The Differences Between Custom Kitchen Cabinets and Semi-Custom Kitchen Cabinets

Looking to know the difference between custom kitchen cabinets and semi-custom kitchen cabinets? You’ve found the right post. There could come a time when the kitchen in a home will need new cabinets. This will happen after old ones have been used too heavily over a lengthy period. It will also be necessary during or after a kitchen renovation. It’s worth knowing the differences between two common kinds of cabinets. There are several cabinet options at the disposal of consumers. It helps to know what you’re getting when investing in them. Let’s walk through the similarities and differences. 

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Custom Cabinets

Custom cabinets are personally-crafted cabinets from professional woodworkers. They’re built for special specifications as chosen by the customer who orders them. Anyone who orders them is working with the woodworker to craft it. A person can choose from each element the cabinet is made from. A nice variety of materials are available for them to be made from. The same goes from the hardware used to create it. They’re all used to make cabinets of small and large dimensions. These cabinets are finished off with the customer choosing the color of the cabinet. Here, the customer can assemble a perfect design that compliments the kitchen area.

Most homeowners tend to choose solid wood for their custom cabinets. It’s the most easily customizable build to make, and gives their longevity. 

It’s worth being attentive with the final design for the custom cabinet. Unlike other variants, these are built to last for many years. They’ll last, on average, for at least a quarter of a century. This is without any kind of polishing from the owner or a professional. This is more important for cabinets created with unusual dimensions. It’s possible to have custom cabinets made for placement in smaller and tighter areas.

Custom cabinets have unique drawbacks, however. Their personalized handcrafting will come at a price. They’re made with quality, but the customer is getting what they’ll pay for. The average price for them is around $500 to $1,200 per cabinet, depending on the size. Custom cabinets also take longer to build. They’ll take around six to eight weeks to create after order placement. This time will be extended if the woodworker needs to order special materials. This is also before factoring in the time to install them in the kitchen. The result will be worth it if the cabinet perfectly fits the area it’s made for. Not to mention the many years it will last.

Semi-Custom Cabinets

Semi-custom cabinets are created from a mixture of stock parts and personalized materials. This is contrary to custom cabinets, where every piece of material involved is personalized. Semi-custom cabinets tend to be stock cabinets with distinct finishing. For example: The woodworker can be ordered to expand or shrink the size of a stock cabinet. One can also be finished with special handles and colors.

This is a good way to obtain cabinets with a personalized look, without the expense of custom cabinets. The woodworker can also be ordered to make sure that no two cabinets look the same. The stock parts used make these cabinets notably cheaper. They tend to cost between $100 and $500 per cabinet, depending on their size. 

These can also be made on a DIY basis. It will take longer for the average person to craft them if they’re not as experienced as a woodworker. But this will further lower the cost. 

The woodworker won’t take as long to build a semi-custom cabinet compared to a custom one. Here, only one or two weeks will be needed to finish the job. This is a big difference compared to the longer six to eight weeks needed for custom variants.

Semi-custom cabinets come with their own setbacks. The customer is nowhere near as involved with choosing the craft of every detail. The stock parts and entire cabinets are pre-made before finding their way to woodworkers. The only elements the customer can choose from is the hardware, color, and finish. The pre-made parts may not fit the spaces of every kitchen. It will be very difficult to find a cabinet with stock parts for the smaller kitchen areas. They also still cost more than stock cabinets thanks to the finishing jobs that can be chosen from. These work as a middle ground between stock and custom cabinets.

Which Is Best?

There are clear differences between custom cabinets and semi-custom cabinets. The option best for a specific consumer depends on what they want for their kitchen. Custom cabinets offer far more freedom of choice. But this will come at an immense cost. Semi-custom cabinets are considerably cheaper to purchase. They’re good for anyone who’s budget conscious. They’re also worthwhile for anyone who spent too much on other parts of the kitchen.

A person’s finances will alone inform them of which decision they should ultimately make here. Otherwise, it’s worth considering the pros and cons of every kind of cabinet. 

Custom cabinets will look nicer. But this shouldn’t undersell how pristine semi-custom cabinets can still look. Semi-custom cabinets will also arrive faster. If the kitchen needs to be renovated quickly, these are the better options. But the mantra that “you get what you pay for” applies here. The more the customer is willing to spend for cabinets, the better their quality will be. But going for cheaper semi-custom cabinets remains a good budget-conscious alternative. 

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The Differences Between Custom Kitchen Cabinets and Semi-Custom Kitchen Cabinets

There are similarities and differences between custom and semi-custom kitchen cabinets. Custom cabinets are personally handwoven from woodworkers. They’re made to fit large and small-sized areas. They’re also built to last. But the result will be more expensive, and will take far longer to craft. Semi-custom cabinets are a cheaper option. They’re made from a combination of custom and stock materials. These are completed faster. The result won’t look as nice, however. The choice between going for one or the other will depend on a person’s budget. The more expensive the cabinet is, the stronger and nicer it will be. These are the differences between custom kitchen cabinets and semi-custom kitchen cabinets.