Kitchen Renovations North Shore
Designed, made and installed by our own team in Wairau Valley.
Every panel is at least 16mm plywood, backs and drawer boxes included. Walnut or birch veneer, or 6 melamine colours. Buy it flat-pack, assembled, or fully installed with a stone top.
Get a free estimate
- 16mm plywood, every panel
- Walnut, birch or 6 colours
- 10-year hardware warranty
- 4.9 stars, 83 Google reviews
- Made & installed from Wairau Valley
- Estimates as quick as one business day
Kitchen renovation cost, North Shore
Four ways to buy the same plywood kitchen
Every UBS kitchen is designed for your space, then cut from the same 16mm-minimum plywood with the same hardware whichever option you pick. The price changes with how much of the work we do, and whether we make the stone top.
Flat-pack
Assembled cabinets
Made & installed
Installed with stone top
Edge finishes (available on all four options)
- Cut onlyStraight off the CNC, unsanded. Cheapest option if you're finishing the edges yourself.
- Sanded & oiledSanded and finished in Osmo oil so the ply layers show. Ready to fit.
- PVC-edgedColour-matched PVC tape over the edge. Sealed and easy to wipe. Usually goes with melamine faces.
Edge finish, face finish (walnut or birch veneer, or 6 melamine colours) and hardware are chosen per panel and priced on your estimate.
Worked example: the same kitchen
Same 16mm-minimum plywood on every panel, same 10-year hardware. The difference is assembly, edge finishing, installation labour and stone.
What affects the price
- Kitchen size and number of cabinets
- How complicated the layout is (corners, islands, tall units)
- Face finish: melamine or real-wood veneer
- Edge finish: cut, oiled or PVC
- Benchtop type and stone size
- Appliance integration and delivery option
*Typical ranges ex our Wairau Valley factory, reviewed September 2026 and refreshed quarterly. Auckland delivery adds a small fee; crated NZ-wide freight from about $500 depending on size and location. Your estimate is priced to your exact layout.
16mm plywood on every panel
What your cabinets are actually made of
Most kitchen companies sell you on the doors and hinges. The boxes behind them are where corners get cut: particleboard sides, a 3mm hardboard back, flimsy drawers. Ours are plywood right through.
- Every panel at least 16mm plywood, fronts 18mm
- Backs and drawer boxes in plywood too, not hardboard
- Moisture-resistant, hardwood core, low-emission glue
- 16mm or 18mm on any panel, your choice
| UBS plywood cabinetry | Flat-pack kitset cabinetry | MDF custom cabinetry | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back panel | 16mm plywood | 3mm hardboard | MDF or hardboard |
| Sides, shelves, tops | 16mm plywood, 18mm if you want | 16mm particleboard | MR MDF |
| Fronts | 18mm plywood, veneer or melamine face | Melamine particleboard | Painted or laminated MDF |
| Drawer boxes | Plywood, made to size | Particleboard or thin metal | MDF or metal |
| When it gets wet | Moisture-resistant, hardwood core | Swells and crumbles | Better than particleboard, still MDF |
| Strength and weight | Solid timber plies, strong and light | Weak and heavy | Moderate, heavy |
| Edge options | Cut, oiled or PVC, your choice | PVC only | Painted or PVC |
| Hardware warranty | 10 years on all hardware | Varies by brand | Varies by maker |
Kitset and MDF columns describe typical construction from the makers we compared. Yours may differ. Ask them what the back panel and drawer boxes are made of.
Pick your finish.
The cabinet construction stays the same.
photo coming
Walnut veneer
Real walnut veneer. Warm, and a step up in price. Exposed ply edge or a fully finished face.
Birch veneer
Real birch veneer, pale and clean. The classic ply kitchen look, edge on show if you want it.
6 melamine colours
Melamine faces in six colours on the same plywood boxes. Hard-wearing and easy to clean. Good for rentals, family kitchens and tighter budgets.
Any finish or thickness on any panel. Plywood drawer boxes made to size on undermount or sidemount runners. Hardware made to our own specification and sold by us for over ten years, with a 10-year warranty on all hardware. Stone benchtops are cut and installed by us.
How it works
Free design consultation
Send your measurements, plans or photos, or book a visit. We design the kitchen with you and confirm every dimension.
Estimate as quick as one business day
Priced to your exact layout, finish and the option you chose. Want to compare another option? Just ask.
CNC-cut in Wairau Valley
Every panel is cut to millimetre accuracy in our own North Shore factory, from plywood we import ourselves.
Delivered or installed
Flat-pack pickup, assembled pickup, site delivery, or full installation by our own team, and we walk through it with you before we leave.
Recent plywood kitchens on the North Shore
What North Shore customers say
"We recently replaced an old MDF kitchen with a new plywood one from UBS. Some of our requirements were very tight to fit in but UBS were extremely helpful with advice on how to achieve what we wanted. What we really appreciated was the consultation during the 2 day installation process and the installer's experience. The plywood looks modern but human and best of all sustainable. We expect the kitchen to outlast us!"Les W
"Brilliant customer service, prompt delivery and great prices! Our kitchen quote came in at over 30% below any other plywood cabinetry manufacturer in Auckland."Michelle P
"Great product and service! And the price is comparable to a kit-set kitchen for a better product. I recommend you check them out."Eric M
Based in Wairau Valley, covering the whole North Shore
Our factory is at 15 Woodson Place, Wairau Valley, ten minutes from Takapuna. We design, cut, assemble and install from here, and you're welcome to come and see the plywood and the machines. Just book a time first.
Common questions
What does the installed price include?
Design, all cabinetry, hardware, delivery and installation by our team. The "made & installed" range excludes the benchtop so you can choose your own; the "installed with stone top" range includes a stone top we cut and install. Appliances, plumbing and electrical are quoted separately or arranged by your tradies. Your estimate spells out what's included and what isn't.
Why plywood instead of MDF or particleboard?
Plywood is layers of real wood. It holds screws better, weighs less, and resists moisture far better than particleboard, which swells when wet. We use moisture-resistant plywood with a hardwood core and low-emission glue, and we use it on every panel — including the backs and drawer boxes that kitset makers build from 3mm hardboard.
Do you design, make and install, or supply only?
Whichever you want. You can buy flat-pack, pick up assembled cabinets, have them delivered to site, or have our own team install the whole kitchen. Same design, same construction, priced four ways.
Can a plywood kitchen look premium?
Yes. Walnut and birch real-wood veneer fronts, exposed layered edges or fully finished faces, quality soft-close hardware and stone tops. Or choose melamine colours for a hard-wearing, budget-friendly finish on the same construction.
What warranty do you give?
A 10-year warranty on all hardware — runners and hinges made to our own specification that we have sold for over ten years. Installation is signed off with you on the day.
Does my old weatherboard house need anything special?
Older North Shore homes often have uneven walls and floors. We site-measure before cutting and scribe cabinets to fit, so it fits the house, not the other way round.
How long does it take?
It depends on the design, the finish and the delivery option. We confirm the timeline with your estimate rather than promise a number we cannot keep.
Want a price?
Tell us which option you are after and send your layout. We come back with a price, as quick as one business day. No obligation.
Prefer to talk? Call 0800 858 466. Ultimate Building Supplies, 15 Woodson Place, Wairau Valley, Auckland. Visits by appointment.