A kitchen renovation is frequently one of the most expensive home improvement projects, and it is understandable why: installing new kitchen elements such as appliances, lighting, decor, and cabinets means you will probably need to employ many craft experts to carry out the job. When renovating your kitchen, you must select whether you want stock or custom kitchen cabinets.
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You might wonder if custom kitchen cabinetry is worth the expense, considering that expenditures can soar out of control suddenly or if a premade option will suffice in terms of appearance and functionality. Do not fret; this article will explain the distinctions between the two types of kitchen cabinets for you. By reading this article, you will realize how advantageous it is to hire a kitchen designer and acquire custom cabinets instead of stock ones.
Stock vs Custom Kitchen Cabinets
Stock Kitchen Cabinets
Stock kitchen cabinets are prefabricated, ready-to-use products with no room for customization. With stock cabinets, you exactly get what you see. It would be best if you chose the appropriate stock cabinets to meet your kitchen area because they come in a selection of sizes. There are various industry-wide standards that you can expect to see, even if these established dimensions may differ from supplier to supplier. Custom cabinet manufacturers may also offer stock kitchen cabinets. These custom cabinet providers may premake their most common products and have them available for quick delivery. However, brands that can mass produce are more likely to have stock inventories.
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Stock cabinets are typically the entry-level, essential product offered by a retailer. That implies that the materials and construction techniques are probably cheap and of low quality. Stock cabinetry is typically made of inexpensive materials like plywood and melamine with fairly basic joints, veneers, and hardware. It must be noted that stock kitchen cabinetry is constructed following the maker’s quality requirements and conventional measurements.
Stock cabinetry typically starts at 9 inches in width and increases in 3-inch steps. The most expansive size typically offered is 46 to 48 inches wide. Stock kitchen cabinets usually range in height from 28 to 35 inches.
It can be challenging to construct a cabinetry system utilizing solely predetermined sizes for households with kitchens that have uneven shapes. Ideally, fitting stock kitchen cabinets into your area can be challenging.
The short lead time is the main benefit of purchasing stock cabinets. Several merchants have readily available stock cabinets you can buy immediately and bring home or request for same-day delivery. Even if not immediately available, you can still anticipate shorter turnaround times for stocks than for custom orders. However, because stock kitchen cabinets are likely made with poor construction methods and inferior materials, investing in a stock kitchen cabinet in exchange for a quicker lead time is not worth the risk. This idea is crucial since your kitchen is the centre of your home, and you want it to remain that way for a long time.
Custom Kitchen Cabinets
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In the scope of house renovation, the word “custom” equates to complete artistic freedom. You can decide a product’s composition, exterior coating, functions, and size. With that, custom kitchen cabinets mean utilizing every space in your kitchen the appropriate way, which will help you realize your desire to have the kitchen of your dreams. Custom kitchen cabinets are the ideal type of storage. You may use custom cabinets to organize your specific supplies and kitchenware and give your kitchen a tidy and modern appearance. The nice thing about choosing custom kitchen cabinets is that endless options are available to meet your preferences, financial position, and needs. The main advantages of custom kitchen cabinets are listed below.
- Designed to Last
As the home’s centre, kitchen cabinets should be made to last. This lifetime longevity is one of the top advantages of having custom kitchen cabinets. You can select premium components that will last the tests of time when you customize your kitchen cabinets with a group of kitchen design experts. Furthermore, the craftsman who builds your custom kitchen cabinets will spend the effort and the time to ensure that they are made to the most significant possible levels of quality. Therefore, custom cabinets have exceptional artistry that you will undoubtedly appreciate for years to come.
- Tailored To Accommodate Any Kitchen Space
Is your kitchen unusually shaped, unusually tiny, or unusually huge? Finding out that the prefabricated kitchen cabinets you bought do not fit snugly is one of the frustrating events that may occur during your kitchen renovation. This problem might delay a kitchen redesign by many weeks or months. Because custom kitchen cabinets are made to meet your unique kitchen measurements, this is never a problem in your remodelling project. So, if you want a kitchen with properly utilized spaces, a custom kitchen cabinet is the answer.
