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Buying Kitchen Cabinets At the Home Improvement Stores

The number of cabinet names and styles at the Home Improvement Stores like Lowes and Home Depot can be overwhelming, and so can the number of options and upgrades. They do a very good job of distracting you from the two biggest factors when it comes to buying kitchen cabinets. Find out what they are and how to avoid the common mistakes that people make when shopping for kitchen cabinets.

If you have ever strolled through the kitchen section at one of the big home improvement stores (like Lowes or Home Depot), you know how overwhelming the selection can be. They do a very good job of offering every door style, wood type, and finish imaginable. They also do a very good job of distracting you from the two biggest features that you should be focused on- price and quality of construction.

When making a large purchase like a kitchen, it is really easy for emotion and excitement to overshadow the total cost. It is really important to do some research before going into the store and have a budget in mind. Minor changes in the look of the cabinet can end up adding hundreds, if not thousands, to the cost of your kitchen. The same thing applies to unnecessary upgrades and accessories, which will quickly add up.

As a part-time contractor and rental property owner, I always tell people that I am talking to, to start their research on the internet.. The big stores will offer the name brand cabinets, but if you search online you will find that you can find similar, if not identical cabinets, for significantly less on-line. Have you ever noticed that the stores will usually price cabinets on a cost per square foot? This is done deliberately….. when you are emotionally attached to a particular style of cabinet, what is more likely to sway you from going over your budget- That upgrade is going to got you an additional $1.00 per square foot, or that upgrade is going cost you an additional $900? It is a great technique to distract you from the actual price you are paying and get you focused on the style and finish of the cabinets.

What you will also find is that the quality of the materials used will differ dramatically from cabinet to cabinet. As I mentioned before, the retail stores do a very good job of getting you caught up in the features and of the cabinet face, but they often brush over the actual cabinet box construction? Ironically, most of the higher priced cabinets don’t actually use solid wood for the cabinet box. They may have a great looking cabinet door, but they are using particleboard or fiberboard for the construction of the cabinet box. The problem with both of these materials is that they are adversely affected by water and moisture….  What you will find on-line is that a lot of the lesser-known cabinetmakers actually use solid plywood, which creates a much stronger cabinet box. The other big factor in materials is how the cabinet is held together. Don’t be surprised to find out that some of the big name cabinet companies use staples or basic nails and glue to hold the cabinet together.  The best joinery would have to be dovetail joints, but right behind that is the cam lock.   The cam lock is used primarily on ready-to-assemble cabinets. (NOTE: LKN Cabinets uses screw, staple and glue construction which many find superior to this.)

In doing some research on-line you will more than likely come across another common term in the cabinet industry- RTA, or Ready-To-Assemble. Don’t be scared away from this type of cabinet. If you ever go into the big stores and see pre-assembled or stock cabinets, they are actually RTA cabinets that have been assembled for your convenience (and they are significantly more expensive). There are three categories that separate RTA Cabinets from their competition-

1) Construction– Not all RTA cabinets are the same, but most of them use solid plywood for the cabinet box, solid wood for the face frames and doors, and they have an interlocking cam lock assembly that is a stronger bond than staples, nails, or wooden dowels

2) Price– if you find the companies that are importing them directly, the saving can be as high as 40-50% versus the name brand cabinets

3) Assembly– they are so easy to assemble that you can actually eliminate the added expense of hiring someone to assemble and install them

With all the advantages of RTA Cabinets, there are some inferior products on the market that you should steer clear of, but they are definitely worth doing some research on.  Typically when RTA cabinets or knockdown cabinets are mentioned, people authomatically think of Ikea products.   Today’s ready-to-assemble kitchen cabinets are far superior than what is sold at Ikea.

So before you go running to your local big box supply store, take the time to do some research on-line. At the very least you will be a more educated customer and you can avoid the mistake of exceeding your budget for your kitchen.

Source: RTAcabinetstore.com by Gary Nealon

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Fantastic Kitchen Remodeling Ideas – Which Style is Right For You?

The kitchen is the heart of the house, so its design is important. It’s more than just the place to keep your food; it’s where folks and friends get together. If the heart of your home isn’t what you want it to be, a remodeling project could really help. You can remodel your kitchen and find just the right style that is really You.

