Custom Kitchen Cabinets vs. Stocked Cabinets

Custom Kitchen Cabinets vs. Stocked Cabinets – Which Should You Buy?

So you’ve finally decided to remodel your kitchen, but can’t decide whether to go with custom built or stock cabinets. The first thing you need to consider is your project budget. A large portion of the money allocated for a kitchen renovation will be used for replacing the cabinets, as these are the most expensive part of your kitchen.

Because the cabinets are the most obvious parts of the kitchen decoration, you need to be sure that they will reflect the nature of your kitchen’s style, regardless of whether you buy stock or custom cabinets. However, as cabinets take up such a large portion of a kitchen remodeling budget, stock cabinets are the best choice for those wishing to see their money stretch a little farther and spent on other aspects of the renovation.

Because they’re mass produced, stock cabinets cost a lot less. Custom cabinets require careful and individual care and lots of time to build, so they cost quite a bit more money to produce. The cost jumps from $75-$250 per lineal foot for stock cabinets to $300 to $1200 per lineal foot for custom built cabinets. The quality is often just as good as custom cabinets, as custom cabinets are most often used in kitchens that require unusual configurations.

Stock cabinets also arrive much more quickly. Custom cabinets are built from the ground up and can take as long as four months to complete. They take careful planning to prepare for and lots of patience to wait for. Stock cabinets are built in standard sizes, configurations and finishes and are held in the manufacturer’s or the distributor’s inventory until they are ordered, which allows their shipping time to be cut down considerably. Once ordered by you, delivery and installation can take as little as 24 hours and very rarely exceeds more than two weeks, which seriously lowers the turn around time on a home renovation project.

While stock cabinets may not be the suitable choice for all kitchens, for most they offer functionality, quality and style for a fraction of the price and waiting time.