Discount Kitchen Cabinets

The Price of Kitchen Makeovers

The average price of kitchen overhaul costs homeowners between $15,000 and $26,000. Needless to say, that's a lot of money. The upside of this hefty cash outlay is that when the house is sold, the homeowner should expect to recoup around 80 percent of the cost. The large gap between the low-end and high-end of a kitchen rehab heavily depends a few things, such as:

• Hiring a contractor: Some opt to hire a professional while others choose to take on the task themselves. Hiring a contractor significantly increases the overall cost of the remodeling a kitchen.
• Choice of materials: The materials used also significantly increase the cost of a kitchen rehab. Some high ticket items include:
  • Granite or stainless steel counter tops: Granite or stainless steel can run hundreds of dollars per linear foot, making them much more expensive then say, Corian, laminate or ceramic tile.
  • Hardwood flooring: Hardwood flooring is also very expensive, generally a little under $100 per 20 square feet.
  • Cabinets: Here is where homeowners can save a bit of cash by purchasing discount kitchen cabinets.

About Discount Kitchen Cabinets

Just because these cabinets are less expensive than others, does not mean that they are poorly made. Most kitchen cabinets are discounted due to a few things:

• Discontinued products: Manufacturers discontinue products all the time. When this happens, retailers want to move the old product to make way for the new. What isn't sold at a "normal" retailer is then sent to the discount retailer.
• Floor models: Kitchen cabinets used for floor models in showrooms are also sold at discount stores because they aren't considered new.
• Slightly damaged: Cabinets that are slightly damaged either through handling at the warehouse or during shipping are also offered at a steep discount rate. These dings and scratches are rarely noticeable. Many times, in fact, the damage is in a place that cannot be seen, like in the back of the cabinetry.

Discount Cabinet Retailers

Here are some retailers that sell or specialize in discount priced kitchen cabinets:

• Direct Kitchen Cabinets
• Sears Home Improvements
• In Stock Kitchens
• Cabinet Liquidators
• The Cabinet Factory
• Budget Kitchen Cabinets
• Kitchens Pro

Kitchen Cabinet Purchasing Tips

The main thing to closely examine when purchasing discount priced kitchen cabinets are:

• Construction
• Materials

Construction

Kitchen cabinets endure a lot of wear and tear over the years, so you definitely want to make sure that the construction of the cabinets is durable. Cheaply made cabinets will fall apart in less time than quality made cabinets. Here are a few things to check when browsing for discount priced kitchen cabinets.

• Reinforced corners: The corners on the inside of the cabinets should be reinforced because they do bear a lot of weight. Reinforcements are generally "L" brackets made of hard plastic or metal.
• Joints: Check how the joints of the drawers come together. Dovetailed joint construction lasts much longer than joints that are glued or screwed together.

Materials

Most of the kitchen cabinets offered at discount stores are going to be constructed of wood, particularly, maple, oak, cherry and pine. Cabinets that make the claim of "solid wood" construction are not necessarily made completely out of a particular species of wood. In fact, many companies will construct the cabinet "carcass" or box out of plywood, particle board or Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) and lay a wood veneer on top. This type of construction if fine because it isn’t necessary to have kitchen cabinets constructed completely out of very expensive hardwood. The only warning here is to watch out for cabinets made of MDF and particle board. Word has it that both have the tendency to sag over time.

Final Discounted Kitchen Cabinet Buying Tips

A few final tips to keep in mind when shopping for kitchen cabinets:

• The finish should be smooth and free of defects.
• The drawers should also have reinforced corners in order to withstand heavy use.