Doing kitchen renovation is one of the biggest projects in home improvement. However, the hard work pays off since you will significantly increase the overall value of your home. For that reason, you need to do your best in preparations and make the renovation smoother.
Build quality is the biggest determinant of which kitchen cabinet you should buy. Since they are getting constantly used, you don’t want to get a piece that breaks often. For that reason, forget about aesthetics for a moment and focus on quality.
The debate over which type of cabinets you should buy can last forever. Some people are weighted towards assembled and others prefer the RTA option. To make things clearer and help you decide which is the suitable option for your project, we made this article. Keep reading and find out more.
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Pre-assembled meaning
As their name suggests, these cabinets come already assembled and all you need to do is install them in your kitchen. This is the reason why they are considered by most homes. You don’t need to put in any work since they come pre-built and functional which makes the renovation project much quicker.
Pre-assembled pros
Source: cabinetcorp.com
To show you in detail why are the pre-assembled cabinets this popular, we made a short list of all the good sides these products offer.
They provide quickness to the project
The first reason why should you consider going for a pre-build cabinet is because of their quick installation. They arrive ready, and all you need to do is place them in the way you wanted. Just be sure you’ve taken the right measurements and prepared the floors to ensure a smooth installation.
Quality
While the quality of the materials is up to your preference, the build quality will always be top-notch. This is because the manufacturers are doing lots of testing before putting the cabinet up for sale. In addition, they are professionals and know the proper way of a cabinet assembly.
The added guarantee of quality is another mechanism that provides you with safety and ensures you great build quality.
Included features
Most of the pre-assembled options come with various included features inside the cabinets, unlike the RTA options. This includes lots of storage spaces, pull-outs for trash, and lots of other features. In addition, the molding is done by professionals which is also a great thing.
Pre-assembled cons
Source: choicecabinet.com
After going through all the pros that pre-assembled cabinets offer, it is time to go through the bad sides.
Costs
The first thing that is being noticed is the high costs of these cabinets. However, there is a good reason behind the price. While you are getting a finished drawer to only put it in place, there is lots of labor done in the manufacturing and assembling process.
In addition, there are quality check-ups included, and only selling items that are properly made. The cabinets are becoming large, and there is a required strategy to pack them properly and provide safe shipping. Lastly, shipping large boxes is more expensive which is another determinant of the high price.
A long time of shipping
By ordering customized assembled cabinets, you should already know that it will take quite some time until they arrive. For that reason, even though they only need to be placed inside your kitchen, you should plan your order so they arrive on time.
RTA meaning
Source: thespruce.com
Having an acronym meaning ready to install, the RTA cabinets arrive in pieces in flat boxes. Even though the installation process might make you anxious, some suppliers provide videos that you can follow for easy assembly.
Inside the box, you’ll find everything you need to install these cabinets, including the furniture and a manual for instructions. This is an affordable method of acquiring good quality furniture, so be sure and check this.
RTA pros
While only receiving parts of the cabinets may seem scary, there are lots of good sides to purchasing RTA products.
Lower costs
Since there is no labor in assembling the cabinets, and they come pre-packed from the factory, the costs are significantly lower. This gives you space either for purchasing better quality materials, getting additional features, for the remaining parts of the kitchen, or all of the above.
The assembling project is easy
You don’t have to be afraid of assembling your kitchen cabinets by yourself. Everything comes pre-drilled and ready. All you need to do is follow the manual and screw the portions together.
Better quality materials
Source: grundig.com
As mentioned above, because of the significant cut in costs of the RTA compared to the pre-built products, you can manage to get higher quality materials. Since you should be looking for longevity, this might be the right move and create a quality kitchen.
Quicker shipment
Because the packages come pre-packed from the factory, they are ready to be shipped. This way, you are saving on shipment time, and get to a finished project quicker than waiting for a pre-assembled option.
RTA cons
Lastly, we have to go through the bad sides of the RTA cabinets before deciding which option is more suitable for your project.
Difficulty in finding replacement parts
The first disadvantage is difficulty in finding replacement parts since you will be getting no warranty with the RTA option. The packages come from overseas, and there can be parts missing or certain damages done on the planks during shipping.
Time demanding
The second disadvantage is that building the cabinets can be time-demanding. Especially if you are a first-timer, you’ll have to first go through the parts and analyze them, then read the manual and get to work. For that reason, you can expect to spend more than an hour building the kitchen by yourself.
Conclusion
Source: vevano.com
By learning more about the two separate kitchen cabinet options, you should be getting the bigger picture and understanding which option is more suitable for your project.
For that reason, there are two major determinants that you should consider. Your budget and time will help you to easily decide whether you’ll be going with an RTA or a pre-built option. One saves your budget, and the other saves your time but be sure to always prioritize the quality first.
