Custom Cabinets – The Verdict is In
Custom kitchen cabinets are the prefabricated, ready-made furniture usually installed in most kitchens for storage of cooking utensils, food, and sometimes plates and silverware for daily table service. Other appliances like ovens, dishwashers, refrigerators, and microwaves are also often incorporated into custom kitchen cabinet architecture. The cabinets are generally made of wood, though they can be made from glass or steel. Custom cabinets are most commonly used for commercial applications, since home models tend to be smaller and of poor quality construction.
Many people dream of having a perfectly designed, full size custom kitchen, but the cost of building a custom kitchen from scratch can be prohibitive for some people. Alternatively, many people are more interested in buying pre-built cabinetry that already has all of the pieces needed to build a custom kitchen. The advantages of this are obvious – you don’t have to do any measuring, cutting, or drilling, you don’t have to worry about finding the right type of materials, and you don’t have to worry about installing it yourself. Of course, some of these pre-built cabinet packages do come with a guarantee, so if your dream kitchen is damaged for whatever reason then you can often get a refund on the purchase price of the damaged kitchen cabinets. However, the disadvantage of these pre-built kitchen cabinets is that the individual pieces of cabinetry can be quite expensive.
A good alternative for a small kitchen remodel is to buy prefabricated cabinets. These are made in the same factory that makes other commercial products, and they are typically available in the same styles and designs as the full-custom cabinets. The price is typically lower than a full custom cabinet, though pre-assembled ones are typically much cheaper than full-custom cabinets. These types of cabinets also come with a limited warranty, although many manufacturers offer better warranties on their prefabricated kitchen remodel cabinets. And like full custom cabinets, these pre-assembled kitchen remodel cabinets come with a guarantee.
If you’re interested in customizing your cabinets even more, then you may want to consider semi-custom or half-custom cabinets. Semi-custom cabinets are just what their name implies – customized versions of the standard models. This can often include things such as cabinet door styles (e.g. bifold or accordion), drawer styles (e.g. lazy Susan or pullout drawers), and location of the kitchen sink.
Of course, the decision on whether to buy pre-made semi-custom cabinets or build them yourself is largely a personal one. And while there are certainly some benefits to buying pre-made models, particularly the lower cost, it is also true that building your own custom cabinets can provide you with a high quality and beautiful kitchen work of art. And when you are looking to make a kitchen more customized than it already is, the added benefit of putting your own unique touch on it just can’t be ignored. Not only will it give you a pride and satisfaction knowing that you were able to fully customize your kitchen design, it will also make it easier for you to sell if you ever decide to move.
If saving money is important to you more than giving your kitchen a unique look, then buying pre-built cabinets might be the best route for you. There are many places that offer pre-built cabinets at competitive prices. Just make sure that you get an authentic cabinet builder that offers a warranty on their work. And as noted before, be sure to find out about any customization options offered. As we’ve said, the more options you have, the more money you can save.