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djelcc_gw

Rta cabinets

djelcc
9 years ago

I have been reading lots of information on rta cabinets for our kitchen remodel. I have prices from both Connestoga and Scherrs. Much higher than I anticipated. I found this website onlinecabinetsdirect in Tennessee. The pictures look nice and the prices seem good. Has anytone dealt with them? It states they are mostly USA made, but with the prices I suspect they are made in China. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Comments (18)

  • lam702
    9 years ago

    I've never heard of them, but I am sure there are folks here who can tell you more. But remember quality usually does not come cheap, in the long run, getting a better cabinet is going to last longer. The only experience I have is with Conestoga, but we did a reface, not new cabinets. I can tell you that all the Conestoga materials we purchased (doors, side panels, veneers, mouldings) were perfect, not a scratch or a mark on them,all measurements were exactly to our specifications, and no warping, cracks or bubbles in the finish. We could have gotten cheaper products, but felt that, going through all the work of a DIY reface job, we didn't want to deal with materials that were hard to work with or wouldn't hold up over time. Definitely get a sample door before buying, also look into reviews, ratings and the BBB in the area to see if there are any complaints on this company. Find out what their guarantee is, return policy and what they will do if they send the wrong thing, or damaged goods. Buying cabinets online, you have to really be comfortable with the product and the seller, as it can be more difficult to straighten out problems than it would with a local cabinet store.

  • djelcc
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for your feedback. Conestoga seems to be the frontrunner now.

  • joygreenwald
    9 years ago

    We are thrilled with our Barker RTA cabinets. We've just fine the construction; we are hoping installation isn't far off. So, for now, I just walk by and pet them. Lol

  • SuziKD
    9 years ago

    Made in the USA or assembled, as in all products are from china or elsewhere? I don't understand why anyone would buy RTA. Never mind the quality isn't usually good, the time and effort is too much (at least for me). IKEA comes with 2700 parts for a bookcase!

    Have you looked into the in-stock products in your big-box stores? Is price the issue? Read the fine print to see where all products originate.

  • dcward89
    9 years ago

    I will echo joygreenwald and say that we love, love, love our Barker Cabinets. They are most definitely made in the USA including the plywood, hinges, drawer slides, etc...you can find that information on their very easy to use website. I can't speak for the quality of other RTA brands but Barker's are excellent quality...3/4" plywood construction, Blum hardware. I also can't speak for why anyone else would purchase RTA but we had multiple reasons including price, quality and ease of assembly. Our cabinets are MUCH better quality than anything I saw at any big box store and at a much better price. We couldn't be happier with our Barker kitchen.

  • lam702
    9 years ago

    Ummm....in stock from a big box store as opposed to Barker or Conestoga? Have you looked at the in stock cabinets? I might buy them for a rental property, or if I was flipping a house for a quick sale. But otherwise, no. RTA is work, but they come with instructions, if you are handy and take your time I don't think its a huge deal. I'd rather assemble a decent cabinet myself, instead of buying low end cabinets that are preassembled.

  • Vertise
    9 years ago

    How about posting up a picture of your gorgeous kitchen, Casey.

  • bbtrix
    9 years ago

    After doing RTA, I won't even do in-stock from big box store for my rentals. My IKEA cabs give my rentals a contemporary, clean look and they still look brand new almost two years later. These apartments rent (at top dollar) within hours of being posted on Craigslist. Guess what the competition is? New rehabs using in-stock big box cabs.

    The little bit of effort is paying off big time. BTW, IKEA construction is clever and simple. I believe I've heard others here at GW say the same of Barker and Conestoga.

  • sombreuil_mongrel
    9 years ago

    Conestoga probably isn't as simple as Ikea, they are pretty traditional; the secret is that you can choose from a bewildering array of door styles an then customize them even further.

    Then, I carefully customized a lot of the cabinets to make special type features; the prep sink base:

    The Advantium dresser-like cabinet up on legs:


    Thread hijacking over.
    Casey

  • athomesewing
    9 years ago

    WHY someone would consider RTA? I wonder why not!

    We are getting Barker RTA Cabinets for a multiple-room remodel -- IâÂÂm actually proofing the order today and submitting it within hours.

    We chose Barker Cabinets after getting bids from three local cabinet makers, based on using the same specifications as Barker. We also considered DeWils, we visited the Canyon Creek facility/showroom, and also priced cabinet lines from Big Box stores, as well as getting sample doors from Barker.

    We are very satisified with our decision to go with Barker Cabinets. In choosing Barker RTA and assembling the cabinets ourselves, we are able to allocate a very substansial savings to much better appliances while having excellent cabinets.

    Barker Cabinets are USA-made 3/4â Purebond formaldehyde-free plywood. These are a quality cabinets, parts are machined with highest precision by CNC. The widths are customizable to the quarter inch, so there will be no wasted space in my kitchen. The dovetail drawers are gorgeous. They have undermount glides and top-of-the line USA-made Blum soft close hardware. The cabinet finish, which is optional, is conversion varnish.

    Plenty of people on this forum have put together Barker kitchens, and I donâÂÂt remember anyone having difficulty. Barker has short videos posted online covering an array of topics including layout, measuring, cabinet assembly, hinge adjustment, special applications and many more. Check out them out on YouTube at âÂÂChad BarkerâÂÂ. Additionally they have been prompt, courteous, and patient answering our questions.

    WeâÂÂll be posting photos of our Barker Cabinets kitchen, butlerâÂÂs pantry, family room media wall, and mud room in the not too distant future.

