| Source of the gap | What to look for on each quote |
|---|---|
| Scope | Installation, countertops, demolition, crown and island panels: in or out? |
| Layout | Did each shop price the same cabinets, or draw its own kitchen? |
| Boxes | Plywood or particle board, and how thick |
| Drawers | Dovetail, stapled or metal sides, and the slide type |
| Finish | Sprayed in a shop or painted on site; paint or stained hardwood |
| Drawers and tall cabinets | How many of each are in the price |
| Fit | Cabinets sized to the wall, or standard widths with filler strips |
| Delivery | Freight included or extra; assembled or flat-packed |
Why are two quotes for the same kitchen so different?
Because they are almost never for the same kitchen. One shop drew drawer banks where the other drew doors. One included installation and crown. One priced particle board, the other plywood. Each difference is reasonable on its own, and together they can make two honest quotes look like they came from different planets.
If the two quotes you have are close in price and you are weighing who to trust, our guide to a local shop against a factory brand covers that. This page is about the other case: the same room, very different numbers.
Reason 1: different scope
This is the biggest one. One quote may include installation, countertops, demolition, crown and finished panels on the island. The other may be cabinets only. Neither is wrong, but you cannot compare them until the scope matches.
Our quotes price the cabinets, delivered fully assembled with freight included anywhere in the continental US. In the Bay Area we also install. When you set our number beside a bundled bid from a remodeler, add or remove the same pieces on both sides first.
Reason 2: different layouts
If each shop drew its own layout, you are comparing two kitchens. One designer used drawer bases where the other used doors. One ran the uppers to the ceiling, the other stopped short. One added a pantry wall. The fix is simple: give every shop the same drawing, or ask each to price the same list of cabinets.
Reason 3: box and drawer construction
The box and the drawers are the parts that decide how a kitchen holds up after years of daily use, and they are where cheaper lines save the most:
- Boxes: particle board or thin panels against plywood.
- Drawers: stapled or metal-sided boxes against dovetail joints.
- Slides: partial-extension side-mount against full-extension soft-close.
- Hinges: basic against soft-close.
Each step up adds a little to every cabinet, and a kitchen has a lot of cabinets. We build plywood boxes as standard, 3/4-inch on frameless and 1/2-inch behind a solid face frame on framed, with full-extension dovetail drawers and soft-close hinges on every kitchen. See plywood, particle board and MDF compared.
Reason 4: the finish
A finish sprayed in a shop, sanded between coats and cured before delivery, takes more time than a quick factory coat or paint brushed on site. Species matters too: stained hardwood costs more than a paint-grade material, and a quote for painted cabinets against one for stained white oak can differ on that line alone. Our painted finishes are sprayed in the Concord shop; here is what we spray and why.
Reason 5: drawers, tall cabinets and inserts
Drawers cost more than doors. Tall pantry and oven cabinets cost more than base and wall cabinets. Pull-out trash, spice pull-outs, corner hardware and tray dividers each add to a box. A quote with a lot of drawers and inserts will sit well above one with a few and none.
Reason 6: fit and fillers
A catalogue quote can look lower because it uses standard widths and fills the gaps with filler strips. That works in some kitchens, but fillers waste space and each one is cut and fitted on site. Cabinets sized to your measurements meet the wall instead.
Reason 7: delivery, assembly and the fine print
Check whether each quote includes freight, whether the cabinets arrive assembled or flat-packed, and whether the price is fixed or can move as details are settled. Ours is fixed before production starts.
How do I compare cabinet quotes fairly?
- Put the quotes side by side, one row per item.
- Match the scope: cabinets only, cabinets plus install, or the full remodel.
- Match the cabinet list: the same count, the same drawers, the same tall cabinets.
- Note the construction: boxes, drawers, slides and hinges.
- Note the finish: paint or stain, species, sprayed in a shop or on site.
- Add the missing pieces to the lower quote, such as installation, freight and panels.
- Then compare totals.
Short on time? Ask each seller five questions. What are the boxes and drawers made of? What does the price include besides cabinets? Is delivery included, and do they arrive assembled? How many drawers and inserts are priced? What is the finish, and where is it applied?
When is the lower quote the right one?
Sometimes it is: a rental, a garage, or a kitchen you plan to replace in a few years. Pay for what matters for how you will use the room, and know what you are giving up.
Can you price the same layout?
Yes. Send the drawings from the quote you already have and we will price the same layout, itemised, in about 48 hours. See how a plan quote works.
Frequently asked questions
Is the most expensive quote the best?
Not necessarily. Compare what each line includes, not the totals.
Should I tell one shop what another quoted?
You can, but it is more useful to share what the other quote includes, so both shops price the same kitchen.
Can you match a cheaper shop’s construction to lower the price?
We build plywood boxes and dovetail drawers on every kitchen. The price comes down through layout, door style and finish choices instead.
Does your quote include installation?
In the Bay Area we install. Elsewhere the cabinets arrive fully assembled, freight included, for your installer or contractor to fit.
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