I am remodeling a 50 year old house and installing new kitchen
cabinetry, among other things.

I am always trying to figure out a more cost effective way to acheive
a certain result and that has my mind at work in regards to acquiring
cabinets.

I came up with the possibility of buying the Mills Pride brand of
white cabinet boxes from home depot. These are the kind that you have
to assemble yourself out of a box. Because Mill's Pride doesn't have
a door style that I like, I thought I could go to one of the online
sites that sell cabinet doors (do a search on Google for "wood cabinet
doors" or just "cabinet doors") and have them make doors that would
exactly work with the Home Depot boxes. I'm looking for a wood door
(non thermofoil) that would be painted or stained very close to white.

After all, it seems that 80% of what separates a cheap cabinet from an
expensive one is the doors. I know, plywood boxes are better than the
melamine covered particle board, but I'm not planning on soaking them
in water. . . I've used the Mills Pride cabinets before (box and
doors) and they are really not that bad. It's the doors (and drawers)
that matter most. They just don't have the door look that my wife
desires.

It seems like if I could get the door maker to cut in the holes for
the fancy hidden hinges that Mills Pride uses so that they line up
with the predrilled holes in the boxes, it would look all right in
that respect too.

I honestly haven't really priced it out carefully to see if you are
really saving that much money by trying this, but I suspect that it
could save some. It would have to be pretty good savings to be worth
the hassle.

What do you think? Good idea, bad idea, any other ideas? Is there
any place on line that sells kitchen cabinets at significantly better
prices (lower markups) than the local shops or Lowes or Home Depot?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

David

I'm in the process of doing this right now.The difference is I've built my
own uppers and doors because I wanted a custom height and didn't want to
deal with a custom order with H.D.
I did get the lowers by Mills Pride from H.D. and am making a few drawer
fronts and doors to match the uppers I designed.(I figured if I wanted a
custom cabinet it would be good for a few tools from SWIUI)
If the lower cabinets require doors, the hinges come with the base cabinets.
Since you are going with a paintgrade door the cost may be less expensive
than M.P. prices.
If you are thinking of ordering them through the net do a Google search on
kitchen cabinet doors and you'll find plenty of sites that will quote from
the square footage.
If you have a local cabinet maker available check his pricing,shipping isn't
cheap.
I do have a question.Since you are posting this question here have you
considered making the doors yourself?No it probably won't be cheaper,but you
have control over the finished product.
One more thing about M.P. cabinets.If you go with their lowers,make sure to
check out the type of drawer that comes with the unit.
They use a "wire side drawer " in some of the lowers.This may come into
consideration if you have someone else make the drawer fronts.I believe full
drawers are available as an option.Another route to take is get the base
cabinets without any hardware and build the drawers yourself.
One word about the Blue box store.I originally bought some of their ready
made cabinets that were similar to M.P.(melamine with wood doors) both units
were broken in the box and returned them.I wasn't crazy about the RTA
cabinets at first,but found them to be decent value for the money.No they
are not the same quality as a build in place cabinet,but the Euro style
system has been around for a while and a lot of cabinet shops are switching
to that system.

"David Jensen" wrote in message
om...
I am remodeling a 50 year old house and installing new kitchen
cabinetry, among other things.


Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

David

David,

File this in the "for what its worth" department but last year I made 40,
raised panel cabinet doors for SIL. Used ash for the frames and poplar for
the panels (paint grade) and Euro hinges. Cost of raw materials was approx
$300 for lumber, $100 for hinges, $50 misc (primer, paint, etc.). $450 Total

Did a comparison of buying unfinished, raised panel doors from HD. Cost
came to just under $3K and still needed to buy the hinges and do the
finishing.

So if you can make your own doors - you can save money but its a sweat
equity trade-off.

Bob S.

What about faceframes ?? ?? ?? Usually, they match the doors/drawers !!

Ask your local cabinetmakers if they'll consider making you some
unfinished cabinets .. .. .. most of them will, and at a substantially
reduced price .. .. ..

