Kitchen & Bath

Buying surplus kitchen & bath: what to know

Kitchens generate the biggest surplus on the site: full cabinet sets from remodels, countertop offcuts long enough for a vanity, and the sinks, tubs and vanities that came out still working. A dated-but-solid cabinet set plus paint is the cheapest kitchen there is.

Check before you buy

• Count every cabinet box against the listing photos

  a set missing one wall cabinet is a set you complete at retail, in a discontinued style. Open each box that is still sealed.

• Rack each cabinet gently by the corners

  a solid face frame resists; a loose one flexes. Particle-board boxes that got wet at the base crumble at the bottom edge, so look there.

• Run a hand around sinks and tubs

  chips on cast iron rust from the wound, and a hairline in porcelain spreads. Enamel touch-up handles a chip; cracks are terminal.

• For countertop remnants, bring your template

  stone cannot grow. The remnant needs to cover your top plus the sink cutout plus overhang, in one piece or with a seam you accept.

Rather have it installed? The directory has local carpentry pros you can message directly, and the cost guide shows what jobs like yours run locally.

Also browse: Plumbing · Fixtures & Hardware · Tile & Stone