Yes, you can buy kitchen cabinets already assembled. Fully assembled (also called pre-assembled) cabinets arrive as finished boxes with doors, drawers and hinges in place, so installers can hang and level them the day they arrive. A basic stock kitchen typically lands between about $3,000 and $11,000 installed, depending on the tier you choose. This guide covers what you pay for, how assembled cabinets compare with ready-to-assemble (RTA) ones, and what to check before you order.
TL;DR
- Fully assembled cabinets arrive built, so installation moves faster and you skip the assembly labor and hardware sorting.
- Stock cabinets run roughly $100 to $300 per linear foot installed. Semi-custom and custom cost more.
- RTA can look cheaper, but assembly labor of $750 to $1,500 can narrow the gap if you hire it out.
- Inspect every box at delivery, photograph damage and note it on the receipt before you sign.
- Check construction (plywood, dovetail drawers, soft-close hardware) and the warranty, not just the door color.
Table of Contents
- What "fully assembled" actually means
- How much do fully assembled cabinets cost?
- Assembled vs. RTA: cost, labor and delivery
- When assembled cabinets are the practical choice
- Styles, sizes and layouts to expect
- How to judge cabinet quality
- Before you order: measure, plan and check access
- What to do when cabinets arrive
- What installation involves
- Cabinets, assembly and design help in Orlando
- FAQ
- Sources
What "fully assembled" actually means
A fully assembled cabinet is a complete box: sides, bottom, top rails and back are joined at the factory. Doors are hung, drawer boxes are built, and shelves are in place. Some come with the finish applied, and many are shipped on pallets or in protective wrap.
RTA cabinets ship flat. You or your installer join the parts, usually with cam locks, dowels or screws. Both types can use the same materials and finishes. The difference is who builds the box, and where.
You will see several terms for the same idea: pre-assembled, assembled, pre-built and premade. They all describe a cabinet that needs no box assembly on site.
How much do fully assembled cabinets cost?
Cost depends mostly on the tier: stock, semi-custom or custom. According to a 2026 installation cost guide, stock cabinets cost $60 to $200 per linear foot for materials only and $100 to $300 per linear foot installed. The same guide puts semi-custom at $150 to $650 per linear foot installed and custom at $500 to $1,200 or more.
That guide also gives these installed totals for a full kitchen:
| Cabinet tier | Total installed | Per linear foot installed |
|---|---|---|
| Stock | $3,000 to $11,000 | $100 to $300 |
| Semi-custom | $6,500 to $16,000 | $150 to $650 |
| Custom | $10,000 to $30,000+ | $500 to $1,200 |
Two points help you read any quote:
- Materials-only and installed prices are different numbers. The gap between them is the installation labor. Always ask which one you are looking at.
- Freight and delivery are separate lines. Assembled boxes are bulky, so shipping costs more than for flat-packed cabinets. Add it to your comparison.
For a sense of scale, This Old House estimates a basic 10-by-10-foot L-shaped kitchen at about 12 cabinets. It puts stock RTA units for that kitchen at $1,200 to $4,400, with professional installation starting at about $2,500.
Assembled vs. RTA: cost, labor and delivery
Both routes can give you a good kitchen. Which one fits depends on your schedule, your crew and your budget.
| Factor | Fully assembled | Ready-to-assemble (RTA) |
|---|---|---|
| Box assembly | Done before delivery | Done by you or your installer |
| Shipping | Bulkier, so freight is higher | Flat boxes, easier to move and store |
| Delivery access | Needs clear paths and space for built boxes | Fits through tight doors and stairwells |
| Jobsite time | Shortest | Adds assembly time |
| Upfront price | Usually higher | Often lower |
On assembly time, This Old House says assembly takes about 20 to 30 minutes per cabinet, or about six hours for 12 cabinets. It also notes that at a contractor rate of $75 to $100 per hour, assembly adding 10 to 15 hours means $750 to $1,500 in labor, which can narrow the price gap.
That is the useful way to compare. Put the full scope side by side: cabinet price, freight, assembly, delivery and installation. A lower sticker price means little if it leaves out a line the other quote includes.
If you are a contractor
Assembly hours are a real cost. Before you decide to build boxes in-house or buy them built, price your labor honestly. A breakdown of material markup for contractors can help you decide how to carry those costs in an estimate. If your crew is already booked, assembled boxes can keep the schedule moving.
When assembled cabinets are the practical choice
Assembled cabinets make the most sense in these cases:
- Tight schedules. Rental turnovers, flips and rushed remodels gain days when installers do not build boxes first.
- No space to build. Assembling 12 to 25 cabinets takes floor space and a clean work area. Apartments and occupied homes often lack both.
- Hands-off homeowners. If you are not doing the work yourself, assembled boxes mean fewer parts to sort and fewer chances for a misaligned box.
- Predictable quotes. When boxes arrive built, the installer's job is leveling, scribing and fitting, which is easier to quote.
RTA is a strong fit when you have a delivery path that is tight, want to stage the project in phases, or have a crew or your own time for assembly. Many remodelers mix the two: assembled bases in the main run, RTA for the rest.
Styles, sizes and layouts to expect
Assembled cabinets come in the same families as other cabinets:
- Shaker. Flat-panel doors with a simple frame. It suits traditional and transitional kitchens.
- Modern and slab. Flat doors in matte or high gloss, often frameless.
- Wood-look finishes. Oak tones and rustic grains for warmth.
- Glass-front doors. Used for upper cabinets to show off dishes.
Stock sizes generally step up in 3-inch increments for width, with common base cabinets 24 inches deep and 34.5 inches high, and wall cabinets in 30-, 36- and 42-inch heights. Add fillers and end panels to close gaps. A design plan before you order helps you avoid a wrong size you cannot return.
