Custom Cabinet Conversations

“Custom” cabinetry vs. “factory” and well, all the other disparaging terms you hear!!

• “Box” cabinets

• “Factory” cabinets

• “Semi-custom” cabinets

• “Pre-manufactured”

• “Stock” cabinets

• “Readymade” cabinets

• “Prefinished” cabinets

I have been in the residential construction industry my entire life. My Dad was a builder of the “old-school” methodologies; therefore, I have been a part of the custom cabinet debate/discussion my entire life. I have been on both sides of the equation of which is best. I have looked around the industry and the Internet and heard what a number of “experts” have had to say, and the folks pontificating about giving consumers “the absolute truth” regarding cabinetry.

In my opinion, that should be a warning; there are no absolute truths when it comes to cabinetry.

The individuals that provide this information as such are just expressing an opinion, oftentimes a little educated; but never “the truth.” Trying to convince clients they are getting something they are not (ahem, QUALITY) is far from a fact. Yes, I get a little emotional on this subject sometimes, and it may take a few entries to cover why I feel so passionate about the subject adequately.

I built custom cabinets early in my career and back then, I also used the words above to disparage my competitors. Based on my lack of knowledge, some would have been true. What I was saying was based only on my perception and my lack of knowledge. Currently, most of what I hear the cabinet “experts” saying is based on the same opinion and lack of awareness. I now have a professional career 47+ years and counting in the industry and have represented some of the finest custom factory cabinetry builders on this earth.

Neither of these camps can lay claim to superiority.

There are just no simple answers because good materials in the hands of bad workmanship can be awful and vice versa as well. In some cases the terms are just misapplied to make a point.

The most recent extreme case for me was a friend who hired a contractor and was told she would be getting a custom cabinet. It was, in fact, a “ready to assemble” cabinet from overseas, refinished here locally, assembled and installed by the “custom cabinetmaker.” Now I can argue how “custom” this product was, but by the definition most commonly used around the industry “built to fit, any way you can think of” this project would not fit the term. The quality was reasonable and the finished product was very well done, but it would not qualify as “custom” under the majority of consumers’ interpretation.

Some of the worst work I have ever seen in my career was under the moniker “custom” and some of the finest and most incredible work and quality I have ever seen would fall under the term “factory.”

Then how is a consumer to know? Does it matter? What are the pros and cons of each? In deference to my good friends who build cabinetry, I will start next month offering my opinion where I see strengths in the local cabinet maker. Stay tuned as I get wound up!!!