Choosing cabinets for your new kitchen or bath can seem like a daunting task but when you’re finished, it will provide years of pleasure. Whenever you are considering a construction or a remodeling project for your home or business, it is important to first determine approximately what you would like to spend. Cabinets not only play a major role in transforming your space, they can represent a significant part of your overall investment.
Price is usually determined by product quality, design, variety of product, and flexibility of customization. There are four basic classes of cabinetry in the market today to meet these needs to varying degrees:
- Stock or Ready-To-Assemble (RTA) Cabinetry
- Semi-Custom Cabinetry
- Fully Custom Cabinetry
- Crossroads Custom Cabinetry™
Stock cabinets are typically mass-produced and come Ready to Assemble (RTA) or assembled.
They are a good option for homeowners on a budget or for a builder looking to affordably
furnish many housing units.
1. Stock or RTA Cabinetry
Custom Cabinetry needs to be sold through existing dealerships and home center stores.
Where to Buy – Stock Cabinets are what you
will find at your local home improvement stores and some online sites. All online
sites, without exception offer ONLY stock cabinet options.
Benefits:
Price: Stock cabinets represent the least
expensive alternative of the cabinet types – price ranges from low to medium.
Availability: Stock literally means in-stock
on the premises, so you may not need to order; simply buy and take home today.
Convenience: Even though you have limited
choices, they are made in popular finishes, sizes and materials.
Disadvantages:
Quality Construction: From drawer runners
and drawer boxes to fittings, stock cabinet construction as well as its moving parts
are designed with a limited usable life compared to other classes of cabinetry.
Across a kitchen order, inconsistencies in color, finish or pattern may arise as
inventory needs are met for component parts from different production runs and times.
Additionally, delays may occur when some or all of the inventory required, such
as particular sizes, to fulfill an order is not available; referred to as on backorder.
Design: At the low end of the design spectrum, stock cabinets have very limited style selection providing a limited aesthetic contribution to a space aside from practical use. What you see is what you get.
Variety of Product: Stock cabinets are mass-produced with a limited number of widths, materials, and options.
Flexibility of customization: Stock cabinets are not made to fit exactly in your kitchen, cannot easily be modified to fit your lifestyle, and offer few options beyond drawers and cupboards.
Service Level: Self-service as stock cabinets are really for the do-it-yourselfer on a budget.
Warranty: Typically 1 Year Limited.
2. Semi-Custom Cabinetry
Semi-custom cabinets are factory-built after you order. With many options for storage, design, and style, they are a good option for homeowners that are looking for a competitive price for a good quality product.
Where to Buy – Semi-Custom Cabinets are made available through home centers and dealerships.
Benefits:
Price: Competitively priced for relatively better design, functionality and styles availability – price ranges from low-medium to medium.
Availability: Semi-stock cabinets are ordered at your home improvement center. Although they can be delivered quicker than fully custom, some planning is needed as they take 4-6 weeks to arrive.
Variety of Product: Semi-custom cabinets come in a significant selection of standard sizes and styles compatible with American manufactured appliances; approximately 80% of the offerings are tailored to what research suggests consumers want, 15% exotic, and 5% purely for functional purposes.
Quality Construction: Manufactures of semi-custom cabinetry bring a good consistency of quality to their built-to-order cabinets as a result of their outstanding factory processes and machine applied finishes. Properly cared for, they can last a lifetime.
Service Level: Provided by a factory representative or store employee with some experience. Your overall experience with service may depend on individuals available at the time of your service need. Service-good.
Warranty: Typically Lifetime Limited.
Disadvantages:
Flexibility of customization: While semi-custom cabinets provide much more options than stock cabinets, they are not fully custom, so your options are not limitless. Limitations arise especially for unusual applications, spaces, or ones tastes.
Price: While pricing for semi-custom cabinets starts as a relative advantage, an upgrade here, another there, say for a special glaze, and the price can spiral out of control. As you attempt to personalize your design for your particular tastes and lifestyle or demand a more ornate design or additional customizable pieces, if available, it will need to be ordered.
3. Fully-Custom Cabinetry
Fully custom cabinets are built-to-order and provide everything that money can buy in a cabinet for quality design and performance. Designed to satisfy the most discerning homeowner, fully custom is a great option for those who wish to fulfill their needs and desires without compromise.
Where to Buy – They are either made by well recognized manufacturers of custom cabinetry or reputable local custom cabinet shops.
Benefits:
Variety of Product: With fully custom cabinetry, you can choose from nearly any material and finish option. In addition to exceeding any aesthetic requirement, designs and specifications can accommodate to fit or maximize the space of the kitchen while supporting the design integration across rooms.
