Kitchen cabinets get over-ordered, mis-measured and swapped out mid-job more than most people admit. Then they sit in the garage until someone needs the space, and the whole lot goes in the skip. That's a shame, because a decent cabinet is one of the easier things to sell.
This is how to work out what you've got, what it's worth and how to get it to a buyer.
What counts as a sellable cabinet
Most of what ends up spare falls into a few groups.
Spare units from a job. A base cabinet ordered in the wrong width, or an extra overhead that the layout didn't need. Usually still boxed or barely touched.
Ex-display. Showroom kitchens get replaced and the old units have to go somewhere. They're often in good condition with a few marks from being opened and closed by customers.
Strip-out cabinets. Units pulled out of a reno in one piece. These can be fine if the carcasses are sound and the doors aren't wrecked.
Spare doors and panels. Easy to overlook. A matching door can be worth more to someone with a damaged one than the cabinet it came off.
Check it before you list it
Spend ten minutes on this and you'll save yourself a lot of messages.
Look at the base of each carcass first. Water damage shows up there. If the board has swelled or the edge banding is lifting, say so in the listing or leave it out. A buyer who drives across town to find a swollen base won't be happy, and they'll tell you.
Open and close every door and drawer. Check the hinges and runners work and that nothing is out of square.
Check the age of the building too. If the cabinets came out of an older house and you're unsure about anything in the kitchen, such as old sheeting behind the splashback, get it checked before it goes anywhere. Don't sell what you can't vouch for.
Measure everything, in millimetres
Cabinets sell on size. Someone is trying to fill a specific gap, so the numbers matter more than the description.
Write down the width, height and depth of every unit. Note whether it's a base, overhead, tall or corner unit. If it has drawers, say how many. Say which way the door opens, and what the carcass is made from if you know.
If it's flat-pack, say that. If it's assembled, say that too, because assembled units are harder to move and some buyers want them flat.
Photograph it properly
Phone photos are fine. Do these ones.
- The whole cabinet from the front, doors closed.
- Doors open, so the inside is visible.
- Any damage, close up. Mark, chip or scratch, show it.
- A tape measure against the unit, so the size is obvious.
Natural light helps. Move it out of the dark corner of the garage first.
Price it against new
Look up what a comparable new cabinet costs and price yours below that. Ex-display and used units should be noticeably cheaper than new, and spare units in the box can sit closer to the new price.
Keep it simple. A fair price that moves is better than an optimistic one that sits there for months while you keep tripping over it.
If you're selling several units together, list them as a set. Someone fitting out a small kitchen or a laundry would rather buy five matching units from one person than hunt for them separately.
Where to list it
Generalist marketplaces work, but cabinets get buried under couches and car parts. Overrun is an Australian marketplace for building materials only, so the people looking are renovators, builders and owner-builders who know what they want.
You list it from your phone in about a minute. The buyer collects and pays you directly, and Overrun doesn't take a commission on the sale. Browsing is free, and new members get their first three months free with code 3FREETRADIE.
We're new, so the catalogue is still small. That means a good listing gets seen.
Making pickup easy
Cabinets are awkward to move. Tell the buyer what vehicle they'll need, whether it needs two people, and whether you'll help load. Keep doors and drawers taped shut or removed so nothing swings open in a ute. Have it somewhere dry and accessible, not behind three stacks of tiles.
Quick answers
Can I sell used kitchen cabinets?
Yes. Used and ex-display cabinets sell when the carcasses are sound and the doors and drawers work. Be upfront about marks and damage, and include accurate measurements.
How should I price spare kitchen cabinets?
Check what a comparable new unit costs and price below it. Ex-display and used units should be clearly cheaper than new, while unopened spares can sit closer to the new price.
Is it worth selling instead of binning them?
If the cabinets are in sound condition, usually yes. Skip bins cost money, and a buyer who collects the units saves you the tip run as well.