Cabinets

Not only is it more cost-effective to buy cabinets as opposed to having them built, but the finish quality is also typically far more consistent than built cabinetry. This is due to the stable environment of the finishing division of a manufacturer’s facility as opposed to a smaller operation that may only have a small paint booth and will need to finish products in several batches.

Setting quality control aside, the cheapest way to replace kitchen cabinets is to purchase unfinished cabinetry off the shelf from a box store. Unfortunately, this leaves you with the task of self-finishing the product. You will also be limited by cabinet size and configuration options. After considering the time necessary to finish products yourself, you might also investigate an entry-level semi-custom cabinet line. This would be a product that is pre-finished, but only available in select sizes, colors, and door styles. It offers more than off-shelf box store products but maintains a relatively low cost of entry.

There is an extremely wide range of pricing for cabinetry. Typically, the best way to compare pricing is through lineal footage. The manufacturer and finish quality will have an impact on the cost. Even within the same manufacturer, certain elements will increase or decrease the cost. For example, a drawer base is more expensive than a standard base. A specialized pull-out cabinet typically costs even more, when broken out by lineal foot. Other features such as the construction material (plywood vs. MDF), door styles with intricate detailing, and storage modifications can further drive up the cost.

It is less expensive to replace doors but this can become a challenging endeavor and can often become more of a project than originally anticipated. Changing doors sounds simple enough but measuring correctly for the doors is only half the battle. Other questions that arise are how the door will overlay the frame and how the location of the hinges might offset that overlay. When you change doors, you typically change hinges also, making it important to get the face frame thickness correct.

There are benefits and drawbacks to starting a kitchen renovation at different points throughout the year. When the kitchen is the heart of your home, a kitchen renovation will undoubtedly cause some disruption to your daily routine. Summer is often a period of more flexible schedules and can thus be an advantageous time to start a kitchen renovation. This season also allows you to capitalize on extended outdoor living space and fire up the grill for dinner instead of relying on restaurants. That said, renovations take a lot of time and some clients prefer to keep their summers open for recreational activities instead of returning home to let the plumber or countertop installers in. These homeowners may prefer to start their project in early fall with the goal of having the renovation complete in time to host winter holidays for extended family. Winter is commonly when contractors have the greatest availability to prioritize your project, but for good reason. This time of year, expect to sacrifice at least one garage bay as a temporary cut zone. Heat for this space could be required, increasing utility costs. Also contributing to higher utility costs is your entry door to the house, which will be opened frequently with the various ins and outs of different trades.

Although its lead in popularity is waning, painted white cabinetry remains the most popular finish option. Other painted finishes in the blue in green hues are gaining prominence in the cabinetry marketplace. Additionally, we are noticing a strong resurgence in stained finishes, especially in premium wood species such as walnut, white oak, and quarter-sawn oak.

A renovated kitchen will increase the value of a home and typically increase the interest in a real estate listing when it comes time to sell. With the diversity of options and finishes available in an upper-tier semi-custom cabinet line, the differentiation between custom and semi-custom cabinets is minimal. That said, there are several quality levels within the semi-custom label so it is important to pay attention to cabinet build and finish quality.

The three grades of cabinets are stock, semi-custom, and full-custom. Stock cabinetry is what you find available, sitting on a shelf at a box store, ready for you to take home and finish. Semi-custom cabinets are most commonly made to order and available in an increased range of sizes, door styles, finishes, and box optimizations. Full custom cabinetry is often created to exactly fit the available space, without the use of fillers and the specifications of the client.

Refacing cabinetry as opposed to replacing can offer some savings, especially if you like the other finishes of your space. For example, if you have a new quartz countertop, it may make sense to simply reface your existing cabinetry and leave the rest of the finishes in place. Every material has a life span, and as you see the aging of the cabinetry box (especially around the sink cabinet), or if you would like to alter the layout, full replacement would be recommended.

It is not recommended to replace cabinets while the countertop is in place. A single cabinet change could be possible but should be evaluated by an industry professional.

Always replace cabinetry before countertops. They usually go hand in hand as part of the renovation but the cabinetry serves as your foundation and supports the countertops.