Quality Construction: Only the finest materials, finishes, and hardware should be found with fully custom cabinetry. Representing a true investment in a home, fully custom cabinetry can come with all of the time-honored and hand crafted embellishments that make cabinetry look and feel like fine furniture instead of simply kitchen cupboards. Properly cared for, they can last a lifetime.
Flexibility of customization: Fully custom cabinets are unmatched in their ability to customize the product as there are virtually no limitations. They are made to fit exactly in your kitchen and can easily be modified to fit any design scheme or lifestyle.
Service Level: Success for custom cabinetry providers hinges on their ability to listen attentively to the wishes of their clientele. Service is one-on-one and person is trusted to be highly responsive to needs and handling of any problems that may arise during a project. Service-excellent.
Warranty: Typically Lifetime Limited.
Disadvantages:
Availability: Fully custom cabinets are made exactly to your specifications and ordered accordingly. As such, time to make can range from 10-14 weeks and depending on the complexity of the project, significant planning and design time should be expected.
Some believe that the true cabinet craftsmanship is a dying art. There is some truth to this view as manufacturers continue to refine their processes and ability to utilize hand crafted techniques more efficiently and in places where it has the greatest impact. Although options and tastes are limitless, there is a clear convergence of tastes worldwide which provide manufacturers some opportunities to streamline many aspects of customization.
Price: Fully custom cabinets exemplify fine wood working and skill to create unique furniture for the home instead of simply kitchen cupboards. Unlimited possibilities come with a premium however, as fully custom cabinetry is by far the most expensive option.
4. Crossroads Custom Cabinetry
Crossroads Custom Cabinetry is unique in the market today as its contemporary and traditional lines are manufactured at a much higher quality than semi-custom, but at a significantly lower cost than the fully custom option; in fact, Crossroads pricing resembles more closely that of stock cabinetry. Crossroads is the perfect option for homeowners who want it all—their dream kitchen with furniture grade quality, high performance, and ability to customize as does fully custom—but without the ‘fully custom’ price tag.
Where to Buy – Supported by factory showrooms and a professional network of home improvement professionals who provide on-demand service when desired by Crossroads customers, Crossroads cabinetry is available conveniently online at www.webinetry.com; Your Only Source for Fine Custom Cabinetry on the Web!
Benefits:
Price & Quality: Crossroads cabinetry pricing brings luxury to the average homeowner in America. Crossroads empowers consumers with factory-direct access through its new channel for purchasing; the result, fine cabinetry at guaranteed best prices for their category that resemble stock cabinet pricing– price ranges from low to medium.
Variety of Product: With a full line of door styles, furniture grade finishes and edge profiles; Crossroads presents an impressive range of options to suit any décor preference whether for traditional or contemporary design. Unique in the Legend line, Crossroads exclusive CCF™ (Crossroads Custom Finishes™) highlight designer inspired options that employ two time-honored finish techniques: Paint/Stain Distressing and Physical Distressing. In Beyond, experience the best of European design with the practicality of American cabinetry.
Quality Construction: Ensuring efficiency, functionality, and usable luxury, Crossroads uses only the highest quality cabinet construction, quality hardware and superior craftsmanship. Quality comes standard with standard 13” MaxiDepth Wall Cabinets and solid maple dovetail drawers. Providing more storage capacity and efficiency, full extension drawers offer a “locking joint,” which improves joint stability – all cabinetry is issued the finest Blumotion hardware. Its automatic self adjustment to the size, weight, and closing speed of each door ensures silent, graceful and effortless closing. Properly cared for, Crossroads custom cabinetry can last a lifetime.
Flexibility of customization: With more flexibility than semi-custom to customize but less than fully custom, Crossroads takes the best of all applications combining traditional hand techniques and state-of-the-art machine technologies to integrate with American appliances while bringing efficiency in design, product quality consistency, and cost control. The result is a superior product for much less than anything in its segment.
Service Level: Crossroads service model is unique in that it allows the customer to choose their desired level of service specific to their unique needs. From the handy do-it-yourselfer to the homeowner who requires more sophisticated services like architectural development or interior design assistance, Crossroads facilitates optimum purchasing of both product and service creating a win/win for everyone involved.
Availability: Although Crossroads products are made-to-order and not sitting in a warehouse waiting for someone to purchase, Crossroads excellence in manufacturing take leadership again in this segment with a much quicker, 8 week delivery schedule than fully custom.
Warranty: Lifetime Limited.