Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2008 · 18k+ posts · 17k+ votes
Has anyone ever purchased cabinets from Cabinets To Go (a franchise supplier in about 20 states)?
I'm getting ready to start rehabbing in an area where there is a local store, and am trying to decide if the value/quality is such that I should give them a try on my first project there...
I looked into them but did not purchase from them. Doing a few rehabs in the Milwaukee area, I'm sure you are familiar with HOBO. HOBO had a better selection, had features that were an upgrade on the base cabinets from Cabinets to Go (dovetail joints on the drawers) and were a good $700 less not counting the additional 15% off (I had the good fortune to buy while a sale was going on.) Mind you these were the basic cabinets each store offered.
I have heard they are a good value if you go with the higher end stuff they offer, but I did not get the impression they had a lot of selection even on those products, so you are somewhat limited to what they can offer. Perhaps the store I visited was not typical, but for a store that caters to basically cabinets and vanities I felt wanting more choice. By comparison, Home Depot (and HOBO where available) has a myriad of door style, wood, and color choices; albeit a lot of it special order. I'm sure some higher end kitchen and bath outfits can do the same. Only you can be sure what you're looking for, so maybe you'd want to check them out.
I looked into them but did not purchase from them. Doing a few rehabs in the Milwaukee area, I'm sure you are familiar with HOBO. HOBO had a better selection, had features that were an upgrade on the base cabinets from Cabinets to Go (dovetail joints on the drawers) and were a good $700 less not counting the additional 15% off (I had the good fortune to buy while a sale was going on.) Mind you these were the basic cabinets each store offered.
I have heard they are a good value if you go with the higher end stuff they offer, but I did not get the impression they had a lot of selection even on those products, so you are somewhat limited to what they can offer. Perhaps the store I visited was not typical, but for a store that caters to basically cabinets and vanities I felt wanting more choice. By comparison, Home Depot (and HOBO where available) has a myriad of door style, wood, and color choices; albeit a lot of it special order. I'm sure some higher end kitchen and bath outfits can do the same. Only you can be sure what you're looking for, so maybe you'd want to check them out.
Good you asked! I'd be leary of cabinets in a box drop shipped, although some higher end German types get here in boxes. Can you not do better at local shops? There is a supplier a few miles from me that is a supplier for Lowes, they also sell to contractors and the public, some damaged that won't ever show are pretty good deals, if you finish them... not to get off topic, just a price comparison comment for yours... :)
I used HOBO for my first two rehabs in Milwaukee, and while the cabinets were good and the price was right, the service was horrible. I ordered during a 20% off sale, and they forgot to order one of my cabinets (they did the measurements and the materials list). When I told them they missed a cabinet, they not only didn't want to give me a discount to make up for their mistake, but they also didn't want to give me 20% off the additional cabinet because the sale was over.
I had to fight just to get the 20% off that I would have gotten had they not made the mistake...
Good you asked! I'd be leary of cabinets in a box drop shipped, although some higher end German types get here in boxes. Can you not do better at local shops?
At the price point where I tend to buy cabinets, the best value are generally from Chinese manufacturers who ship semi-stock boxes in pieces and then the suppliers build the cabinets locally and then deliver to the site.
Based on the prices and what the cabinets look like in pictures, I'm guessing that's how the Cabinets To Go stores are doing it as well...
In the lower and standard end of my area $300k or so exit values, I have used the Chinese put together stuff as well, they come pre stated and are decent looking for the price. I get mine from a near by supplier and have the cabinet installer perform the installation. I wonder if any of your local cabinet suppliers could have what you need at a better price than the cabinets to go store or similar as Bill mentioned. I have never heard of cabinets to go and bet they are not in my area so I have no opinion to offer on them.
In the lower and standard end of my area $300k or so exit values, I have used the Chinese put together stuff as well, they come pre stated and are decent looking for the price. I get mine from a near by supplier and have the cabinet installer perform the installation.
