Flat Pack Vs Custom Kitchens: Smart Ways to Save on a Budget

Flat Pack Vs Custom Kitchens: Smart Ways to Save on a Budget

Deciding to renovate your kitchen is a big deal, and it’s something on which you can save a considerable amount of money.

If you choose the right finishes and materials, that is.

When it comes to a kitchen renovation, there are four options available to homeowners:

a) Build a new kitchen yourself from scratch (if you’re one of the few who happens to have the skills of a carpenter and the full workshop required for the job)

b) A DIY flatpack kitchen and assemble it on your own

c) Buy fully assembled cabinets and install it yourself or hire installers to do it for you

d) Hire professionals to build and project manage a custom kitchen for you

For the majority of us, option “a” isn’t really an option at all, meaning we only have three choices: go flatpack, go fully assembled or go custom. But if you want to be smart and save time and your money, option “c” is the way to go. Here’s why:

Custom kitchens are a lot more expensive

According to Domain, the average spend on a kitchen in Australia is $17,000, though the prices range anywhere from as little as $10,000 to well over $100,000. The price is based not only on materials, but also on the location of the renovation (i.e., a kitchen renovation in a metropolitan area like Melbourne costs more than the national average).

Now let’s look at the average cost for flat pack kitchens in 2018. Last year, our least expensive flat pack kitchen came in at around $3,500 while the most expensive topped off at around $25,000.

Flatpack kitchens take a lot more time

Flatpack kitchens are called flat packs because they arrive disassembled and “flat” (hence the name “flatpack”).

Homeowners shouldn’t feel too overwhelmed by this, however, because most of these kitchens are designed to be put together using common tools you already have around the home.

However, they can take considerable time to put together as anyone who may have assembled just one flatpack cabinet would know. Multiply this by 10 or even 20 cabinets and you know you have a big task ahead.

Fully Assembled Flat Packs

These are a smart option because they are premade and ready to install. You can save hours by not having to assemble them yourself.  You save time on assembly so you are really only paying for installation if you decide you don’t want to do the installation yourself.

Even if you don’t have the time or the confidence to install your own fully assembled flat pack kitchen, hiring a handyman, an electrician, and a plumber to install lighting, sinks, and taps will still cost a lot less than a custom kitchen.

Tip on saving when building a flat pack kitchen

A common fear many homeowners have when weighing the pros and cons of a flat pack kitchen is the quality. Truth be told, in the past, there were many poorly constructed flat pack kitchens with shoddy components and unsatisfactory workmanship. When you choose Kitchen Shack, however, you know that you’re receiving only the best quality materials and finishes, no matter which style of kitchen you choose.

Here are some other tips on how you can save and get the most value out of your flat pack kitchen.

Tip 1: Work with your current layout

Whenever possible, work around your existing kitchen layout. Your kitchen renovation costs will increase substantially if you change the current location of any plumbing and electrical outlets.

Tip 2: Save on your appliances

Shop in the sales and don’t be afraid to negotiate prices if you are buying one or more large appliances for your kitchen. Consumer Reports found that 75% of people who did haggle the price were able to save an average of $100 as well as free delivery and installation of new appliances and a complimentary hauling away of the old.

Tip 3: Visit the showroom

If the flat pack kitchen provider doesn’t have a showroom where you can touch the kitchen and see how the drawers slide and the cabinets close, look elsewhere.

Kitchen Shack has convenient showroom locations available throughout Victoria, and we’re open seven days a week. So stop on by to speak with one of our passionate Melbourne kitchen designers today!