David Jensen wrote:

I am remodeling a 50 year old house and installing new kitchen
cabinetry, among other things.

I am always trying to figure out a more cost effective way to acheive
a certain result and that has my mind at work in regards to acquiring
cabinets.

I came up with the possibility of buying the Mills Pride brand of
white cabinet boxes from home depot. These are the kind that you have
to assemble yourself out of a box. Because Mill's Pride doesn't have
a door style that I like, I thought I could go to one of the online
sites that sell cabinet doors (do a search on Google for "wood cabinet
doors" or just "cabinet doors") and have them make doors that would
exactly work with the Home Depot boxes. I'm looking for a wood door
(non thermofoil) that would be painted or stained very close to white.

After all, it seems that 80% of what separates a cheap cabinet from an
expensive one is the doors. I know, plywood boxes are better than the
melamine covered particle board, but I'm not planning on soaking them
in water. . . I've used the Mills Pride cabinets before (box and
doors) and they are really not that bad. It's the doors (and drawers)
that matter most. They just don't have the door look that my wife
desires.

It seems like if I could get the door maker to cut in the holes for
the fancy hidden hinges that Mills Pride uses so that they line up
with the predrilled holes in the boxes, it would look all right in
that respect too.

I honestly haven't really priced it out carefully to see if you are
really saving that much money by trying this, but I suspect that it
could save some. It would have to be pretty good savings to be worth
the hassle.

What do you think? Good idea, bad idea, any other ideas? Is there
any place on line that sells kitchen cabinets at significantly better
prices (lower markups) than the local shops or Lowes or Home Depot?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

David

--
I AM NOT PARANOID .. .. .. but EVERYONE thinks I am !! !! !!

__ Bob __

The Mills Pride ready to assemble cabinets are the European style, and
without face frames.


"___ Bob ___" wrote in message ...
What about faceframes ?? ?? ?? Usually, they match the doors/drawers !!

Ask your local cabinetmakers if they'll consider making you some
unfinished cabinets .. .. .. most of them will, and at a substantially
reduced price .. .. ..

I'd be willing to entertain the idea of building the doors myself if
there were enough hours in my day. I'm not sure that I can even
justify the time of messing with everything I'm talking about here, as
opposed to just turning it over to a cabinet shop or buying from H.D.
or similar. I don't yet have the tools necessary to build any doors
in an efficient manner.

On the Mills Pride base cabinets where you made the doors for them,
did you have any trouble working with the hinges. Specifically, how
did you drill out the hole in the door to accomodate the hinge? There
must be a special tool just for that. Secondly, since the holes for
the hinges are predrilled in the base cabinets, did you find it at all
difficult to drill the holes in the doors so that the spacing would
exactly correspond to that of the base cabinet? I imagine that there
is consistency from one MP cabinet to another with respect to this.

Good luck with your project. It is interesting to see that someone
else has tried this concept.

"William E. Prisavage" wrote in message ...
I'm in the process of doing this right now.The difference is I've built my
own uppers and doors because I wanted a custom height and didn't want to
deal with a custom order with H.D.
I did get the lowers by Mills Pride from H.D. and am making a few drawer
fronts and doors to match the uppers I designed.(I figured if I wanted a
custom cabinet it would be good for a few tools from SWIUI)
If the lower cabinets require doors, the hinges come with the base cabinets.
Since you are going with a paintgrade door the cost may be less expensive
than M.P. prices.
If you are thinking of ordering them through the net do a Google search on
kitchen cabinet doors and you'll find plenty of sites that will quote from
the square footage.
If you have a local cabinet maker available check his pricing,shipping isn't
cheap.
I do have a question.Since you are posting this question here have you
considered making the doors yourself?No it probably won't be cheaper,but you
have control over the finished product.
One more thing about M.P. cabinets.If you go with their lowers,make sure to
check out the type of drawer that comes with the unit.
They use a "wire side drawer " in some of the lowers.This may come into
consideration if you have someone else make the drawer fronts.I believe full
drawers are available as an option.Another route to take is get the base
cabinets without any hardware and build the drawers yourself.
One word about the Blue box store.I originally bought some of their ready
made cabinets that were similar to M.P.(melamine with wood doors) both units
were broken in the box and returned them.I wasn't crazy about the RTA
cabinets at first,but found them to be decent value for the money.No they
are not the same quality as a build in place cabinet,but the Euro style
system has been around for a while and a lot of cabinet shops are switching
to that system.

