I have a display in my showroom that gives a "standard" 10' x 12'L shaped kitchen with 6 different tiers of pricing for that "same" kitchen. The pricing ranges from $4K to $15K in the same cabinet brand. The differences are all in the selection of the cabinets that go into the layout. The cheapest tier basically gives a corner cabinet, but no lazy susan and only 30" high cabinets with no drawer stacks or anything else "extra" except the skins to finish off the sides and toekick. The highest price tier shows 2 drawer stacks, roll out trays, silverware organizers, 30" cabinets topped with 18" glass cabinets and stacked crown molding, etc. It's the "same" kitchen. And we haven't even gone into the differences that choosing another cabinet brand could bring into the equation. For instance, that same $4K lowest tier "apples to apples" kitchen would cost $6K in one of my other brands----BUT because they include the Blum soft close as standard but the first manufacturer doesn't, it isn't an exact "apples to apples" comparison. My point isn't to confuse anyone further. Really. :) My point is that one of the most important elements in pricing is making a partner of your KD when it comes to budget. We know our cabinet lines, and if you are candid (and realistic) about what you want to spend, we'll bend over backwards to see that you get the most for your money. As an example, a couple came to me and told me that their budget was $6K for cabinets in a medium sized galley kitchen and that they had pretty simple tastes so they thought it was a realistic budget. Initially, I put them in my lower priced line and managed to get their whole list of wants quite easily. However, when one of my higher priced manufacturers began a promotion on some of their door styles, I was able to upgrade this couple with "the same kitchen" to full extension soft close drawers, all butt cabinets (no center stiles, which would have been a bear in the lower priced cabinet line), furniture finished plywood ends (no tricky skins for the DIY installer) and even a desk area the exact size they specified (the lower priced line didn't carry a desk drawer in the size they wanted, so they had to "settle" on a more stock size). They got all of those bonuses plus a better quality cabinet with a better finish for $800 more. That put them at $100 under budget, or over budget by the time the taxes were figured. They were so excited to be getting a much better quality kitchen than they though they could afford that they were willing to dip into their savings for the difference. And the best thing about this kitchen was it is going to WORK well for them, and they even have a integrated spot for their beloved dog's crate. It was a win/win situation, and I was able to fully help them create the kitchen of their dreams on their modest budget because they trusted me with their budget number on the front end. A good KD will be able to guide you into the look you want within your budget (if it's realistic) if you're willing to let the KD work your layout and brands. Unless you want something highly unusual, getting a "dark cherry shaker" kitchen, or a "glazed cream raised panel" kitchen can be accomplished in MANY different lines. It's the skill of the KD and installer that can make a 10K kitchen look like a 100K kitchen, and a 100K kitchen look like 10K worth of Chinese made garbage.

First, Shicksal, great news. You're coming along really fast. Today is an odd day. At 6:30 this morning I went to Wal-Mart to put money on my debit card and buy a little hotdog roller for this job. My friend who is an electrician is here. I've got my two pendants over the peninsula hung, but learned somehow, the switch to them isn't powered, but the outlets next to them is. He's replaced two dimmers with regular switches. One of the benefits of doing this alone is the onus being off changing my mind. These dimmers just kinda made me crazy, so regular switches they're becoming. I gotta tell you. I'm a walking posterboard for Lutron. Now 15 dimmers, 12 motion sensors, and other fun stuff. Love 'em. He's also going to put in some outlets. Sad. I'll have to find other places to hang my laundry. He and another friend put a kitchen cabinet on the wall for me. I can hang 'em, but lifting these two onto cleats is way beyond my balance. Remember, I have to stand on the counter, press my head against the ceiling and screw things in. Lifting over a cleat and not falling off the counter backwards is something I don't want to attempt. But, getting this on the wall frees up a bunch of space. I can load it full of crap, then make doors. While he's working, I've put 4 handles on cabinets in my MBR. Got about 30 to go. I primed the two shelves for the cleat cabinets. They're an odd shape, W3624s. Custom, of course, from H4H and S.O.L.I.D. 3/4" maple. Minus shelves, so I cut those out of 3/4" MDF and will probably paint them a coral BM color I love. I've remudded the chewed up MBR wall. I've sanded and mudded yet again. I've gotten rid of 4 medium sized boxes of lighting materials, and a box of thrift store drawers I bought for their hardware and Blum release switches still attached. $2.00 a drawer box. Yeah man! I emptied the DW. Like to load it, hate to unload it. This was probably the greatest accomplishment of the day. Did a load of laundry/uniforms and got them into the dryer. Changed the cat litter. They're all happy with me. Arranged the MBR furniture and will bring the cabinets still in the kitchen back, since to paint I took a bunch down. I'm making room all over the place. I'll tell you. Lethargy, thy name is Christine. I hate this heat and incessant sun. This is more than I've accomplished all darned week, and it's only to kill time while someone else is working! Keep up the great work, all! You encourage me. Greenhaven, have a FUN time! Happy 4th, all!