- Increase Your Storage Space
Several kitchens feature fewer cabinets than are physically possible. This practice is followed so kitchen renovators can suit the “typical” kitchen as stock cabinets are produced in specific sizes. The problem is that because kitchens exist in all different sizes and configurations, there will always be empty spots where prefabricated cabinets will not fit. You may purchase custom cabinets in any size, which is a benefit. For example, a condiment cabinet, silverware cabinet, or countertop cabinetry can let you store more items than standard cabinets could ever accommodate. Thanks to extended kitchen cabinets or cleverly designed small cabinets for confined places that eliminate unused space, you will have more storage than you need.
- Total Creative Freedom
Although stock cabinets may offer several options, you are still constrained by the products and materials supply. Everything about custom kitchen cabinets may be changed, even the materials utilized to construct them. Custom kitchen cabinets offer a high-quality, personally tailored variety of wood, design, colour, door types, and hardware to meet your demands and objectives. Hand-selected woods are used to create custom cabinetry, completed all at once. Stock cabinets are frequently constructed with unsuitable materials and finishes since they are produced on a production line in groups at various times. Your alternatives will be far more constrained, and occasionally you won’t have any selections whatsoever if you choose stock or prefabricated kitchen cabinets. When you are given the alternative to select the specifics included in your cabinets, you can express your creative side to ensure that your kitchen represents your personality and character.
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- Increases the Value of Your Home
Custom cabinets for your kitchen are ideal if you intend to sell your house in the future. Although custom kitchen cabinets are investments as a whole, they are the main attraction for contemporary buyers and eager remodelers. Kitchen cabinets are the initial thing you notice and the final thing you will look at when you check a home because it delivers a tremendous visual benefit to your kitchen design and substantially raises the value of the property. They are among the first things that come to mind when you think about the place, and they are also probably what your potential purchasers will remark when telling a relative or friend about it.
- Sustainable and Environmental Approach
When you acquire something in stock, you are not sure of the environmental impact or the location of the products’ sourcing. The specifics of your custom kitchen cabinets purchase are entirely up to you, letting you select efficiently and environmentally repurposed wood materials. With custom kitchen cabinets, you can choose local or international hardwoods to lessen the ecological consequences of your kitchen cabinets.
Final Thoughts
When starting a kitchen renovation that involves cabinets, there are several things to consider. Still, it is crucial to consider whether stock or custom kitchen cabinets are ideal for your area and budget. But as this article makes clear, installing custom kitchen cabinets is a wise investment for your house. It is crucial not to undervalue the value of custom cabinets due to their numerous advantages. There are several benefits to choosing custom over premade or stock cabinets, as you can tell from the description above. Consider building custom kitchen cabinets if you want the best value and finest calibre cabinets.
References:
- Bauformat Seattle. 2020. 5 Benefits Of Custom Order Cabinets Vs. Pre-Fabricated Options. Retrieved from: https://www.bauformatseattle.com/resources/2022/8/1/5-benefits-of-custom-order-cabinets-vs-pre-fabricated-options. Retrieved on 6 August 2022.
- Bouwmans Cabinetry. 2020. Stock Vs. Custom Cabinetry: Does The Difference Matter?. Retrieved from: https://bouwmanscabinetry.com/2021/04/05/stock-vs-custom-cabinets-does-the-difference-matter/. Retrieved on 6 August 2022.
- Builders Cabinet. 2021. Evaluating the Pros & Cons of Prefab vs. Custom Cabinets. Retrieved from: https://www.buildmykitchen.com/prefab-vs-custom-cabinets/. Retrieved on 6 August 2022.
- Deslaurier. 2021. Stock vs. Custom vs. Semi-Custom Cabinetry: What’s the Difference?. Retrieved from: https://www.deslaurier.com/en-us/learning-centre/stock-vs.-custom-vs.-semi-custom-cabinetry-whats-the-difference. Retrieved on 6 August 2022.
