top over top of the cabinets you really didn’t want. Laminate counter tops uninstall very easily and can be cut and modified to fit somewhere else in your home when you’re financially ready to buy the granite top you wanted.
- It starts with the design. Your best friend through your kitchen remodeling project is the kitchen designer. The kitchen designer is going to be your number one contact through the process, so you have to like this person. So where can you find a kitchen designer? An experienced kitchen and bath designer usually has a bachelor’s degree, completion of some sort of apprenticeship and is certified by the NKBA (National Kitchen and Bath Association). Most of the designers working at the large home improvement stores have NO form of formal kitchen and bath design education and are NOT certified by the NKBA. Kitchen designers have to be experienced in design, CAD, project management, communication and organization skills. They also have to be familiar with local building codes, multiple product lines and the installation and construction process.
- You’ll miss your sink. If you’re planning a kitchen remodel, you’re going to have to understand that regardless of what you see on HGTV, your kitchen is going to take longer than just a few days to complete. If your project includes removing cabinetry and replacing your counter tops, then it could take a minimum of two weeks and if the project includes removing walls, painting and tiling then the project could run three to six weeks. Having no kitchen for this amount of time can uproot your life and can be very aggravating which will make the passing time seem like it’s going by even slower, so be patient and be sure to plan accordingly. You’re going to hate running into the bathroom to dump a cup of cold coffee and ordering out, but chances are you will not be compensated for the amount of time you’re without a kitchen.
- Your final inspection. At the end of the project, after the contractor’s tools are gone, the dust is clear and you can now enjoy your brand new kitchen, your kitchen designer is going to want to meet with you to do a walk through and to collect your final payment. Be sure to ask questions on how to care for your new cabinets and counter tops. Ask about product warranties and regular maintenance, there are never too many questions to ask. Be sure to keep your designer’s contact information for future reference. It’s also very important to keep all your paperwork on your cabinets and counter tops in case you need to warranty something in the future.
Nobody says you have to spend $50,000 to have a brand new kitchen. Set up an appointment today to meet with one of our designers for a free consultation. We will measure, design and estimate your kitchen free of charge. There’s no pressure, no pushy sales pitches and no obligation! Give us a try; a new kitchen can be more affordable than you think.
Cabinet Store, Inc.
1504 US Route 9w, Suite #3
Marlboro, NY 12542
Tel: (845) 236-2566
Fax: (845) 236-2567
Email: info@cabinetstoreinc.com
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