If cost were no object, we’d all be living in the home of our dreams. Unfortunately, remodeling professional traveling the land performing work for free is but a dream, leading many to save some money and decide to undertake their remodeling project themselves.
For most DIY projects, the decisions are a simple issue of color or pattern. However, re-doing a kitchen can lead to a number of decisions that directly affect the price tag of the home upgrade. One of the biggest decision kitchen DIYers face is the decision between assembled and ready to assemble (RTA) cabinets.
RTA cabinets can save home improvers lots of money, but they do not come without their share of cons. If you are staring a cabinet decision in the face, here is what you need to know.
RTA cabinets are the same cabinets that arrived assembled, they just exist in their pre-made form. They’ve been around for a long time, available to contractors and builders. Innovations and improvements to the manufacturing process now allow manufacturers to offer RTA cabinets to DIYers as well.
They’ve become popular because in any kitchen remodel, cabinets are by far the most expensive item. While some RTA furniture is made of cheap particle board, RTA cabinets can come in a wide array of materials, from, of course, particle board, all the way up to red oak, maple or cherry wood.
So why are so many home remodelers opting for RTA cabinets? There are a number of reasons, but chief among them is the price. RTA cabinets are cheaper than their assembled counterparts simply because the last step of assembling at the factory is skipped. That labor is left to the contractor or DIYer.
There’s also money saved on shipping of the cabinets, due to the fact that they ship flat and unassembled. RTA cabinets also ship quicker. Some cabinet manufacturers require six to eight weeks to deliver fully assembled cabinetry. That’s not an issue with RTA cabinets, which can arrive as quickly as one to two weeks after ordering. Once the pieces are pulled from existing stock, they are ready to be shipped out.
The best advantage to RTA cabinets is that there is no loss of quality. The only difference is that the cabinets are being assembled at the site and not at the factory.
While lower cost and quicker shipping times seem to make RTA cabinets a no-brainer, there are some cons to consider.
No matter what, the cabinets will need to be assembled. If that happens at the job site, you need to consider if that will take time away from the rest of the project.
You will also need to be very confident that your initial order is complete. While shipping of the initial order may not be exorbitant and, depending on the size of the order, may be free, additional pieces may be expensive to have shipped by themselves.
Depending on who you have assembling the cabinets, there may also be a loss of quality in the finished product. Look for RTA cabinet makers that include detailed instructions, or have guides available on their website. The bottom line on RTA cabinets comes down to what’s best for each individual project. That’s a decision best made based on budget and timeline required for a completed renovation.
If you’re ready to begin your DIY kitchen journey, contact Lifestyle Cabinetry and Millwork for a free estimate on your new kitchen today!
This is a professional company in every sense of the word! We hired them to completely remodel our kitchen when we purchased a 20 year old house. They did an amazing job! They were there when they said they would be. They worked full days with few breaks and the quality of their work was superior. I would definitely recommend them and will use them again on future planned projects!
This team is absolutely amazing!! I could not be happier with the way my kitchen turned out. I had a vision and they were amazing in building exactly to what I had pictured. They were on time, a pleasure to work with, efficient and kept right on schedule. Kurt made sure that we were happy at every turn and acted immediately on every request. Thank you!!!
I couldn’t have been happier with Zayne and his crew. Zayne presented a clear-cut plan for our project and stuck to it throughout the whole process. His guys did excellent work and were respectful while in my home. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Lifestyle Cabinetry and Millwork to anyone for any project.
What a great experience to have such a reliable, professional company come to work in our condo! Zayne was so nice and helped us find the perfect cabinets for our kitchen. Dion, who works for Zayne did a wonderful job in completing the projects. We also had electrical, painting, and additional carpentry completed. Everything went just the way we wanted. We could not be happier. We are also going to get additional pricing for more work that we want to have done in our condo in the future.
Zayne and his professional staff are absolutely the best in home renovation.
Zayne’s crew are professional, courteous, prompt, polite and offer suggestions while on site. The quality of the workmanship and materials are first class. Zayne will work diligently with you to develop your vision of your project and point out the constraints of your home and how you can proceed to achieve the end result.
Zayne expresses serious concern about your budget and how to accomplish your ideas without spending unnecessarily. His sub-contractors and suppliers are all equally welcoming and patient when you are working with them to find the cabinetry, trim, stone, paint and other materials that are not “cookie cutter”.
We highly recommend, without reservation, Zayne and Lifestyle Cabinetry and Millwork to anyone with a large or small project.
Lifestyle Cabinetry and Millwork were excellent. They were fast and efficient and always respectful when they were in my home. I loved working with Kirt and Zayne. I would recommend them to anyone! You won’t be disappointed.
Lifestyle Cabinetry and Milwork re-constructed our kitchen and bathroom in 2013. They were meticulous, very professional and friendly. We are very pleased with the workmanship and wouldn’t hesitate to hire them for another project in the future.
Kitchen Remodel.
New cabinets
New granite countertops
New backsplash
Very knowledgeable about the work. Timely execution. Excellent workmanship. Executed the work within budget.
The people went out of their way to work on add-on features.
We used Lifestyle Cabinetry and Millwork for a complete master bath remodel. The workers were friendly, cooperative, and showed up on time every day. The work was high quality and we are so pleased with the end results. We would definitely recommend them to others.
Kitchen and bath remodels are complicated projects that require good up front planning and experience. Zayne and his crew have delivered excellent projects for me on repeated occasions. Each time the work has been completed on the agreed schedule and above my expectations. Most importantly it is critical to work with someone you trust and that has the knowledge and experience required – Lifestyle truly fits this description.
Wow! Zayne and his team were great. Always responsive, always professional and they provided high-quality work on a tight timeline. Every contractor on the Lifestyle team impressed us without exception. We would highly recommend Lifestyle Cabinetry and Millwork.