Elje / Guides

Buying a kitchen from China

A kitchen is the line where buying direct saves the most, and the one that most needs good drawings. Here is what a factory needs from you, what it costs landed, and what to check.

What to spec

  • Shop drawings, not a sketch: every cabinet with width, height and depth, door and drawer layout, and appliance cut-outs from the appliance spec sheets.
  • Carcass board and its emission class: 18 mm moisture-resistant particleboard or MDF, E0 or E1, with the test report.
  • Door finish: 2-pack polyurethane, timber veneer, melamine or laminate. Name the colour code and the sheen.
  • Hardware by brand and model: hinges, drawer runners, lift-ups, bins and pantry pull-outs. On the house we fitted out, Blum soft-close hinges and Blum drawer runners were written on the quote.
  • Benchtop material, thickness, edge and overhangs, and whether the stone is cut at the factory to the shop drawings.
  • Assembled or flat-packed: the factory on the house we fitted out assembled units under 1 m and flat-packed the rest to save container space.
  • Labelling: every carton numbered to the drawing, so the installer is not guessing.

What it costs landed

On a five-bedroom Brisbane house and granny flat we fitted out, the main kitchen cabinets (2-pack and oak veneer) were quoted at $9,596 at the factory gate, the pantry at $4,209 and the granny flat kitchen at $6,572. Stone was quoted separately.

Elje estimate, October 2026. Not yet from a delivered job; replaced with real landed numbers as jobs land.

ItemFactory gateLanded estimate
Main kitchen cabinets, 2-pack and oak veneer, Blum hardware$9,596 (real quote)$12,500 to $14,500
Walk-in pantry cabinets, oak veneer$4,209 (real quote)$5,500 to $6,300
Granny flat kitchen, 2-pack and woodgrain board$6,572 (real quote)$8,500 to $9,900
Same kitchen from a Brisbane joiner, supply only$25,000 to $35,000

What to check

  • E0 or E1 board, with a test report for the board actually used (see /compliance/formaldehyde/).
  • Timber and board products are regulated timber products. The importer must do illegal logging due diligence (see /compliance/illegal-logging/).
  • Any glass in cabinet doors or splashbacks must be safety glass to AS 1288. NCC 2022 aligned the rules for kitchen glazing and splashbacks.
  • Stone: porcelain, sintered or natural only. Engineered stone has been banned since 1 July 2024.
  • Crates and pallets: ISPM 15 stamped, or the border will treat or destroy them at your cost.
  • A pre-shipment inspection against the signed drawings and the golden sample, before the balance is paid.

Mistakes we have seen

  • Drawing from the architect's plans instead of a site measure after linings. Walls are rarely where the drawing says.
  • Leaving appliances undecided. The cut-outs are built in at the factory; a different oven later means a new cabinet.
  • Accepting 'Blum or equal'. Equal is how a cheaper runner arrives. Name the model.
  • Forgetting the cavity frames, plinths, kickboards and filler panels. If they are not on the quote, they are not in the container.
  • Paying the balance before inspection.

Questions

How long does a custom kitchen take?

12 to 16 weeks door to door from drawing sign-off is typical. The drawing stage itself can take several weeks of back and forth, so start early.

Will a local installer fit it?

Yes, if it arrives assembled or flat-packed with clear labels, a hardware list and the drawings. Ask the installer to see the shop drawings before you sign them.

Sources