Think You Can't Afford A Built-In Fridge? Thanks To An IKEA DIY You Totally Can

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If you're interested in making kitchen upgrades that are worth the price but that also follow the latest trends, a built-in refrigerator is a good place to start. A built-in fridge is one that's installed inside a cabinet, creating a clean look in your kitchen with uniform cabinetry.

Unfortunately, one of the downsides to a built-in fridge is the significant cost. You can expect to pay between $3,000 and $6,000 for materials, the appliance, and installation labor for this type of product. Some models can cost more than $12,000. TikTok user Bonesandbuilds recently posted a video that shows a total cost of about $5,200 for using IKEA products to create a DIY solution that involves two refrigerators. (Bonesandbuilds' total project cost included a drawer microwave and an extra cabinet estimated to have a  combined cost of about $1,800, leaving an estimated $3,400 for installing the built-in refrigerators.) Research shows the total cost referenced in the video for the refrigerators and their cabinets is probably low by several hundred dollars.

By sticking with IKEA products, Bonesandbuilds received panel-ready appliances for the kitchen that made the measurements and DIY work easier. The IKEA SUPERKALL refrigerator, which is a Whirlpool appliance, is made to fit inside the SEKTION cabinet, which simplifies the entire process. Additionally, with the IKEA option, you can order cabinets in a wide range of sizes to help you manage any gaps at the edges or tops. Bonesandbuilds used baseboards and crown molding to cover the gaps, which the video listed for a total cost of about $500.

In the TikTok video, the DIYers appeared to move an existing fridge and oven out of the space to add the cabinets for the two IKEA built-in refrigerators. The SUPERKALL refrigerators have 70.25 inches of height, 21.625 inches of depth, and 21.25 inches of width, and the DIYers appeared to purchase the SEKTION 90-by-24-by-24-inch cabinet frame. They installed the cabinet's adjustable shelf above the height of the fridge, leaving 18 or 19 inches of storage.

The Bonesandbuilds DIYers added adjustable SEKTION legs underneath each cabinet, which are sold separately ($6 for two legs). They raised the cabinets a couple of inches to keep them flush to the ceiling. The DIYers did not show how they attached the cabinets to the wall, but IKEA recommends using suspension rails. 

After installing the cabinets, the two DIYers brought in the two SUPERKALL refrigerators, sliding them into the cabinets. Each one weighs more than 145 pounds, and the two DIYers appeared to use a flat rolling dolly cart to help with the installation. With the refrigerators in place, the DIYers hung the AXSTAD door panels. They used one tall panel for the refrigerator section and the storage section above the fridge. A second smaller door was added to the bottom freezer section. They adjusted the doors on the two refrigerators so that the appliance on the left had a left-sided hinge and the appliance on the right had a right-sided hinge, making it more convenient to access both appliances at the same time.

Bonesandbuilds did not specifically list the IKEA products used in the DIY TikTok video. However, the most likely products were the SUPERKALL built-in refrigerator ($1,599), which is a panel-ready appliance; the SEKTION high cabinet frame ($179), and the AXSTAD cabinet door ($149) for a total of $1,927 (not including delivery or sales tax costs). In the TikTok video, the DIYers installed two refrigerators, so they have double the cost of these materials (about $3,850). IKEA sells FORBATTRA toe kicks and cover panels separately to cover any gaps with the same material as the doors, as well as legs, hinges, and handles.

In the TikTok video, it appeared the wall behind the refrigerators had only one outlet. The SUPERKALL fridge has a 5.5-foot power cord, meaning the DIYers probably did not need to add another outlet to manage the two appliances. However, you would pay $130 to $300 to have a professional install a GFCI outlet in the kitchen if you needed a second outlet.

Some people may be able to save some money on this project by installing only one IKEA built-in refrigerator. The SUPERKALL fridge has 8.8 cubic feet of capacity. You should plan on needing 4 to 6 cubic feet of space per person in the household. IKEA doesn't offer any larger built-in fridges than the SUPERKALL. Home Depot has a 19.8-cubic-foot panel-ready refrigerator for about $7,300, but that's the price for the fridge alone, exceeding the final installation cost of the TikTok project.