If you like the frameless look, you can browse our frameless oak blonde, matte ivory and high gloss white collections, or the rustic wood option for a warmer kitchen.
How to judge cabinet quality
Assembled or not, quality shows up in the same places. Use this checklist when you compare samples or specs.
Box and door construction
Consumer Reports says well-built cabinets have solid wood drawers with dovetail joints instead of stapled particleboard. It also lists full-extension drawer guides and doors with solid wood frames around a solid wood or plywood panel. Plywood boxes are generally preferred over particleboard.
Hardware
Soft-close hinges and slides are a common quality marker. Cotality's white paper says hinges and slides should meet ANSI/BHMA A156.9 hardware standards. Ask the seller what hardware ships with the cabinet.
Finish
Factory finishes are not the same as wall paint. The same white paper explains that industrial finishes such as conversion varnish, 2K polyurethane and UV-cured systems resist chemicals, scratches and moisture better. That matters near a sink or a stove. Florida kitchens also deal with humidity, so a sealed, durable finish is worth asking about.
Certification and warranty
According to the same white paper, ANSI/KCMA A161.1 certification indicates cabinets passed standard durability tests covering door and drawer cycling, slide endurance, shelf loads, finish resistance and impact. It says typical warranties range from one to three years for entry-tier lines up to limited lifetime on boxes and hardware for upper-tier lines. Ask what the warranty covers and how to file a claim.
Before you order: measure, plan and check access
- Measure the room twice. Record wall lengths, ceiling height, window and door positions, and the location of plumbing, vents and outlets.
- Plan the layout. Mark appliances first, then fill in cabinets around them. A 3D plan catches clearance problems (a dishwasher door hitting a drawer, for example) before they cost money.
- Check delivery access. Built boxes do not fold. Measure doorways, hallways and stairs, and decide where the pallets will sit.
- Confirm what is included. Ask whether the price includes hardware, filler strips, toe kicks, end panels and crown molding.
- Ask about lead times. In-stock items move fast. Special-order finishes take longer.
Our guide to choosing kitchen cabinets for function walks through drawers, corners and storage layouts if you are still planning.
What to do when cabinets arrive
The delivery moment protects your money. A delivery inspection checklist from Homestery recommends these steps:
- Count the boxes against the packing slip.
- Look for visible shipping damage on every box and cabinet.
- Photograph any problem.
- Note the damage on the delivery receipt before you sign.
Open the packaging soon after, too. For RTA cabinets, This Old House says the notification window for damaged products is typically five days, so open every box in that time. Applying the same habit to assembled cabinets means you catch dents, chipped corners and misaligned doors while a claim is easy.
Store cabinets indoors, off the floor and away from moisture until installation. Leave doors and drawers wrapped until the room is ready.
What installation involves
Even with assembled boxes, installation is not just hanging them on a wall. Professional work may include leveling, panel fitting, scribing, and door and drawer adjustment. Walls and floors are rarely perfectly straight, so shims and scribe trim make the run look clean. If you are not experienced, hiring a pro for the install protects your investment.
Our perspective
We see the same question from homeowners and contractors every week: assembled or RTA? Our answer is that it depends on your job, and we carry both so you do not have to compromise. We offer RTA and assembled kitchen cabinets, shaker and modern collections, and cabinet assembly, pickup and delivery options.
The mistake we see most is comparing sticker prices only. Compare the full project: cabinets, hardware, assembly, delivery and installation. That is why we start with a design consultation and a materials quotation, so you see the whole scope before you commit.
If you have a tight schedule or no space to build boxes, assembly is worth pricing. If you want to save and have a crew or time, RTA is a good fit. Bring your measurements to our showroom and we will plan it with you.
Sunshine Home Material
Cabinets, assembly and design help in Orlando
We are a family-owned showroom and design center in Orlando, serving Greater Orlando and Central Florida. We supply RTA and assembled kitchen cabinets, and our services include free 3D kitchen design, cabinet design, selection and assembly, project estimates, delivery and referrals to independent installation professionals. In-stock materials can be delivered in 24 to 48 hours, and financing is available for qualified buyers.
Ready to price your kitchen? Start at our Orlando kitchen remodel page or visit Sunshine Home Material to request a quote. Contractors and builders can ask about wholesale purchasing support. If you want to see how we compare with big-box options by type, read our alternatives to flat-pack store cabinets.
FAQ
Can you buy cabinets already assembled?
Yes. Many suppliers sell fully assembled cabinets that arrive built and ready to install. Some offer assembly of RTA cabinets as a service, so you can choose the cabinet line first and decide who builds it afterward.
How much does a full set of kitchen cabinets cost?
For stock cabinets, expect about $3,000 to $11,000 installed for a full kitchen, according to a 2026 cost guide. Semi-custom and custom cost more. Your final number depends on kitchen size, finish, hardware and delivery.
Are ready-to-assemble cabinets worth it?
For many projects, yes. RTA units ship flat, fit through tight spaces and often cost less upfront. If you hire assembly, add the labor to your comparison: $750 to $1,500 is a common estimate at typical contractor rates.
What should I look for in quality cabinets?
Look for plywood construction, dovetail drawer joints, full-extension soft-close slides and a durable factory finish. ANSI/KCMA A161.1 certification and a clear warranty are also good signs, as Cotality's cabinet quality white paper describes.
Sources
- Kitchen Cabinet Installation Cost in 2026
- All About Ready-to-Assemble Cabinets, This Old House
- Best Kitchen Cabinet Buying Guide, Consumer Reports
- Demystifying cabinetry quality, Cotality
- How to Inspect Kitchen Cabinet Delivery, Homestery
- How to Compare Kitchen Cabinets: Quality, Cost and Quotes
- Convert Margin to Exact Markup: 3 Material Buckets for Contractors