Prefabricated Kitchen Cabinets vs. Custom Kitchen Cabinets

Choosing the style and design of your kitchen is an exciting time. Deciding on the color, finish, shapes, and material of your kitchen cabinetry is a decision that will shape the atmosphere of dinners and family gatherings in your home for the foreseeable future. With one's home atmosphere at stake, it's clear to see why many homeowners have difficulty deciding on their kitchen cabinetry. The kitchen remodeling process begs many questions, but an experienced kitchen design team can help guide you in the right direction. Beyond basic questions regarding color and styling, one question is more common than the rest. Should you use prefabricated kitchen cabinets or custom kitchen cabinets? Read on below to learn how to make the right decision for your home.

Prefabricated Kitchen Cabinets

Prefabricated kitchen cabinets are affordable off-the-shelf kitchen cabinets. These cabinets are the kind you would likely find in stock at a home improvement store. The primary advantages of prefabricated kitchen cabinets include price and turnaround time. Prefabricated kitchen cabinets are also available in a wide variety of enticing styles and colors. These cabinets often cost as little as $60 per linear foot and, because they are kept in stock, homeowners can arrange immediate pickup, delivery, and installation.

The disadvantage of prefabricated kitchen cabinets is a lack of flexibility. Because they are produced according to a standard model, prefabricated kitchen cabinets may not fit perfectly in your home if you have a unique floor plan. They may also only be available in a set of manufacturer-approved materials. If you can find a prefabricated kitchen cabinet set in a style and size that you like, the added benefit of cost savings makes your choice an easy one.

Custom Kitchen Cabinets

Custom kitchen cabinets are, as the name suggests, highly customizable. You can choose their size, finish, shape, and material. Manufacturers will produce the cabinets to the exact specifications that you desire for the product. The primary advantage of custom kitchen cabinets is flexibility. If your kitchen features unique crevices and angles that prefabricated kitchen cabinets won't fit in, you can have custom kitchen cabinets crafted, allowing you to maximize the space. You can also eliminate the gap that many standard kitchen cabinet sets leave above them and instead opt to have cabinets that reach the ceiling.

The disadvantages of custom kitchen cabinets are the extremely high price and long production times. Expect to pay no less than $700 per linear foot of custom cabinet space. The wait for your custom cabinets to be produced can also take as long as two months. The long turnaround time and high price mean that custom kitchen cabinets are not cost-effective unless you plan to stay in your home for at least a decade. In which case, custom kitchen cabinets may be just the choice for you.

Conclusion

Kitchen cabinet remodeling decisions are difficult to make if you aren't well-informed. Now you're well equipped to make the right kitchen cabinet choice for your home and family.


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