Whether you’re building a new home or renovating your current one, custom cabinetry can be a bit of a puzzle. This is especially true for prime areas such as your kitchen and bathrooms! You can walk into your nearest home improvement store and buy something ready-made. There’s also the option to hire a contractor and go for something customized for your home. But what really is the best option? We’re here to clear up the confusion and help you decide what approach to take for your cabinetry.

What Are My Options?

There are three options when it comes to cabinetry: stock, semi-custom, and custom. Stock cabinets are those that are pre-manufactured and bought off the shelf. They come in predetermined styles, and in standardized sizes. They’re often made in bulk. These ready-to-assemble options are also usually made with lower grade wood or particle boards. Altogether, these keep the costs down, which makes stock cabinets an economical option.

The next step up is the semi-custom cabinet. As the name implies, it’s an in-between of stock cabinets and custom cabinets. Like stock cabinets, they normally come in a predetermined style. But unlike the stock option, you are afforded some level of customization. What you can change varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Common options include the type of wood, stain or paint finish, and countertop material, just to name a few.

Lastly, you have custom cabinets. This is typically regarded as the cream of the crop, and the way to go if you’re looking for the best quality. Because it’s made to your exact requirements, Sky’s the limit to what you can achieve with them. With custom cabinets, you get something specifically made just for you.

Is Custom Worth It?

With the differences between the three cabinet types in mind, you may be wondering if you even need that degree of customization for your project. As mentioned earlier, the main benefit of custom cabinets is the ability to cater to your needs. If your family likes to bake, you can add a dedicated baking zone in your kitchen. If you often have friends over for wine, then you can easily add in a wine chiller. If your family is quite tall, you can even have the cabinets adjusted so it’ll be at the most natural and comfortable height for you to work on. Of course, with custom cabinetry, you can also have your kitchen or bathroom in the exact style and color you desire. With custom cabinetry, if you want something then you can definitely have it.

Custom cabinets also allow for the highest level of efficiency and functionality in your space. Because the measurements will be made to exact specification and measurement of your home’s walls, there won’t be any awkward corners or dead spaces. Your cabinet can even span the entire height from your floor to the ceiling –something you wouldn’t be able to achieve with an off-the-shelf cabinet. This allows you to have the maximum storage potential for your space. On top of these, your cabinets can be made from high-grade materials, which means that they can last you many years before you’d need to repair anything.

Lastly, if you ever decide to sell your home, custom cabinets will again be to your advantage. Having beautiful custom cabinetry will increase the value of your home and net you a better return on your investment.

What’s The Catch?

When something sounds this good, we’re wired to think that there’s probably a caveat to all of these benefits. That’s still true for custom cabinetry. Typically, they would be more expensive because of the higher quality materials used. It also requires more skilled hands and minds to design and construct. Because it’s made-to-order, it will also take significantly more time than ready-to-assemble stock cabinets.

Is It The Best For Me?

A discerning homeowner would need to weigh the pros and cons to decide what option would be best for them. You also need to consider that there are ranges of quality amongst the three options. Even if stock cabinets are often made with cheap materials, luxury cabinet makers who use high-grade materials do exist. On the other end of the spectrum, custom cabinets can range from highly experienced professional craftsmen to your distant uncle who likes doing DIY projects in his garage. Even amongst professional custom cabinet makers, the size of their staff and range of equipment can vary. This may be a limiting factor in the quality of work they can produce.

There’s also the option of buying stock cabinets and then customizing them afterward. Depending on the degree of customization you’re looking for, this may even cost you more time and money. Another possibility is having some combination of the three cabinet types together. You can opt to have custom cabinets in prime public areas such as the kitchen and living room, but have semi-custom cabinets in your basement family room. It all depends on your priorities.

Ultimately, there is an endless array of options open to every homeowner looking to improve their home. For the best results, work with a professional designer. With careful planning and consideration, you will arrive at the option that works best for you.

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