Is there a rule of thumb for estimating cabinet replacements?

Question

I put an offer on an SFH for a BRRRR property and it needs some cosmetic work to say the least. Assuming our offer is accepted we're going to have a GC give us an estimate but I was curious if anyone had a typical number to use ($/lf) for cabinet and countertop replacement. This is in an Atlanta suburb by the way.

Thanks in advance!

Sam

Thanks in advance!

Sam

Scott Schultz · Answer

@Samuel Botts  I suggest on a day your kinda board or one of the HOT GA days you dont wana do anything, stroll the isles of HD and Lowes in the cool A/C and just absorb materials prices, and for labor, just double materials and add 20% for the Oh $h!T stuff, i like to use 20% as a fudge factor, it normally gives me enough room if i missed something, and if you get something at a bargain, or you get a good contractor for cheap, Bonus for your wallet.

Up here we have Menards, they are generally 10% cheaper than HD or Lows, but the quality isnt always the same.  But i can pretty much tell you what most things i use regularly cost,  but that stems from 10 years of spending $20-$40K a year there.

I also make a list when i walk through, and if im looking at specific stuff i will price stuff online so my numbers are accurate. Oh never bank in sale prices, only use regular prices, as you may not have time to wait for the sale.

Valerie Hiscoe · Answer

@Andrew Ahn

The books and 'homework' above might be interesting and helpful for you too, comparing $100 to the knowledge of the numbers @Scott Schultz above has available for easy access. There's lots of fun stuff you can do for preparation.

Valerie Hiscoe · Answer

Not knowing the price of cabinets seems to be a real red flag to me. Saying that your GC will come in later to do an estimate pretty well confirms that you are putting yourself in a very dangerous situation. You need to have a pretty good idea of the cost of repairs you will be doing, and a very good idea of how much you can sell the house for afterwards, because, as Brandon Turner has tried to drill into us, you determine your OFFER price with those numbers, not by what looks like a good deal. If you don't have 'The book on estimating' and 'The book on flipping houses' from the menu above, that might be a really helpful place to start. If you don't know the price of cabinets it means you may not have had a chance to do enough homework yet and that will put you at a huge disadvantage because 1.) contractors, for whatever reason, may not be accurate, or even close, with their estimates, and 2) realtors, also for reasons of their own, may be over-optimistic about the ARV. Saying "cosmetic work, to say the least" can cost from $1000-$10,000. Per room, if there are problems you're not seeing.

My ignorance was very badly taken advantage of, first, by low estimates and high price tags, and then the sale price being 30% off (yes, of the total sale price), so unfortunately, my advice comes from bitter experience. A very expensive lesson that I hope you won't need to go through.

My very best wishes that this works out well for you, but, at the very least, get lots of evidence of your ARV so you dont spend too much, and write up ironclad contracts with your GC, making sure to include time frames. Good luck.

Scott Schultz · Answer

i generally install my own cabs, I like doing kitchens, I will look at what i need, and I know about what each one costs and I just add it up in my head, I also know about what counter tops will be depending on size, then I add 20% for error.  for example, I know a 36" sink base is about $250, and a 18" base is about $150, and a 12" upper is $100, if you take pictures, you can draw it out, go to Menards or HD and look at the stock one to get an idea, always estimate high.

Brandon Bohrer · Answer

Like they have said cabinet pricing varies but if you can get a good quality cabinet for under $100 ln/ft.  When you add in expensive cabinets like drawer bases is when your price starts to increase.  Your big box stores tend to be higher priced then other distributors so I would shop around, but be careful of the deals that are to good to be true with low quality imports and fiberboard toys.  You can message me if you would like more info I am happy to answer any questions.

Samuel Botts · Answer

That's awesome. Thanks Tina and Manolo. This is good info!

Tina Glover · Answer

Excellent advice @Manolo D.!   Thanks so much for the hot tip!  My handyman/painter (who is out of Burbank) has also found some other potentially good cabinet deals in Corona and L.A. so I'm looking into those as we speak.   Great info.  Thank you!

Tina Glover · Answer

@Samuel Botts - go to Home Depot, like I did.  At least in San Diego, a fair amount of flippers seem to get their kitchens (or various components for their kitchens) there as the HD kitchen consultants will tell you. You can give them rough measurements, e.g., 10 ft. x 10 ft. or something similar, and they will price it out for you.   Probably don't try this on a weekend - they will be way too busy.   But if you go at the right time, they can give you a very good idea of what a kitchen would cost depending on your size and chosen materials and you can then pretty accurately ballpark your flips/BRRRs from there.  Like @Scott Schultz, I also always add a 20% fudge factor.   It's a little peace of mind!  Good luck!

Samuel Botts · Answer

Thanks everyone for your feedback. I'll  be sure to let you know how it goes.

Kind regards,

Sam

Is there a rule of thumb for estimating cabinet replacements?

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