How to Sell Used Kitchen Cabinets
Did you know you can sell your used kitchen cabinets? Here is a complete guide on how to sell used kitchen cabinets for profit!
When we purchased our property; I knew I wanted to remodel the kitchen. After selling our home in 2021; we set aside some profits for kitchen remodel. However, I wanted to put as much cash toward our remodeling budget as possible. Selling our used kitchen cabinets was the best way to increase our overall budget.
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Benefits of Selling Your Used Kitchen Cabinets
Before you can start installing your new kitchen cabinets, you have to decide what to do with the old ones. There are a few benefits to selling them.
- Add to your new kitchen remodel budget.
- Each year tons of construction waste is added to landfills; selling used cabinets helps the landfills.
- Used cabinets could be just what someone else needs for a remodel, basement or rental home.
Should I Sell My Used Kitchen Cabinets?
Who would want to buy used kitchen cabinets? Lots of people.
If your kitchen cabinets are in good shape; think “cash” instead of garbage. Homeowners and contractors are always looking for used kitchen cabinets to save money on their remodeling projects.
Even if your cabinets are not top of the line or perfect; if they are useable, could be painted and aren’t falling apart, selling your cabinets is something you should consider.
If you are considering a kitchen remodel, I’m here to show you how you can make money on your used kitchen and save money on your kitchen demolition too. And guess what? It’s actually really easy.
Donating Used Kitchen Cabinets
If you don’t want the hassle of selling your used kitchen, you can donate kitchen cabinets to a local nonprofit organization, such as Habitat For Humanity or Goodwill. Both Habitat For Humanity and Goodwill will also give you a tax receipt for the amount they estimate your items will be.
Remember – someone else’s trash could be another’s treasure.
Where to Sell Your Used Kitchen Cabinets
We listed our kitchen cabinets on Facebook Marketplace. It is the easiest online platform for selling your cabinets or your entire kitchen. FB Marketplace tends to draw a broader audience that includes DIY enthusiasts but also encompasses landlords and individuals looking for ready-to-install home improvement items. The platform’s social aspect can also facilitate community-based sales, appealing to buyers within your local vicinity. This often results in faster transactions with less hassle for delivery or pick-up arrangements.
While there are likely other avenues to sell your cabinets; this post is going to focus on selling on FB Marketplace. However, the same principles would apply if selling on other channels.
Sell Your Entire Kitchen or Just Cabinets?
If you are doing an entire kitchen remodel, you might be able to sell more than just your used cabinets. Look around and take inventory of what you will re-use in your new kitchen and what you will not.
If you aren’t using the stove, microwave, fridge, etc., consider selling the kitchen as a package because those appliances already fit with the cabinets anyway.
We sold almost our ENTIRE kitchen. The dishwasher and refrigerator were the only two items remaining. Sell as much of what you don’t plan to re-use in your kitchen remodel as possible. That way, all the items go at the same time, cabinets and all.
Items We Sold:
Selling Used Countertop
We sold our granite countertop too, but understand it might be tricky since removing stone (marble, granite, etc.) can cause it to break apart. We were ready to adjust any pricing if the countertop was not useable and crumbled upon removal.
Check out where all the seams are and see if they can be lifted from the cabinets in seamed whole pieces. Our granite countertop lifted easily and was removed from the cabinet perfectly. The buyer was able to load the full pieces into the moving truck and strap them down.
If you have formica or butcher block, selling the countertop should be easy. Tile countertops…not a chance.
Identify the BEST Buyer for You!
This may sound a little selfish, but remember, these are your cabinets from your home. You need to ensure that whoever you sell to are the best fit. You aren’t just selling a dresser…you are selling kitchen cabinets.
I received sixty-two (62) inquiries for the kitchen cabinets. However, I was looking for a specific buyer since I wanted the buyer to demo the kitchen too. I wanted a handy-man or someone who did home remodels. Since the sale price included the demo work too; I wanted to ensure I just didn’t have some random Joe tearing up our home.
If you or your handy-man have already done the demo; then it’s just a matter of a buyer picking them up.
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How Much Can You Sell Used Kitchen Cabinets For?
This is the question you have been dying to know on I’m sure! How much can I make? Determining a fair market value for your used kitchen cabinets involves several considerations.
Considerations
- Assess their condition – Cabinets in excellent shape justify a higher asking price, while those with wear should be priced accordingly.
- What kind of cabinets are they? MDF is cheaper than solid wood.
- How big is the kitchen? Price out what it would cost to buy that sized kitchen brand new.
- What kind of extras are you throwing in? Sink, faucet, and countertops make the listing more valuable.
