Cabinet Costs

A kitchen remodel is one of the home improvement projects where costs can quickly exceed your budget. You must do your homework before starting and maintain self-discipline while the job is underway. Kitchen makeovers often involve new cabinets, appliances, and countertops that can range from budget-friendly selections to high end choices suitable for multi-million dollar homes. One of the best ways to keep your remodeling expenditures under control is to understand what factors affect prices. With cabinet costs it's usually construction methods, styles and wood species.

Factors that can affect your cabinet costs

When many homeowners shop for new cabinets, they look for an attractive style that complements their home and new kitchen design, but if you have a set budget for your project, there are a few cabinet design specifics to keep in mind during your search. The good news is that major manufacturers such as Merillat, KraftMaid, Aristokraft, and Yorktowne Cabinets offer a full range of beautiful model lines that can fit just about any budget. However, when shopping for cabinets, these three design areas can play a big part in determining your final costs:

1. Construction. Just about all cabinet companies offer base and wall cabinets with solid wood doors and faces, but once you get past the fronts, construction materials can change. Cabinets advertised as having all wood construction normally have boxes built with plywood and covered by a hardwood veneer. If you choose a cabinet model line that doesn't have all wood construction, the boxes are normally manufactured with a particle board that may not be as durable as plywood. All wood cabinets are usually more expensive, but they may last longer than their more economical counterparts
2. Wood species. The type of wood used to build your new cabinets can affect their prices--some wood species are less common or more difficult to work with, making these types of cabinets more expensive. Cherry and hickory cabinets can often cost more than those built with more plentiful woods such as oak or maple
3. Cabinet door panels. Even if you're not familiar with cabinet construction, it is usually fairly easy to look at several door panels and guess which might be the more expensive to build. Raised panel doors and those with intricate designs such as double cathedrals normally require more labor than constructing flush or recessed cabinet door panels. Their prices often reflect the additional effort

It is possible to find beautiful cabinets for your kitchen remodel in any price range, but if you shop with these tips in mind, you should be able to keep your cabinet costs within your budget.