MoneySaver: Expert advice on how to save on cabinet remodeling
MORRISVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- With sites like Houzz.com and Pinterest, it's easy for Eric Villeneuve's customers to dream up some serious remodels.
"A lot of times, I have ladies come in with all these pictures of $80,000 worth of cabinets," explains Villeneuve. "And they come in and have a $15,000 budget. Really, our job is to help them maximize the way they're spending their money to give them everything they want out of that picture."
As the owner of Cabinet Connection in Morrisville, Villeneuve knows how to maximize a budget. His first tip is to shop around.
"Many times, people walk in with what they think is the lowest price from a big box store and they're surprised we can give them a better quality product on a faster lead time and be competitive or beat that price."
Villeneuve says another question to ask is whether a company sells remnants. At Cabinet Connection, their remnants from deconstruction projects, mistakes or incorrect shipments are about $20 each.
"Last week, this was slammed full," Villeneuve explained in his warehouse. "This was stocked up and we ran a sale on Craigslist and we had ladies in here with tape measures all week finding things that would fit in their laundry room. They cleaned it out."
The best way to get tips on when a company has a remnant surplus sale is to follow them on social media and keep an eye on Craigslist. And, when it comes to creative ways to use the remnants, Villeneuve says, ask an expert for advice.
"People will come in and figure out creative ways to do their laundry rooms or extra storage in their garage or bonus rooms, things like that," said Villeneuve.
And, if it's a smaller project - think outside the box.
Villeneuve took a cabinet door for a Cary kitchen that was the wrong size home to his wife.
"She took some chalk paint and she painted the center. Then, she wrote a nice little saying on there. I put some hooks on the bottom and our kids hang their backpacks and coats on there when they come home from school."
Villeneuve also says - don't underestimate the power of paint to refresh your cabinets. However, don't be afraid to compare that price to new ones altogether, because you might be surprised at the cost comparison.
"A lot of people are surprised of the price of a new set of cabinets these days."
