$9000 is not an outrageous amount, but I understand that it is a lot of money. Especially, times two. I have not had any problems with using cabinets constructed using particle board - actually, I think they call it engineered wood. Usually the face frames and drawer and door fronts are solid wood. You could look into a company like Clique Studio who does plywood cabinets and sells directly to the consumer. This is an example of one of their kitchens. I have not used them, but have been looking at using them. I have ordered door samples from them and the finish looks very nice. Might be worth looking into? I checked out your blog - what an exciting adventure for you! Love the bay windows.

Thanks for checking out our blog! I will look into Clique Studio as well, but we also found a place down the street from us who purchases RTA cabinets, assembles them, and installs them - for 1/2 the price of our contractor!

Cheap Chinese RTA is not a bargain. You pay later rather than now. American made with furniture board construction is far superior to import plywood. Cliq is Chinese as well.

Really, 9K is well below average for cabinetry expenses for a kitchen remodel. For the average mid grade remodel of 55K, 15-20K would be average. Readjust the budget and do one at a time rather than both at the same time.

We had our cabinets made by the Amish, and it was the best way to go. They're extremely well made with birch board boxes and solid wood faces and doors, and they cost a third of what we would have paid for cabinets of a lesser quality from the local kitchen stores. Of course, not all Amish are created equal, and you have to be able to communicate with them, but definitely something worth looking into.

Also, keep in mind that if you're renting you want the most resilient thing you can buy. Renters and going to put a lot more wear and tear on the place than you would. If you go with particle board you'll likely be replacing it very soon.

Thanks for your comments. @live_wire_oak, why do you say that "american" furniture board/particleboard is far superior?

I wish we had looked into Amish quality earlier, but I think it is too late in the process now. Where in the country are you Halcyonbear, and how long did it take for you?

We're in southern Wisconsin. I don't remember exactly, but I think it took about 6 weeks for the cabinets to be made and delivered. But that was for everything, including all our bathrooms, mud room and laundry room. There was one cabinet that wasn't to spec and they were able to get replacements within a couple days. We did have our carpenter who works with the Amish regularly assist with communication, delivery, and install, and I'm sure that helped to speed up the process by a lot.

One of my husband's co-workers worked with an Amish cabinet maker directly and it did take him months and many hours on the road to get it all done. So, I will say I don't think we would have gone that route had we not had someone to help expedite the process.

I can't speak to the RTA cabinets, but CliqStudios is not Chinese, they have a factory in Indiana. I say check out the quality on all of them and then make your best value choice.

My Menard's cabinets with particle board sides have lasted 18 years. I recently refinished the solid wood doors and rails and stiles of the boxes and they should be good to go for another decade at least. So looking at Home Center stores is a place for reasonable cabinets.

I did want to replace one cabinet due to the style (trade out a microwave shelf cabinet for a more decorative one) and was disappointed to find many cabinets today using veneer doors instead of solid wood - not a problem with painted cabinets as they are made from MDF or MDF and in combo with wood - and then are more expensive - go figure. I ended up just reworking the cabinet I had due to budget.

My cabinets have the raised panel style rather than the more popular shaker style. At the Parade Homes earlier this year I was surprised at the flimsiness of some of the painted shaker cabinet doors - in high end homes. Even one of the builders agreed. In the rental side of your duplex, consider a raised panel and even consider a stained cabinet because they hide dirt and wear much better.

In a middle class area, particle board sides are fine. However, be cautious of the sink cabinet because water plays havoc with particle board and MDF - make sure it is well sealed any place that can be exposed to water. From the front, my re-finished sink cabinet looks fine - but the inside floor is worn. I am getting a farmhouse sink so I am ordering a new sink cabinet and I will stain it to match. I did find one with solid wood doors at a locally owned hardware store.

I also have Amish made furniture including my kitchen island. Love it, but it is more expensive than factory built.

I did Chinese RTA cabinets in our previous house/remodel. They were solid wood and cost $3k vs the $10k everyone else quoted. They looked good as new when we sold the house 6 years later and when I was in the house again last year. The new owners loved the kitchen and still had no complaints.

You are mistaken. Cliq is manufactured and finished in China and then imported to America. Various wholesalers then assemble them.