    Connie

    Here is a link that might be useful: Easy RTA

    This post was edited by athomesewing on Fri, Aug 29, 14 at 16:46

  • susanlynn2012
    9 years ago

    Connie, I can't wait to see your kitchen with your Barker Cabinets! Thank you for the link. I sure with I had a partner and both of us were handy.

  • CEFreeman
    9 years ago

    SuziKD, I think it would depend upon the type of RTA.
    I wouldn't buy Ikea, because 1) it's not my style, and 2) there 2700 pieces. Or so I've heard. However, I have no experience with Ikea, so I can't put that out there.

    I purchased (some) RTA from The Cabinet Joint.com (Conestoga) and have had 6 pieces for an upper and 7 for a base. Plus one if you buy doors. Oh, drawer fronts for beaded inset depend upon your number of drawers, of course.

    Casey, (and SuzieKD) I can assemble an upper in 10 minutes but the drawer glides in a base take me about 20 more to do. Beaded inset drawer fronts (not door) are maybe another 30 minutes, because I'm insanely anal, not because it's difficult.

    i.e. SuzieKD, it doesn't sound like you've ever done Conestoga, which means you don't know what you're recommending against.

    Oh - I, too have purchased doors, drawer fronts, and drawer boxes from Chad at Barker doors. Between him and Brian and The Cabinet Joint.com, I can't ever see myself spending the $$ for assembled cabs. Keeping in mind I have a DirectBuy membership, which gets me cabs from great, known names for 45% of retail prices. I think that says a lot. I'll go to Brian and Chad first.

  • spanky_md
    9 years ago

    Huh...? I've assembled more IKEA cabinets than I can count (ok, 3 kitchens' worth) and they are as simple as can be. I'm not sure where the "2700 pieces" notion came from, unless maybe someone who truly hates self assembly. I can understand that if you're not handy and maybe not willing to get over the learning hump of one or two cabinets.

    They do have limited door styles. That's very true. But I can assemble a box in 10-12 minutes, I think. The doors and drawers and drawer runners take a bit more time but not all day and the parts are clearly marked. I open a lot of parts bags at once and do one big sort into cereal bowls. That saves time.

    I think of it as being paid a couple of thousand dollars for a day or two of work.

  • lam702
    9 years ago

    After putting together our kids swing set 25 yrs ago, (must have been 5,000 pieces) a cabinet wouldn't be a big deal. If you have basic tools and can follow directions, you should be able to assemble them. If you want to get a good quality cabinet for an affordable price, don't mind the work involved, have the tools, and are reasonably handy then you can do an RTA job. I would definitely consider RTA for my next kitchen or bath project, the money saved could be used for new appliances, a nice vacation, or whatever you want. Who doesn't like to save money?

  • bbtrix
    9 years ago

    Ditto to what Spanky_md said! I've assembled three IKEA kitchens also. So let's stop the 2700 parts rumor! Think about it, how many tops, bottoms, and sides can a cabinet have? It may appear that IKEA has more parts because each hardware bag is versatile to many different applications of their product so not all parts are used for your chosen application. We're talking screws and other hardware parts here. What's great is that you have everything you need, no running to the hardware store. I did mine assembly line style which saves time having everything laid out, and as Spanky said, after figuring out the first one, each cabinet takes me 10 minutes but my DH can whip one out in five. The drawers and glides ten minutes each. The only special equipment that's needed to make it easy and smooth is a cordless drill, screwdrivers, hammer, rubber mallet and a whiskey level. We used two cordless, one set up with a drill bit and the other with a Phillips head driver.

    To the OP, years ago when I was deciding which RTA to go with, I also found small companies that no one here had dealt with and I found it difficult to take that plunge. I could go to an IKEA and touch the product, so I chose them based on fit, finish, the extras I'd get (drawers and pull outs) and cost. You certainly want to be sure you are getting the quality you want with no surprises. So many here have had great experiences and glowing recommendations with Barker that it would be interesting to see how they price compared to your Conestogoa quote.

    There are a lot of RTA fans here as we'd rather spend our money on other finishes or vacations. I also want to point out the inner satisfaction you feel everyday knowing how you contributed to the final product!

    Beautiful kitchen Casey!

  • spanky_md
    9 years ago

    You don't even need a cordless drill! A regular old plug-in drill with a cord works fine, though an extension cord does help a lot. (Cordless is great, don't get me wrong, I just don't want anyone to feel like they have to buy a cordless if all they have is an electric drill.)

    You can also buy a screwdriver holder bit thing and just switch out the actual screwdriver head if you don't want to get two drills. Though one drill per person makes it go faster. Two drills, no waiting!

  • elphaba_gw
    9 years ago

    We hired a company to install our ikea. They are not directly part of Ikea but have some kind of a sub-contract. It took them 3 days to assemble my 14X13 kitchen (24 cabinets including some extra details I added) and installation cost was $3400. Much cheaper than the total estimate for cabinets I got from Home Depot.

    I started with the Ikea design services for $200 which didn't contribute a lot to my design which I already had fully drawn out - but they did help some. But mainly, the design person entered everything in the computer with all the extra things such as plinth, toe kickes, appliances, etc. and all I had to do was drive down and pay ikea and schedule delivery. You Must pay in person if I remember correctly.

    There was a bit of a mixup with delivery (as I have had with almost all complex deliveries from any company) but I was on top of things. I'm not saying you don't need to monitor but overall it was much more stress-free than I had anticipated.

    Check using Google or Angies list for your your area/location for "Ikea assembly" contractors or if you have Traemand in your area, (I think they are a National franchise), give them a call.

    They don't do plumbing. They do install countertops but I got my countertops somewhere else other than Ikea.

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