Thanks Will...
This is exactly what I currently do in Atlanta...and would love to do elsewhere...
I wonder if any of your local cabinet suppliers could have what you need at a better price than the cabinets to go store or similar as Bill mentioned. I have never heard of cabinets to go and bet they are not in my area so I have no opinion to offer on them.
I've asked around to other investors in the area, and nobody has been able to give me a reasonably priced local supplier. The funny thing is, several of the suppliers use the EXACT SAME line of Chinese cabinets I use here in Atlanta (JSI Cabinetry), but are marking them up about 200%. When I tell them I know what their costs are, they basically say that they'd rather make nothing than to make less than their standard mark-up.
Cabinets To Go appears to have comparable pricing (the prices are right on the website), so I'm just trying to get an idea of the quality and look, which can't always be gleaned from the pictures.
Here's the website if you're curious...not bad pricing for a franchise store (if you click through you can see cabinet-by-cabinet prices):
Holy cabinets batman, they do have a store here in LA. About an hour plus from me, but may be worth a trip to see in person.
Do any of these have self closing drawers J?
Prices look decent, but I can't see the finish I use. Looks like $2300 to $2800 for a 10 X 10 kitchen. Not bad but need to check quality before I can voice a true opinion.
RTA stands for "ready to assemble". The are real wood cabinets (no particle board) that you assemble yourself and are cheaper than the already assembled variety. The assembly is extremely easy to do. I've used them in two kitchens so far. A 10x10 kitchen can be less than $2000.
I have a Cabinets to Go in my area. They are located on the outskirts of a war zone, which made me leary to go there. When I priced out on their website the cabinets I was going to purchase, it ended up being cheaper to get the American Classic already assembled cabinets at HD. They were running a 20% off sale at the time, which helped out. (They seem to have those sales all the time). I was also able to save an additional 9+% off of that by purchasing gift cards. For the price, I think they are decent cabinets. Once granite counters go on top, they look great.
The problem I've run into with RTA type cabinets is that they are frameless. You usually need to shim them before putting counters on, you must have knobs (there's no option), and they don't look as nice.
I have seen people use the cabinets from Ikea, but I haven't seen any that I like. They look a little too European/Brady Bunch for my taste.
I totally agree : " I have seen people use the cabinets from Ikea, but I haven't seen any that I like. They look a little too European/Brady Bunch for my taste. "
www.rtacabinetstore.com
Has great prices and contractors/investors get a 10% discount. You can order online and shipping is reasonable. There are many styles and most have full face frames. These are perfect for flips and much better than the HD/Lowes cabinets.
www.rtacabinetstore.com
Has great prices and contractors/investors get a 10% discount. You can order online and shipping is reasonable. There are many styles and most have full face frames. These are perfect for flips and much better than the HD/Lowes cabinets.
Thanks Shawn...will they assemble prior to delivery?
I used Cabinets to Go on our last flip and the quality is def. better than the what you can get at HD/Lowes for the price.
To answer Will Barnard question - yes, from what I can tell most of their lines are self closing (soft closing if thats what you meant).
We priced out the difference between the cheap already assembled line at HD/Lowes with the unassembled stuff you can get at CTG. Factor in labor to assemble the CTG cabinets and the prices were almost the same.
We purchased during a 25%+ off sale and encountered the same problem you had J Scott - the salesperson forgot to order a vital cabinet. When we came back a few days later to let them know the salesperson that had helped us (the one we negotiated with and got the price lowered to an even bigger discount) had quit. Fortunately, our new salesperson honored our previous agreed upon sale prices and ordered the missing cabinet for us... I imagine this experience will vary from store to store.
Wait time when ordering something not readily available in stock = ~2 weeks
Will do J. Race to see who gets to a store first. With our busy schedules, we may both lose!
@Will Barnard@J Scott , since this post about a year ago, have either of you worked with Cabinets to Go? I'm looking into them here in Maryland and would love a review or similar recommendation.