Vanity cabinets are more expensive than kitchen cabinets.

You’re getting less product, for more money.

In order to analyze this we have to first understand the main differences between the wooden boxes we’ll refer to later in the article as “Vanity” cabinets and “Kitchen” cabinets.

Historically vanity cabinets have been at a shallower depth (21″) and at a shorter height (anywhere from 30-1/2″ – 32-1/2″ ) than kitchen cabinets which have typically been made a little larger, at 34-1/2″ tall and 24″ deep.

We are seeing a trend in the industry toward taller vanities, but still at the shallower depth.

**Keep in mind these dimensions don’t include overhangs and countertop thicknesses. For instance, our countertop height has historically been estimated at 1-1/2″ thick, which would bring our kitchen countertop height to 36″ and our vanity to 32″ +/-. Our depth on a kitchen counter will be 25″ +/- and vanity will be 22″ +/-. **

Vanities have 12-1/2% less space, but cost an average of 15% more!!!

So why the higher cost?

Honestly, I had no idea- so I asked the reps.

I surveyed 4 of the companies that I’ve analyzed to try and find out what the representatives thought about the price discrepancies. I got some similar answers from different reps with some saying that vanities are sold as part of a smaller package than kitchens and therefore need to make up a margin difference. Other reps ended up agreeing with me that there appeared to be no sound reason for the increase.

What about the numbers?

The Fine Print

So, why doesn’t everyone just use kitchen cabinets in place of vanity cabinets?

Sometimes it just isn’t possible to achieve the design the client wants.

Sometimes you really don’t have those 3″ extra inches in depth.

Sometimes it’s going to mess up your special vanity countertop program discount and those 3″ extra inches are actually going to bump you up into the next price group negating any price savings.

There could be any number of items that skew my above analysis and make this not work in your case or not work in the particular design you’re attempting.

I can only speak for myself as far as the prices go. They can vary greatly by region, product availability, and as we’ve seen recently, geo-political developments.

The actionable takeaway from this analysis should be to analyze your prices in depth and make sure to explore options that might not seem conventional.