Author Topic: RTA Kitchen Cabinets  (Read 3659 times)

couponvan

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RTA Kitchen Cabinets
« on: May 21, 2015, 11:47:06 PM »
We had a dishwasher pipe crack under our dishwasher which flooded our kitchen (and basement) of our FIRE/vacation house.  We're only getting insurance money that covers the lower cabinets, so we're planning to go the RTA route with the kitchen fix.

It seems like these are pretty simple to do, and that after 1 or 2 I'd be OK assembling them. 

Has anyone used these?  If so, which company?

We are looking at JSI Cabinetry Dover White Shaker cabinets.
http://www.jsicabinetry.com/designer-line/designer-kitchen/doverk/

A bunch of different companies sell these cabinets, but only a couple will let you pick up at the warehouse to get them faster.  JSI has a warehouse near our home, which is why we picked that cabinet - to get it quicker.

We have a general contractor that's willing to let work to "assist" him so we can learn.  I just have a hard time paying $30/hour for skilled labor when my own unskilled labor with some training can assist.  We're ordering 7 upper cabinets and 8 lower cabinets (one is a 3 drawer unit).  We are only kind of handy....Taking down a play set landed me in the ER!  I'm kind of too wussy to even think about tackling the upper cabinets myself, although they are going right back up where they were before, so you'd think I could just screw them in at the same spots the were before and call it a day.

paddedhat

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Re: RTA Kitchen Cabinets
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2015, 12:06:34 PM »
I have done quite a few, typically decent grade units made in China. Once you do one, it will all seem pretty simple. I typically did all of the work with a battery screw gun, and a bottle of carpenter's glue. Good luck, and don't forget a whole kitchen's worth of flat packs is a heavy load, it's not coming home in the back of the car.
Hanging uppers can suck. Take a long level and put a pencil line around the room, where the uppers go. Use a stud finder and find the studs. Predrill at least two screw holes into ever cabinet, four if the layout works. Have the helper hold the cabinet to the line and put a screw in. There are moments when the whole deal will go as smoothly as a monkey fucking a football, but you will prevail in the end. Good luck.
« Last Edit: May 22, 2015, 12:08:30 PM by paddedhat »

jennipurrr

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Re: RTA Kitchen Cabinets
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2015, 01:17:22 PM »
I purchased and installed RTA cabinets last year.  This is the company I used - http://www.thertastore.com/  The customer service was extremely helpful and drew up plans for my space.  We did one of the shaker styles.

It is funny, we had a cabinet company install custom cabinets in our regular kitchen and we installed these in the basement...all the little gadgets for slow drawers, etc, are exactly the same!  It also seemed like the quality was comparable.  Of course the price was astronomically lower for the RTA. 

My husband and I are semi handy, and we had planned a long weekend to install the cabinets, and it ended up taking nearly 5 full days!  It was challenging, but we were pleased with them once we got them in.

couponvan

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Re: RTA Kitchen Cabinets
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2015, 07:30:47 PM »
Friday I picked up my sample door at the warehouse, and they had some small displays to look at.  Tomorrow I am going to order the cabinets.  There was a "guy" at the warehouse on the assembly line who told me he'd assemble all 15 of my upper/lower cabinets for $200 cash.  After installing a laminate floor and painting two coats in the bedroom this weekend, I will sub out this chore for next weekend....