Where can I find reasonable custom cabinets online?
Looking for reasonable custom cabinets online can be easy once you know some basic differences. Cabinets are sold through manufacturers to cabinet dealers and retailers. Reputable dealers and retailers have their own Website depicting the cabinet lines that they carry. Cabinet dealers can be a one man show showing samples to potential clients or dealers have showrooms of cabinet vignettes with certified cabinet designers and installers on staff. Some dealers are small and comfortable and some are large design firms. Retailers consist of large big box stores, building supply stores and household product stores.
When you look on line for cabinets, you might notice key terms that categorize the cabinets. Identifying the type of cabinet that you are after is helpful in narrowing down the many choices.
Basically there are three categories that cabinets fall into.
Stock:
This type of cabinets is usually available off the shelf from retailers or ordered from dealers with a short delivery lead time. The price point is very inexpensive. The cabinet box construction is basic and the door and drawer front style is limited to a few choices. There are only a handful of colors to choose from and the number of box size choices is confined to a small offering. This type of cabinet is mass produced in large factories. Be sure to look at an actual cabinet box sample to inspect the construction and finish on the door and drawer front. Basically you get what you pay for here. From some of these stock manufacturers, the cabinets need to be assembled on the job site as they are shipped unassembled to save on freight.
Semi Custom:
Both the retailers and dealers that carry these cabinet lines have to order the cabinets per client’s specifications. There is usually a lead time of two to six weeks. There is a good amount of door and drawer front style options as well as color and finish options. The cabinet line’s catalog is abundant with size choices and the price point is very good. Factors that can drive the pricing upward are the door and drawer front style, the finish, the size of the client’s space and the extras such as heavy moldings, roll outs and other accessories that are inside the cabinet box. Many manufacturers offer the option to “customize” some of the standard box sizes to give the client to ability to perfectly fit the space.
Custom:
True custom cabinetry began with woodworkers in their shops building furniture and cabinets. It has evolved from small operations to large manufacturing state of the art facilities. There are still small wood working shops in many areas. But even though it is custom, some woodworkers are limited in their abilities and shop set ups. Just because one man hand crafted the cabinetry doesn’t mean he is able to offer EVERYTHING. The best part of a custom cabinet is that the client can pick any color and finish, any door and drawer front style and any cabinet box shape. Normally only large design firms offer these lines, and the in house designers do extensive drawings on the computer that are submitted to the factory. The lead time can is usually six to twelve weeks and the price point is reflective of the high quality of this cabinetry. There are however several cabinet lines that fit themselves in between semi-custom and custom to be able to offer an affordable option. Many semi custom lines can give the finished installed appearance of a custom cabinet, but this is only achieved with a certified and talented design and installer.
The word “CUSTOM” is often misused in advertising. Because of the semi custom cabinet line’s abilities to customize their standard catalog, retailers, dealers, real estate agents, interior designers and homeowners toot the “custom” adjective. This can be a bit misleading.
The word “REASONABLE” also carries different meanings. In speaking of cabinetry, reasonable can mean the price point, the lead time or the choice offering.
SO:
- Decide on the type of cabinet that will work for you.
- Using your favorite search engine on the Internet, search for the cabinetry that is available in your area.
- Check each retailer’s or dealer’s or woodworker’s Website.
- The Website should tell about the cabinet lines and have links to the manufacturer’s Website.
- Research the company’s reputation, the warranty that is offered, how they operate business, and other customer’s testimonials.
- Once you have narrowed down where you will purchase the cabinets from, visit them, inspect the samples, and talk with them. Remember that cabinetry is a MAJOR purchase.
The next step is designing the cabinetry for your space……
www.InStockKitchens.com They aren’t custom but they do have wall cabinets in the size you need (42″ x all different sizes). The pricing is excellent so that shouldn’t pose a problem. As an added plus I can tell you from experience that the quality is great. Maybe if you just take off the doors, you can get what you want.
