Does it pay to buy custom kitchen cabinets?

by Shannon Dauphin
Face Your Kitchen Columnist

For those who can't find stock cabinets or semi-custom cabinets that suit their fancy, custom cabinets might be the answer. Understanding what you are getting into with custom cabinets can help you make the decision among all the options.

How custom kitchen cabinets are made

Custom cabinets are handmade to your exact specifications. They can be built at a shop or inside your home. Custom work allows you to choose any material you like and allows for cabinets of varying dimensions, which can be especially helpful if your kitchen is oddly shaped.

Custom cabinets can be one of the most expensive and time-consuming parts of a kitchen remodel. Basic stock cabinets for a 10-by-12-foot kitchen can cost between $4,000 and $5,000 and go up from there. Semi-custom cabinets can range from $8,000 to $10,000 and up. Full-custom cabinets, built from scratch to your specifications, can cost between $16,000 to $20,000 and up, not including the cost of installation.

Should you order custom cabinets online?

Though it can be tempting to order custom cabinets online in order to save money, there are several points to consider before pulling out your credit card.

1. One of the most important parts of custom cabinet building is precise measurements that ensure your cabinets fit perfectly with your floor plan. Those measurements are best taken by a professional installer, so you know for certain the numbers are correct.
2. Since the cabinets are ordered online, there is usually no way to look at the first samples of work to guarantee you are getting exactly what you want. That double-check is possible with custom work done by a local contractor.
3. If there is a problem with your custom order, returning the cabinets can be a significant hassle. The time and effort put into shipping, as well as the cost, can negate any savings you might have seen through ordering online at a discount.
4. The cost of installation is probably not included with online orders. Therefore, after receiving your custom cabinets, you need to contact a professional contractor or install them yourself.

 

Custom cabinet refacing could save money

Simply refacing your cabinets rather than building new cabinets from scratch can save a great deal of money on your bottom line. The building process for refacing is much easier and faster, which makes ordering custom refaced cabinets online a more feasible option. Though measurements must still be exact, there are not as many measurements to make. Some refacing jobs can be a do-it-yourself project.

Finally, professional installation of cabinet doors can take only a few days, as opposed to building custom cabinets, which can take several weeks. When getting the remodel done quickly matters to you, professional refacing can be the best choice.