You can make your kitchen a warm and welcoming place for the family to gather. You can do anything imaginable with your kitchen, but in case your imagination is stalled on the tracks, here are some classic ideas that always add just the right touch.

The Warmth and Comfort of the Traditional Style

Tired of tacky linoleum and plain white tiles that remind you of a 1950’s TV show? A soulless room decor can leave you feeling pretty uninspired. The traditional decor is meant to give a room a warm, comfortable feeling. What makes the traditional style so cozy and attractive is wood. Wood gives any place a homey feel. Most designs use oak, and the furniture is modeled after the antique shaker style. The cabinets are built-in, and there are drawers where you can put everything you need.

Are You Ready For The Country?

Why not go one step further with a country style design. The country decor gives your kitchen a distinctly homey feel. This is one of the most popular styles chosen for remodeling projects. Like the traditional decor, a country design should be woody and warm. It is simpler than the traditional, however, and uses more subtle colors. There are design effects like flowers, fruits and knick-knacks. Most country kitchens have natural wood floors.

The idea is coziness and comfort. The country kitchen should be a place where you want to sit a spell and chat with friends. You can choose between the French country, American country or English country decor. All three have their slightly different flavors.

Enough of The Old Style… Let’s Head For the Future

Some folks prefer a contemporary design to the traditional or country. This modern style is fully up-to-date. Are you ready for the future? Contemporary design uses a sleek style. There are minimal cabinets and design features. The materials are man-made from the 20th century, including plywood, glass, steel and plastic.

The contemporary decor is meant to be beautiful, but also utilitarian. Unlike older styles, it is meant to be user-friendly, and to have all the most modern conveniences. It is also meant to be environmentally-friendly. With its emphasis on efficiency, the contemporary kitchen is made with a green design. Don’t take that literally; you won’t have lime green cabinets staring at you every time you reach for the pepper; it means the design is ecological as well as economical.

If you are thinking about kitchen remodeling, first decide what style suits you. There are traditional styles, as well as contemporary styles and everything in between. Check out some kitchen remodeling ideas and decide what is best for you.

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Affordable Kitchen Remodels for Charlotte

Informative Ways To Get Cheap Kitchen Remodels

Save money on a great kitchen remodel. One of the major obstacles that stand in the way of remodels is cost. Many people think that they can not fix up their homes without spending a huge amount of money. This is simply not the case. There are ways to change you kitchen and save money. For instance, you can buy imported cabinets assembled in the US to save big money or use “off” brand cabinets that have higher quality for less money.

Of all the rooms in our home the kitchen might be the one that we most want to be inviting. A warm and welcome feeling is desirable in all rooms but this one in particular should elicit these feelings. A tight budget should not stop you from achieve this goal. Look for companies that offer low priced renovating service packages. There are plenty companies that have great deals you can take advantage of.

Locating the best contractor for the job is vital. This is the most important part of the remolding process. There are tons of contractors that are qualified to do the job and will complete the project successfully. However, there are also a good amount of contractors that will say they can complete the project and will not be able to.

You may be wondering how you will go about finding out if the contractor is a fraud or not. Well the best way to get reliable information about the contractor is to get contact information for people that the contractor has completed jobs for in the past. Get telephone number and names and use them. Talk to the people that have worked with the contractor in the past and find out what their experience was. Past job history is the best way to find out if the contractor is any good. If you find that there are a lot of complaints about the work that the contractor has done, you should look elsewhere for services. Do not use a contractor just because they have the lowest prices. You want someone who is going to do a good job as well as offer you a decent price.

Sometimes the responses you get will be a mixed bag. Some people may have enjoyed the contractor’s work while others may not have. If the majority of the previous clients are happy with the work that the contractor did for them you may want to consider using their services. If you talk to five previous customers and three out of the five liked the work hat the contractor did, these are pretty good numbers.

If you choose to go with a contractor that has a mixed bag of responses to previous work, be sure that a low cost kitchen remodel contractor is signed. Terms regarding refunds for lack of satisfying work should be included. If the contractor is confident that they can do the job, they will sing the contract.

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