A kitchen renovation is a large investment. There is just no way around that. And when budget is king, you want to make sure you not only get the best deal, but the best quality your budget allows. In this article, I will take the same 10x12 white shaker kitchen and compare price, quality and service of three different entry level (aka budget friendly) manufacturers we distribute. But before we compare numbers, I wanted to give you some background on the design and trends we followed.
Where did I get my trend information from?
Although we are an established wholesale kitchen distributor with over 27 years in the business. I didn't want you to have to take our word for it. So... I used the results from last year's Houzz kitchen trend study.
You can read the full 2022 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study here. The survey was of 2,380 U.S. homeowners who had completed a kitchen remodel in 2021. The results give us an insight on current kitchen trends. I took these trends into account when designing the kitchen we will be pricing up.
Why white shaker cabinets?
Shaker-style cabinet doors are still the top choice, with 64% of renovating homeowners choosing it for their cabinetry. White also held the top spot again (41%), as the chosen finish for the main kitchen cabinets. These results on are target with the trends we see here on Long Island, New York.
Why an L shape kitchen with an island?
Based on the survey mentioned above, an L shaped kitchen is still the most popular kitchen layout (40%). And more than half of renovating homeowners (57%) either upgraded or added an island to their kitchen. Meaning the chance of you trying to price shop an L shaped kitchen with an island is very good.
{Learn more about Kitchen Islands in this article}
Why a 10x12 size kitchen?
There is a reason all kitchen places advertise their pricing by marketing what a 10x10 or a 12x12 kitchen would cost. This is because it's really hard to talk price when every kitchen is different.
I wanted to speak to the audience looking for what a 'standard' 10x10 or 12x12 kitchen costs, except give them a REAL idea. These other places tend to give out low ball numbers. They'll give you a price of a kitchen no one actually orders: no crown molding, wall cabinets stopping a foot below the ceiling, no trash cabinet, too big of a sink base etc. I did not want to give you another fictitious number. Instead, I compare prices of three quality cabinet lines, in a on-trend kitchen design for today's kitchens.
Take a Look at The Design
- Framed, All plywood construction cabinetry
- Soft close doors and drawers
- Exposed sides are finished
- Double trash cabinet
- Base corner super susan
- 5' island - complete with drawer bases, and back panel
- Refrigerator Panel for built in look- 30" deep, 1.5" wide
- Build up + crown molding to get to the ceiling
- Toe Kick
Let the Price Shopping Begin!
Now that you know the whys behind the kitchen design I chose to compare, let the price comparison begin! Below are RETAIL prices of this design in three different cabinet manufacturers. These comparisons are as close to exact as we can get, any differences will be noted. This pricing is current as of January 2023.
Note: We did not factor in tax or shipping for this price comparison, since these costs will vary based on location. Rest assured, when you get a personalized quote from us, it will be itemized with tax and shipping factored in.
Mantra Cabinets: Omni Snow
Mantra is a globally sourced cabinet brand, backed by North America's #1 largest cabinet manufacturer MasterBrand Cabinets. It has a 5 year residential warranty. Their full overlay white shaker cabinet door and finish is called Omni Snow. You can read my complete Mantra write up, including construction details, here.
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SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $8,525.00 + tax & shipping
Fabuwood Cabinets: Galaxy Frost
About Fabuwood Cabinets
Fabuwood is a globally sourced cabinet company. Its headquarters is based in New Jersey, and it is a Hasidic run company. Which is only important to note, because they do have extended closures surrounding Jewish holidays that will effect lead times. They too have a 5 year residential warranty. The Allure Series, Galaxy door is their number one seller for us here on Long Island. Learn all there is to know about Fabuwood here.
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SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $8,800.00 + tax & shipping
Green Forest: Park Place White
About Green Forest Cabinets
Green Forest is our last and final cabinet line of which we did the price comparison. They are a globally sourced manufacturer with their headquarters in Chesapeake, Virginia. They offer superior quality cabinetry at an extreme value. Their shaker option is called Park Place, and it is a 3" wide rail shaker (larger than that of Mantra or Fabuwood). Their warranty, like the others, is 5 years.
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SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $8,300.00 + tax & shipping
Analysis & Recap
All three of these brands are quality products. When I say quality, I mean head and shoulders above IKEA, off the rack at Home Depot and any RTA cabinet option. Being a wholesaler for contractors, we hand select quality products for each price point. We would NOT be in business for 27 years if we gave them junk full of headaches.
The best bang for your buck will be the Green Forest cabinet brand. Not only did it price up the cheapest, but you are getting MORE! The wall cabinets are 3" taller {hello more storage!} AND it is a thicker 3" rail door (this upgrade costs more in semi custom brands). With all three brands being within $500 of each other, tax and shipping may be a deciding factor for your delivery location.
Other Resources you should check out:
- Our Kitchen Budget Calculator - it breaks down how much to budget for each part of the renovation (cabinets, countertops, lighting etc), as well as gives an estimated overall figure based on the price of the home.
- Our Quartz Promotion currently running. Those Cabinets will Need Countertops. Let's keep you within your budget. We have six quartz colors, with three FREE edge choices, for one great price.
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Industry Professionals, for your Wholesale Pricing