I'm resurrecting this thread...have a slightly different question in addition to all of the issues already discussed. I'm going to order from Conestoga I think. I'm replacing white thermofoil doors which are 20 years old and haven't really faded, but there are a few where a candle or the toaster got too close and caused some minor melting....Most people think they look nice, but in my mind they are still "cheap". The uppers are 42" I'm going to stick with white and just buy doors to match the existing boxes which are fine. Also, I have granite and it's hard to find someone willing to remove it to install complete cabinets. My question is....will a mapleframe/mdf center FEEL like a real wood door? Will it feel different than my thermofoil? I'm talking in terms of both surface and the weight in your hand as you open and close it. Will the outside edges and the panel raise etc be sharper than thermofoil? If I get mdf center will I still have the defined edges I am looking for. If you've had thermofoil you will know what I am asking. I'm toying with getting 5 peice mdf...but don't want to lose the wood look or feel... I think the mdf center is my best bet. My husband is what I like to call..anal...pretty sure he will be bothered by cracks, but he doesn't want the fake plastic look either. Pretty sure all wood is not a good choice for me, too bad because I love wood... The style I am leaning toward is https://www.cabinetjoint.com/cabinet-door/monarch-square/  but I am also toying with shaker style. Wondering if the shaker trend is headed out....Also considering doing a grey island by applying end panels. Guess I could start a new thread for those questions.

This has been discussed longer than I've been around here. (more than a decade) First you are much more likely looking at furniture board-aka particle board than MDF. The vast majority of cabinets do NOT use MDF but an enormous number of KD's, salesman, even contractors will refer to it as MDF. (but depending on type of each they would be on practically equal footing with particle having an edge over most of what is actually used for MDF in cabinets-there are over 100 variations for each) I currently only have one brand of frameless cabinets that offers Particle Board- they also offer ply and every other brand I have at the moment uses plywood sides. I went to great lengths to get that brand specifically for the particle board option. What I tell my customer- once you are at the middle price point, top end at the box store (Kraftmaid, Shuler...) there is no point in paying for plywood except: on exposed ends if that is what it takes to get veneer, and sometimes for shelves greater than 30" wide that will be VERY heavily loaded. So I'm telling them that when they go shopping somewhere else they should be looking at a less expensive options than some of what I have. When I worked at a place that had more particle board options available I told people exactly the same thing. I used to post the physical stats from the National Plywood Association for both- for all but bending under load, particle wins. Search back a few years if you want to see those. My own kitchen is particle board frameless because that is what I wanted and fit my budget. If I were to spend more I would not burn $$ just to be able to say I have plywood. There are far more important aspects to cabinets quality than "pepsi or coke" ply or furniture board. AND once you have settled on a price point there is more to picking who you work with than which brand-who provides it for you counts for more. As to the cabinets themselves- the most important aspect of a middle of the road or better brand is customer service and QC, finish is next, methods of construction and volume come in there (how rushed are the people on the glue line is my favorite thing to see when evaluating a brand- a really accurate indicator of how things will turn out in the long run). Jakuvall