Custom Or Stock Kitchen Cabinets: Which Option Should You Go For?

Kitchen remodeling not only makes your kitchen look more stylish and modern, but also adds value to your home. Realtors will tell you that a kitchen remodeling job can bump up your home’s value by as much as 10%. However, kitchen remodelling jobs cost good money, most of which goes to the cabinets. When you are talking about custom kitchen cabinets, you will be looking at quite a significant cost. Making a choice between custom and stock kitchen cabinets comes down to making the right balance between taste and costs.

Stock Kitchen Cabinets

These kitchen cabinets are pre-fabricated such that they are easy to install and dismantle. Some of the advantages of going for stock kitchen cabinets include:

• Easy to replace if there is damage during or after installation. You simply purchase an identical cabinet and make the replacement.
• More varieties in finish and colors to choose from
• Easy to install without professional help. Stock kitchen cabinets come in standard sizes that range from 6 inches to 42 inches. There are 3 inch increments between sizes. This means that it is easy to measure out your kitchen and make correct estimates if you go the DIY way.
• Cheaper. Stock kitchen cabinets are made from cheaper building material like plywood and MD5 boards. They are also mass produced which gives the manufacturer cost advantages passed on as cheaper prices.

However, stock kitchen cabinets have some limitations:

• Hard to install in an unusual layout because the standard sizing gets in the way. You would have to modify.
• Your closest hardware and building store may not have the color or finish that you want. Sometimes, you will have to wait for your order to get ready at the factory and be shipped.
• The cheaper building material unfortunately translates to lower life expectancy for stock kitchen cabinets

Custom Kitchen Cabinets

Custom kitchen cabinets allow you to make a statement about your tastes and preferences. There are several pros that come with this.

• Good utilization of available space as everything is made to measure.
• Experimentation with different styles and tastes to match the styling in the rest of the house
• Better quality of material and workmanship which translates to longer life expectancy.

The cons of customization are:

• High costs including building material costs and professional carpentry costs. Building experts estimate the cost per linear foot for customized kitchen cabinets ranges from $500-$1,400 while that of stock kitchen cabinets ranges from $70-$400.
• Highly customized work may not appeal to future buyers

Your budget and the expected stay in the home will be big factors in your decision. If you are there for a temporary stay and have a low budget, stock kitchen cabinets are ok. If you have a flexible budget and do not foresee moving in the near future, go for customized kitchen cabinets.