Should You Buy RTA or Pre-Assembled Cabinets for Your Home, Office, Development, or Business?

When it comes to cabinets, the quality of the build trumps every other consideration in our expert opinion. For something as frequently used as a cabinet, ABS Cabinets Direct warns against choosing something that’s merely based upon the cosmetics of a product. Before you choose the type of cabinet that works best for you, it’s helpful to know the differences! While there are pros and cons to each, our Ready To Assemble cabinets are of the highest quality that you’ll be able to find without breaking the bank for custom cabinets or getting something that won’t last with Pre-Assembled options.

Before you choose which products to buy, you need to understand how different cabinets are built and what they are best suited for. Looking at how they are built, cabinets can be broadly divided into RTA (Ready To Assemble) and Pre-Assembled cabinets. If you’re in the greater Seattle area, we sell RTA cabinets at wholesale prices by eliminating the middle man since we have our own warehouse and don’t add in seller’s fees, which will almost always increase the cost.

While the choice between assembled and RTA cabinets appears to be straightforward, it is almost anything but that. There are plenty of considerations you should account for before honing in on the type of cabinet you want to buy. Use the following quick guide for choosing between RTA and Pre-assembled cabinets.

What Are RTA Cabinets?

‘Ready To Assemble’ cabinets are ‘flat-packed and shipped as unassembled parts, which are meant to be assembled at the site of installation. From an installation point of view, the complexity of the assembly depends upon the complexity of the design. With ABS, we make installation a breeze with labeled pieces for ease of joining. In most designs, even the holes are pre-drilled. Our current selection includes six beautiful all-wood styles with varied color options, and we are always expanding our inventory. Kitchen cabinets are available at all big box stores like IKEA, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Costco, etc., but choosing to purchase from us eliminates the inflated pricing. Here are several benefits of choosing RTA over Assembled cabinets. 

  • RTA cabinets are more affordable than their assembled counterparts since the cost of assembly is not factored in 
  • You’ll receive a higher-quality cabinet if you choose the RTA style
  • Shipping time and wait time is considerably low when you buy wholesale cabinets direct from ABS
  • We always have the inventory you’re looking for in stock, thanks to our on-site factory + showroom business model
  • Assembling the cabinets yourself gives you flexibility in design. You can take off a shelf to have more standing space, adjust the cabinet according to the floorplans and layout, and more 
Wholesale-Kitchen-Cabinets-Specs

Pre-Assembled Cabinets

What are Pre-Assembled Cabinets?

Pre-assembled cabinets are essentially the opposite of RTA cabinets and are delivered fully built and functional to the installation site. They don’t need to be worked on by the homeowner or builder, and everything is in place when you receive them, down to the drawers and hardware components. While the advantages of pre-assembled cabinets include the obvious fact that no assembly effort is needed by the homeowner or professional, there are also several disadvantages.

These pre-assembled cabinets are put together at manufacturing sites, which requires expertise. In return, this means the price of the cabinets ends up skyrocketing. Because pre-assembled cabinets cannot be shipped in flat boxes, they are very expensive to ship — which also increases the cost of the product. Finally, pre-assembled cabinets might be manufactured after an order has been received, which can significantly increase the time to fill and delivery. If you’re eager to complete a project or renovation, RTA cabinets are a much better choice.
In the end, RTA cabinets provide you with the highest quality materials at a much lower price point than custom or pre-assembled cabinets. Today, top-quality RTA kitchen cabinets such as the ones we provide are constructed of solid wood and plywood. Many models are even superior to prestigious name brands. It’s known that remodeling the kitchen and bathroom is one of the best ways to increase the value of your home, and RTA cabinets provide an affordable and durable option for increasing the market value of your home, renovation, or development project.

Come visit us at our showroom in the Tukwila area, or contact us on our website for an inquiry!