Aren't All Cabinets Pretty Much The Same?

Typically, the new cabinets for a kitchen remodeling project make up the largest portion of the total budget, but it always surprises me when people take little interest in how the cabinets are built, what materials are used, and what level of quality is in the hardware, finishes, and accessories.  I spend a lot of time educating our clients (and I'm happy to do it!) so that they can make informed choices based on real comparisons. And for the client who wants to add quality and value to their home, and who will be enjoying their newly remodeled space for a number of years, it is in their best interest to learn about the many differences in cabinet construction and materials.  Sometimes, however, clients just don't want to sift through all the information and they feel overwhelmed by all the cabinet details that we "in the trade" are accustomed to dealing with every day.  They would rather just trust me to provide them with high quality cabinets that will still keep them within their budget. I am happy to have earned that level of trust with many of my clients, and my goal is always to try to exceed their expectations.  Most people understand that you cannot get "all the bells and whistles", and  fine quality, for bargain basement prices.  If they were referred to us by one of our previous clients, they are aware of the high level of craftsmanship and customer service that our company is known for, and that we eschew low quality cabinetry and sub-standard installation methods. 

Sometimes, if a client is fixing up their house to sell it, they only care that the cabinets will "look nice" and the longevity and quality of the product and finishes are not a priority at all.  I realize that they don't want to make a large investment in cabinetry that will very soon be owned by someone else.  I understand their priorities and objectives in this case, and I can guide them in the direction of a cabinet design and purchase that makes the most sense for them and their budget.  Still, my goal is (and always will be) to make sure they are receiving a quality product and a functional, aesthetically pleasing design.  Period.

In future posts, I will be going into more detail regarding the different cabinet construction methods and the variety of materials used for building cabinets.  People generally associate the words "custom cabinets" with a high quality product.  The truth is that not all custom cabinets are created equal.  I have seen some custom shops that are turning out a very sub-standard product, and their customers believe they are getting high quality ---- because of the word "custom".  It's annoying that they can get away with this type of deception, but the best thing I feel I can do is to educate people when I can, so that they understand what is involved in producing real quality cabinetry.   Then they can make truly informed decisions on what to purchase and what to avoid.  All cabinets are definitely NOT the same.