Quality Kitchen on a Budget

amother

Mauve

Wed, Mar 23 2016, 6:33 am

We're looking to put in a new kitchen iyh. Im not particular about beauty and looks but Im very into practical. don't get me wrong, I like nice things too but not at the expense of practicality. What color kitchen cabinets do you have? I know white is pretty and airy but so not practical.

I want good quality but don't want to pay expensive prices. Do you have any tricks for how to get things for cheaper? For exmaple, someone mentioned that Home Depot may have granite countertops where you pay per slab not per square foot so it comes out chepar, but you have fewer options to choose from.

Any other home renovation on a budget tricks?

rachel6543

Wed, Mar 23 2016, 7:16 am

Check out IKEA for cabinets. I know several people who have gotten those.

For homedepot, I do recommend getting a quote for countertops. I used them recently for a granite countertop. It came out MUCH MUCH cheaper (like $2000+ cheaper) than every other quote because we got to order by the square foot instead of buying 2 slabs. My kitchen is a super weird layout, so I couldn't use prefab countertops which are cheaper. And Home Depot did a great job, looks great.

My friend did a full kitchen remodel a few yrs super cheap. She saved $ by getting her metal sink on Craigslist from a sample model home. She got appliances super cheap by shopping sales and buying from Sears outlet.

I would make sure to ask your local friends for recommendations on local companies and places to check in your area. That's often the best way to find deals and reputable contractors and companies to deal with.

amother

Chocolate

Wed, Mar 23 2016, 7:34 am

You need to figure out the type of cabinetry also. I've been asking around and apparently chinese made cabinets can be 4,000 dollars or so, but American is 20,000. Huge difference in price, not sure about the difference in quality.
Anon bec im asking all my friends about their kitchens lately .

asmileaday

Wed, Mar 23 2016, 7:46 am

I did ikea and am extremely happy. It costed us very little because we went with the cheapest finish for the doors (the frames are all the same) which is white. I find it easy to clean because it has a very smooth finish. Not sure how much you save if you take a fancier door like grey or high gloss finish. Try to get a few quotes and compare.
Home Depot was not cheaper for us for the granite. We ended up going directly to a granite supplier which came out very cheap and he gave us the sinks for $80-100 instead of $250 the tile store wanted from us. If you're in Brooklyn you can pm me I'll give you the number. But be forewarned that you compromise on the amount of choices and a nice showroom. We went to the warehouse and chose from the slabs he had there. We didn't need that big of a piece so it worked for us. We saved a ton.

amother

Mauve

Wed, Mar 23 2016, 9:07 am

Im not in brooklyn but thank you for that advice. Comparison shopping is the name of the game.

Tell me more about cabinets, different types colors and how well they wear. chinese versus american? What material? formica, pressed wood, wood?

amother

Blue

Fri, Mar 25 2016, 10:03 am

Im following. -OP you expressed my wants needs and preferences perfectly. Thank you!!

Hope It's ok that I'm bumping and adding my inquiries.
- We are hoping to add/ redo our small kitchen and appreciate all the advice.
Any more practical suggestions?
I
Think I may do the ikea route.
We also may need help
With layout. It's just not my forte.

Im in Rockland btw.
TIA

asmileaday

Fri, Mar 25 2016, 10:13 am

Ikea has people that help you with design and layout, though we did everything on our own from the comfort of our home via their design tools on their website. I felt less pressure doing it at home.

Rubber Ducky

Fri, Mar 25 2016, 10:19 am

amother wrote:

You really need to read the cabinet specs. If the line doesn't brag about their construction, that's a red flag on quality. A KCMA certified cabinet at least meets minimum standards. Chinese cabinets tend to be an unknown as far as quality, and Chinese is not a single manufacturer.

Plywood is easier to repair than particle board and absorbs water less — certainly it's a better case material for sink cabinets.

Simple door styles tend to be less expensive. Oak is usually less expensive than maple; maple is less expensive than cherry. Stain wears better than paint.

tryinghard

Fri, Mar 25 2016, 1:19 pm

I did a lot of going back and forth between Home Depot and Lowes, and negotiated a great deal by getting competing offers. I then bought thousands of dollars worth of discounted (11%) Home Depot gift cards on cardcash.com. I saved over $1000 that way