How to Compare Cabinet Quotes: A Line-by-Line Checklist for Homeowners and Contractors

# How to Compare Cabinet Quotes: A Line-by-Line Checklist for Homeowners and Contractors If you collect three cabinet quotes for the same kitchen, you will almost always get three different numbers — and the difference usually is not markup. It is **scope**. One quote includes finished ends, moldings, delivery, and a design set; another quietly leaves them out and wins on price until the change orders start. We review competing proposals with customers at our Congers showroom regularly, and the pattern is consistent: **quotes rarely describe the same project.** This checklist shows you how to line them up before you compare a single dollar. ## Step 1: Confirm You're Comparing the Same Cabinets Before anything else, verify these basics match across quotes: - **Brand and product line.** "Semi-custom shaker in white" can mean very different construction quality across manufacturers. Get the exact brand and line in writing. - **Construction spec.** All-plywood box or particleboard sides? Dovetail drawers or stapled? Soft-close standard or an upgrade? - **Framed vs. frameless.** These are different products with different usable interior space and different price bases. - **Door style and finish.** Painted finishes typically cost more than stained; specialty finishes more again. Confirm each quote prices the same door and finish, not a "similar" one. If two quotes are for different product tiers, neither is "cheaper" — they are quotes for different kitchens. ## Step 2: Count Everything, Not Just Cabinets The cabinet boxes are only part of a complete order. Missing accessories are the most common source of surprise costs. Check each quote for: - **Cabinet count** — literally count the boxes on each quote against the drawing - **Fillers** — the strips that make cabinet runs fit real walls; a kitchen usually needs several - **Panels** — dishwasher end panels, refrigerator panels, island back panels - **Finished ends** — exposed cabinet sides finished to match the doors - **Moldings** — crown, light rail, scribe, toe kick - **Decorative doors** — glass doors, open shelving, appliance garage fronts - **Hardware** — knobs and pulls included, allowance given, or excluded entirely? - **Interior accessories** — trash pull-outs, lazy susans, drawer organizers, roll-out trays - **Touch-up kit** — a matching fill stick and paint pen matters years later A quote that lists only cabinet boxes is not lower priced — it is incomplete. ## Step 3: Verify the Services Behind the Products - **Measurements.** Who takes final field measurements, and who is responsible if something does not fit? This single question prevents the most expensive category of cabinet mistakes. - **Design services.** Is a full layout drawing set included? Can you keep the drawings if you do not buy? - **Delivery.** To the curb, the garage, or the room? Is jobsite delivery available, and is the fee stated? - **Installation.** Included, quoted separately, or your responsibility? If separate, get that number before comparing totals. - **Removal.** Does anyone remove and dispose of the old cabinets? - **Modifications.** Site modifications (cutting for outlets, scribing to walls) — included in install or extra? ## Step 4: Check the Commitments, Not Just the Price - **Lead time.** Get the current production window in writing for the specific line you ordered — stock, semi-custom, and custom lead times differ by weeks. - **Warranty.** Manufacturer warranty terms vary widely by brand and line. Ask for the actual warranty summary, not "lifetime" as a sales word. - **Replacement parts.** If a door arrives damaged or fails later, who handles the reorder — you or the dealer? - **Tax and totals.** Confirm whether sales tax is included, and whether the total is fixed or an estimate subject to final measure. ## Step 5: Beware "Starting At" Pricing A "starting at" price is only meaningful when its assumptions are stated: which product line, how many cabinets, which door style and finish, what is excluded. If a quote or advertisement gives a starting price without those assumptions, treat it as a marketing number, not a comparable one. ## A Simple Comparison Method Take the most complete quote you received and use it as the master list. Go through every other quote and mark each of its line items as **included**, **excluded**, or **unclear**. Any "unclear" gets a direct question before you decide. Ten minutes of this exercise routinely reveals thousands of dollars of hidden scope difference. ## For Contractors: Two Additional Checks If you are quoting cabinets for a client's project, also confirm: - **Trade terms.** Whether the supplier offers contractor-specific pricing, jobsite delivery, and pre-delivery inspection — and what the approval process is. - **Damage handling.** What happens between delivery and install if a piece is damaged: who inspects, who reorders, and how fast replacements ship on the line you are ordering. Our [contractor cabinet program](/cabinets-for-contractors) covers how we handle both. ## Compare Quotes With the Cabinets in Front of You The fastest way to understand what a quote actually buys is to see the product. Bring your quotes and drawings to our 2,400 sq ft Congers showroom — we will walk the line items with you against real doors, finishes, and drawer hardware, whether or not you buy from us. [Request a consultation](/consultation) or visit the [showroom](/showroom).