Kitchen Cabinets on a Budget – 6 Tips to Save Money

Renovating a kitchen is a costly expense. In fact, kitchen renos rank as one of the most expensive rooms in your home to renovate. When homeowners choose to take the hammer to their kitchens, they know they’re going to spend a pretty penny. But, if you’re looking for ways to implement a budget – or cut back on costs – you can look no further than your kitchen cabinets. Here are some tips to save money while putting in cabinets on a budget!

• Go for Stock over Semi/Custom Built. When you order cabinets, the various suppliers build them in different ways. Some cabinets are stock built – meaning they’re mass produced, built to uniform specifications and they generally have limited door style and color options. Because of this, they’re typically available quicker and cheaper. Semi/Custom built cabinets are typically built to order because of additional features you can add on. For example, our white shaker kitchen cabinets are available across a variety of suppliers, but some build them stock and others are semi/custom built. If you’re looking to stick to a budget, one of the best ways you can follow through with that is by purchasing stock cabinets instead of semi/custom built ones. This doesn’t mean you’re sacrificing quality, though. All of our suppliers create beautiful, durable and high-quality kitchen cabinets, regardless of whether they’re available stock or semi/custom built.  
• Features can come later. Don’t worry about all the fancy bells and whistles right now. You don’t need roll-out shelves or a storage organizer right away. Those can be added later. To save money, order basic cabinets that do the job. Once your funds are available later, you can add all the extra features your heart desires. Keep things simple for now and get the basic necessities. 

• Keep the hardware simple. The hardware you choose for your cabinets can be the reason your budget breaks. Consider shopping at local antique stores for sets of door handles and knobs, or choose hardware that’s made of a more simple and less expensive material. Choosing unique and interesting hardware might make your cabinets look great, but they can ultimately break your budget and be more hassle than they’re worth. Keeping your hardware simple is a great way to stick to a budget. 

• Go RTA. RTA cabinets, also known as ready-to-assemble cabinets, are cabinets that come unassembled. You have to assemble them yourself and install them into the wall on your own. Of course, while this option is cheaper, it can take you much longer to do. Plus, if you install them incorrectly, you run the risk of having to spend more money to bring in a professional to take them apart and put in new ones. We recommend that you hire a professional to help you put them together if you’re going this route. Our RTA cabinets are perfect for customers who are looking to keep within a cabinet budget and have the means to assemble them on their own.

• Just ask for a cheaper option. There’s no harm in asking for something less expensive. Be honest with your sales representatives/kitchen designer about your overall budget so they can guide you to the right option to fit your budget. Be clear with your designer when you talk with them, and don’t hesitate to ask to see something cheaper. With our free design consultation, our designers recognize that many of our customers are on a specific budget, so it’s important that you be clear about what you need and would like. When our designers know how much you’d like to spend, they can recommend the best supplier for you, like our JSI Premier Cabinets. Otherwise, you’ll quickly feel lost as you try to choose cabinets on your own.  
• Less drawers, more doors. While drawer bases are more convenient and look very modern, they’re also more expensive. Reducing the number of drawer bases (the number of drawers from counter to floor) will also help you to ensure you stick to your budget. While doors can be less convenient than drawers, there are some items that need cabinets. Some pots and pans are too large for drawers, so you still need some open cabinets in your kitchen. Overall, reducing the number of drawers in your kitchen will save you money. Instead, use a drawer/cabinet combo to still give you some drawer space.  In the end, if you decide you need easier access down the line, you can always add rollout trays later (see step 2 above) when you have the finances to do so.  

Finding the right cabinets on a budget can be difficult, but by following some of these tips, we know you’ll find the perfect cabinets for your space!