- Consider your area – certain parts of the country might pull higher or lower profits.
- How fast do you need to get rid of the cabinets? – a lower price often speeds up the transaction.
- Will you remove them or will the buyer?
Read About it – Classic Kitchen Design
How to Sell Used Kitchen Cabinets
Let’s get down to the details on how to sell your kitchen so you can gain maximum profit! Once you have determined what you are selling it’s time to create the listing.
Take good pictures and a video
No need to hire a professional photographer; your phone camera will do just fine. However, pay attention to how you take your photos. Turn the lights off; shoot in natural day light on a bright day. Take a few extra steps to ensure you are sharing the best photos you can.
Add videos to your listing as well. Upload as many photos and videos as FB Marketplace will allow.
Tips
- Show the kitchen from a variety of different angles, open drawers so they can see how deep they are and how pots and pans and plates, etc. will fit.
- Take close ups of sections of the kitchen while also taking full angle shots of the space.
- If you are selling appliances, take individual shots.
- Show close ups of the countertop pattern.
- Edit your photos – brighten, crop and sharpen.
- Take a full video of the kitchen as well as individual videos opening cabinets to demonstrate they have soft close doors and drawers.
- Turn the water on and video the faucet in good working order.
Measure your kitchen cabinets
People who are buying a used kitchen are concerned about measurements. Be sure to measure accurately. There’s someone out there who will carefully inspect each cabinet to be sure they will work for their space.
Provide the overall measurements of the kitchen and then breakdown each cabinet measurement. If you have the original floor plan of your kitchen; share that as well.
List all items for sale
Be sure to note what is included with your items for sale. Is it just cabinets or other kitchen items as well. If you are just selling cabinets; are you including the sink with the sink cabinet?
List countertop and what type (granite, marble, formica), faucet, dishwasher, microwave – anything that you want to sell from your kitchen include it in your listing.
Share all the features
We sold very nice cabinets that were only 10 years old. There was absolutely nothing wrong with them at all. They had deep drawers and soft close features; listing those is also key in a good sale.
Include the brand, if noted, soft close drawers, a Lazy Susan, dummy doors, or a concealed trash bin drawer. Be honest, but play up the perks of what you are selling.
What Did You Sell Your Kitchen For?
I listed our entire kitchen for $3500 including the cost/time for the buyer to complete the entire demo and removal. My husband felt like I should have listed them for $5k. Who knows if I could have gotten more, but when I priced out having someone come in and demo the kitchen I was being quoted around $2500-$3000 for the labor. If we had the time and ability to demo the kitchen ourselves; then I would have raised the selling price.
Time equals money and we didn’t have the time or man power to demo a kitchen ourselves.
For $3500 they carefully demoed, loaded and hauled away everything and I was left with cash and an empty kitchen ready for the remodel. They were in and out in just under four hours.
When to List your Cabinets or Kitchen?
Do not wait to the last minute to sell your cabinets. There is no magic timeline to say how fast your cabinets will sell. Ours sold quickly but it took a little while to wade through all the inquiries. List at least a month before your new cabinets are scheduled to be installed.
I listed our entire kitchen for sale five weeks before the new ones were to be installed giving us enough time to prep the kitchen for new cabinets.
If you plan to move plumbing, knock out walls or move electrical; give plenty of time for this to be accomplished before your new cabinets are installed.
Who Bought Your Used Kitchen?
I had many homeowners reach out to me and I would have sold to them, but in the end a contractor responded quickly. He was ready to come, demo and pick up the kitchen with his employee.
It was easy for him to rent a truck and bring his employee for the demo. Both did home remodeling so they knew how to remove items, tap off plumbing and electric and finish the job without any damages. Plus, he was insured.
Working with homeowner Joe up the road didn’t ensure that if he knocked a whole in the wall that he would fix it. My goal was to avoid any catastrophes.
Key
TAkeaways
- List your kitchen cabinets early enough to find the right buyer, schedule demo/pick up, prep the space for the new kitchen.
- Determine your price based on cabinet age, quality, location, labor, all items for sale.
- Consider selling your entire kitchen or anything you don’t plan on using in the new kitchen.
- Take good photos and create a descriptive for sale listing.
Final Thoughts on Selling a Used Kitchen
I hope this has inspired you if you have a kitchen remodel in your future. Most of us could use some extra money toward our remodel and what better way to keep items from a landfill, benefit someone else and put cash in your pocket. Sell those used kitchen cabinets or your entire kitchen – it’s a win-win for sure!
KITCHEN BEFORE:
KITCHEN AFTER:
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