"David Jensen" wrote in message
om...
I am remodeling a 50 year old house and installing new kitchen
cabinetry, among other things.


Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

David

Looks like a pretty good trade off to me!

"Bob S." wrote in message . ..
David,

File this in the "for what its worth" department but last year I made 40,
raised panel cabinet doors for SIL. Used ash for the frames and poplar for
the panels (paint grade) and Euro hinges. Cost of raw materials was approx
$300 for lumber, $100 for hinges, $50 misc (primer, paint, etc.). $450 Total

Did a comparison of buying unfinished, raised panel doors from HD. Cost
came to just under $3K and still needed to buy the hinges and do the
finishing.

So if you can make your own doors - you can save money but its a sweat
equity trade-off.

Bob S.

Good approach. I have used MP cabinets for 3-5 FL oceanfront condo remods
in the last 3 yrs. I buy, fix up and resell these condos at prices up to
$510K. All of the kitchens have been with MP. The key to the approach is
to have a good design. After that, the buyer doesn't care what the boxes
are built out of. I have made over $500K in the last 3 yrs with this
approach. The Depot folks don't like it when you do it this way since they
want to sell their other cabinet lines.

MP is stronger than their American Woodmark line and has more useable inside
space. If you can get by without the dovetailed drawers then your approach
works. Then load the boxes with pull out trash cans, lazy susans, pantry
inserts from Hafele or Feeny for the true custom look. This stuff will cost
more than the boxes and doors but will make your project look better than a
custom cabinet maker. These are the same internals they use. Don't use
Rev-a-shelf plastic stuff. Then your rehab will look cheap.

You are on the right track with your question. Remember the kitchen design
is the key...Purists and cabinet shops will bad mouth your idea but in the
end you will laugh all the way to the bank.

One of my other rehab buddies did the same thing with MP boxes and WoodMode
custom doors he bought in a closeout. You have to be creative with the MP
product line sometimes (use dishwasher panels for custom sizes or cut down
larger versions. Also buy a euro hinge jig which will allow you to match
both cup holes to the MP sides. Only $40-50 from Woodworker Supply plus the
35mm bit.

Right now I am redoing my home kitchen using the MP maple boxes and having
custom doors made (walnut rails and stiles and raised maple panel) from one
of the internet door makers. Cost savings will be huge. I built my own
doors as a test and found the glue up time/effort to be non productive. BTW
I am also custom sizing the 42" wall cabinets to 39 for ceiling and moulding
clearance issues. Just use a biscuit joiner to join the mystery wood.

Another benefit is you can do the remodel without attracting much attention.
The boxes can be wheeled in and stored in a small amount of space without
curious neighbors and inspectors showing up to check on work.

Stick with your approach. It works.

You're probably right ... I completely forgot that the whole idea in this
day and age is to do it on the cheap, make it look otherwise, while making
as much profit as you can from the unsuspecting buyer. Sounds like one of
the f*cking hamburger franchises.

No doubt that's why most of us here got into woodworking.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 7/28/03


wrote in message
Good approach. I have used MP cabinets for 3-5 FL oceanfront condo remods
in the last 3 yrs. I buy, fix up and resell these condos at prices up to
$510K. All of the kitchens have been with MP. The key to the approach is
to have a good design. After that, the buyer doesn't care what the boxes
are built out of. I have made over $500K in the last 3 yrs with this
approach. The Depot folks don't like it when you do it this way since
they
want to sell their other cabinet lines.

