Kitchen Cabinets, home center grade junk? Possibly but they have their place.

[Dagster]

When I flip homes and determine I need new cabinetry I generally go with the higher end home center grade. They tend to be as good or better than standard builder grade and work well for a mid range flip.

Would I put home center grade cabinetry in my home? Absolutely not but I wouldn't criticize someone for making that choice either. I guess it is all up to your taste and needs. I prefer to see someone order custom cabinets as they really are worth the extra money spent. I despise particle board and MDF in kitchen cabinets but it does have it's place in other rooms. I only use particle board (builder/home center cabinets) in my flip homes and only because of margins and time constraints. They are good cabinets as long as you don't have a leak or kids hanging on the doors/drawers :D

Here are a couple pictures of a flip I did, these are home center grade cabinets I ordered in custom sizes to fit my needs. If one takes care you can give a kitchen a semi-custom look with these cabinets.

http://www.garagehobbies.com/images/sheridan/kitchen1after.jpg

http://www.garagehobbies.com/images/sheridan/kitchen2after.jpg

[thekl0wn]

We've used "home center" grade cabinets in quite a few remodels, both for long-term living and for resale. Like you said, if you watch the build quality, you can often find good deals on "decent" cabinets. Of course you can also find some real beaut's that I wouldn't put in a dog house, but that goes for almost anything. The one's pictured have a very nice look to them, and in most cases, much of the population wouldn't know the difference, and couldn't care less.

[Dagster]

We've used "home center" grade cabinets in quite a few remodels, both for long-term living and for resale. Like you said, if you watch the build quality, you can often find good deals on "decent" cabinets. Of course you can also find some real beaut's that I wouldn't put in a dog house, but that goes for almost anything. The one's pictured have a very nice look to them, and in most cases, much of the population wouldn't know the difference, and couldn't care less.


Very true about most of the population not being able to tell the difference. I'm amazed at how few people recognize custom cabinetry over home center grade cabinetry.

[thekl0wn]

Very true about most of the population not being able to tell the difference. I'm amazed at how few people recognize custom cabinetry over home center grade cabinetry.

And nothing burns me up faster than showing someone a picture of cabinets we've made, and then they make a comment about getting them at Home Depot! :mad:

We've also found that for the most part, we can make the cabinets at a very competitive price, and have a MUCH higher quality, provided we buy the doors. It all depends on how busy we are... For a flip, I wouldn't think the time would be there.

[Dagster]

Yeah, I could make the cabinets for a similar price but as you said, for a flip the time constraints just don't allow for it. When I flip a home I go with the best quality I can that makes sense. I just don't have time to do much custom work except for the millwork which I tend to go a little higher end on.

[Don]

Someone is building something somewhere to fit a particular market. Unfortunately as the public concentrates on bling and cosmetics, the infrastructure on just about everything suffers. One line of cabinets we are installing in homes comes from a plant in NC that can produce five thousand boxes a day, I've been to the plant twice and this is no BS. The faceplate and doors are solid hardwood with acceptable joinery, fit and finishes. The balance of the box is 3/8" PB, kissed with the lightest weigh melamine paper available. It's not thermo-fused, simply hot oil drum pressed, maple grained resin paper. It passes a standing water test, but the joints and edges certainly can't handle it. All of the money is spent on the frame and fronts. After it's installed, you can't see it and nobody cares, unless of course this precious material has a scratch and then watch out.

You have to choose your fights and earning some money in this game is certainly one of them. I've made a small fortune in cabinets in my lifetime. Unfortunately I stared with a large one.

This site is for people that appreciate the differences - they don't necessarily believe everything the salesman is telling them.

dawjr

[Dagster]

I feel ya Don. It pains me to buy these cabinets when I know I could build them so much better or order quality from a cabinet maker. I'm glad these high output places are using particle board, it gives the cabinet maker an edge on quality on top of the superior jointery and service that a local cabinet maker can give. I just wish more people purchased with their mind instead of their wallet.