A Leap of Faith

Overview

How one couple saved thousands of dollars on their kitchen with recycled cabinets, appliances, and countertops.

It all started with a Facebook scroll.

Matt and Sandy were about to place an order for new cabinets when a gorgeous, knotty alder kitchen popped into their Facebook feed.

They discovered it had recently been salvaged from another home that was undergoing a remodel.

A Beautiful Kitchen For Less

It came with a ton of cabinets, granite countertops, a huge island, and some brand name appliances that they were excited about, including a double oven, refrigerator, and dishwasher.

All of this was priced at just $11k. As Matt puts it, if they’d purchased this kitchen new, the countertops alone would have cost that much.

They loved the look of the cabinets instantly. So, even without a ton of previous DIY experience behind them, they took a leap of faith, canceled their new cabinet order, and went with the recycled knotty alders instead.

Today, they have a beautiful kitchen that cost a fraction of what it would have new.

The Pickup & Install

The couple traveled about two hours to pick up their used cabinet set from us. Once they returned home, Matt and their building contractor got busy sketching the layout for the kitchen on paper.

Using the dimensions of each piece, they were able to mix and match cabinets and move things around to create their own kitchen scheme. The best part is the cabinets look as if they were designed specifically for their space, versus the other way around.

Matt and Sandy made a few minor repairs to their set. Most notably, they went to the cabinet manufacturer (who happened to be in Wyoming) and bought matching stain to do touch-ups on some scuffs and scratches. They also ended up with extra pieces of countertop, which they then had cut into coordinating backsplashes.

Challenges

Matt says their biggest challenges were getting the granite for the island into the house (it took a team of about eight guys to carry it through the door!) and figuring out where the sinks needed to be and fitting the cabinets for those areas.

Their advice to other homeowners considering recycled cabinets for their kitchen? “If you’re patient with the process, it will work, and the value you’ll get out of it will be absolutely incredible.”