MP is stronger than their American Woodmark line and has more useable
inside
space. If you can get by without the dovetailed drawers then your
approach
works. Then load the boxes with pull out trash cans, lazy susans, pantry
inserts from Hafele or Feeny for the true custom look. This stuff will
cost
more than the boxes and doors but will make your project look better than
a
custom cabinet maker. These are the same internals they use. Don't use
Rev-a-shelf plastic stuff. Then your rehab will look cheap.

You are on the right track with your question. Remember the kitchen
design
is the key...Purists and cabinet shops will bad mouth your idea but in the
end you will laugh all the way to the bank.

One of my other rehab buddies did the same thing with MP boxes and
WoodMode
custom doors he bought in a closeout. You have to be creative with the MP
product line sometimes (use dishwasher panels for custom sizes or cut down
larger versions. Also buy a euro hinge jig which will allow you to match
both cup holes to the MP sides. Only $40-50 from Woodworker Supply plus
the
35mm bit.

Right now I am redoing my home kitchen using the MP maple boxes and having
custom doors made (walnut rails and stiles and raised maple panel) from
one
of the internet door makers. Cost savings will be huge. I built my own
doors as a test and found the glue up time/effort to be non productive.
BTW
I am also custom sizing the 42" wall cabinets to 39 for ceiling and
moulding
clearance issues. Just use a biscuit joiner to join the mystery wood.

Another benefit is you can do the remodel without attracting much
attention.
The boxes can be wheeled in and stored in a small amount of space without
curious neighbors and inspectors showing up to check on work.

Stick with your approach. It works.

My thoughts exactly. This guy must've done the original cabinets in
my kitchen. House isn't even 10 years old and the cabinets need to be
replaced because the cheesy 3/8 particle board casework is coming
apart. Doors look pretty though.

Truly the era of caveat emptor ...

"Swingman" wrote in message tnews.com...
You're probably right ... I completely forgot that the whole idea in this
day and age is to do it on the cheap, make it look otherwise, while making
as much profit as you can from the unsuspecting buyer. Sounds like one of
the f*cking hamburger franchises.

No doubt that's why most of us here got into woodworking.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 7/28/03


wrote in message
Good approach. I have used MP cabinets for 3-5 FL oceanfront condo remods
in the last 3 yrs. I buy, fix up and resell these condos at prices up to
$510K. All of the kitchens have been with MP. The key to the approach is
to have a good design. After that, the buyer doesn't care what the boxes
are built out of. I have made over $500K in the last 3 yrs with this
approach. The Depot folks don't like it when you do it this way since
they
want to sell their other cabinet lines.

MP is stronger than their American Woodmark line and has more useable
inside
space. If you can get by without the dovetailed drawers then your
approach
works. Then load the boxes with pull out trash cans, lazy susans, pantry
inserts from Hafele or Feeny for the true custom look. This stuff will
cost
more than the boxes and doors but will make your project look better than
a
custom cabinet maker. These are the same internals they use. Don't use
Rev-a-shelf plastic stuff. Then your rehab will look cheap.

You are on the right track with your question. Remember the kitchen
design
is the key...Purists and cabinet shops will bad mouth your idea but in the
end you will laugh all the way to the bank.

One of my other rehab buddies did the same thing with MP boxes and
WoodMode
custom doors he bought in a closeout. You have to be creative with the MP
product line sometimes (use dishwasher panels for custom sizes or cut down
larger versions. Also buy a euro hinge jig which will allow you to match
both cup holes to the MP sides. Only $40-50 from Woodworker Supply plus
the
35mm bit.

Right now I am redoing my home kitchen using the MP maple boxes and having
custom doors made (walnut rails and stiles and raised maple panel) from
one
of the internet door makers. Cost savings will be huge. I built my own
doors as a test and found the glue up time/effort to be non productive.
BTW
I am also custom sizing the 42" wall cabinets to 39 for ceiling and
moulding
clearance issues. Just use a biscuit joiner to join the mystery wood.

Another benefit is you can do the remodel without attracting much
attention.
The boxes can be wheeled in and stored in a small amount of space without
curious neighbors and inspectors showing up to check on work.

Stick with your approach. It works.