Spring is here and it’s time to embark on a renovation project. Home prices are down and durable goods prices are up, the economy is slowing down and you need every angle you can get to make your project a success, on budget. So be sure to look at all angles when you undertake that renovation project; I know I did and through it I found a great way to save on kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities.

The project I started with this spring was my kitchen. I wanted new appliances, new countertops, and new cabinets. My floor was in good shape and just needed a good shine, but every other part needed upgrading. The appliances were more expensive than I had budgeted for, so I had little money left over for cabinets and kitchen countertops. I found some decent countertops at an affordable price, so my final step was kitchen cabinets.

Traveling to a few different outlets left me with little hope of staying within my budget. Fortunately, I got some advice from a helpful clerk at a local building supply store. I was talking to her and she was complaining about the high cost of assembled cabinets. He mentioned that even though he got a discount in the store, he went online before buying the kitchen cabinets. She was the do-it-yourself type and she found that her RTA-style cabinets saved her money and fit better with her DIY plans.

My first question was what was an RTA kitchen cabinet? Ready to Assemble was her response, followed by the explanation that she saved thousands of dollars by going online, purchasing RTA kitchen cabinets, and assembling the product herself. Of course she was skeptical, but I soon found that these cabinets were easy to put together and actually better quality than most store-bought cabinets. So not only was she saving money, but she was getting a better quality product. All she had to do was assemble the cabinets, which she could have even hired someone else to do with the money she was saving. The nice thing about them was that everything came in a nice, neat box (I didn’t have to scatter hundreds of pieces like I didn’t with the linen cabinets I bought at Ikea). A screwdriver was required for most of the cabinets and I used a power drill to attach the drawers. I also noted the better quality of the cabinet, with the solid wood fronts and paneled wood sides, compared to when I was shopping; I found most cabinets have particle board sides and wood fronts.

So luckily I found a way to save money on my spring renovation and from there I found another way to save money on my next project. That project is the bathroom and the product is RTA bathroom vanities. Yes, the same quality product, but also in a line of bathroom furniture and accessories. So, thanks to an honest and helpful employee of a building materials store, I found a great way to save money and get a great product. Before you start your next renovation project, do some research on RTA cabinets.