Home Improvement Articles and Remodeling Ideas

Remodeling Cabinets for Kitchen and Bath

Are you interested in remodeling those cabinets in the kitchen or the bath? Here's a sure guide to making it happen without the hassle.

By Garry on October 20, 2005
Category: Cabinets

In the past, it was custom to simply have cabinets built at your home by trim carpenters. In today’s day in age, those days are rapidly fading away. Today, most of or cabinets are made are instead made in shops and factories, where the environment is good for controlling the quality of wood and craftsmanship. Cabinets are classified in three levels of quality and customization: stock, semicustom, and custom quality.

Stock cabinets are the most affordable of the three levels. On the other hand, they provide the least amount of options. Stock cabinets are factory-assembled, standard-size units and are sold at home centers. With this option, you can either install your cabinets or hire a professional contractor to install them.

Semicustom cabinets are manufactured by higher-end shops and can often be bought in showrooms. A step up from stock cabinets, semicustom cabinets offer a variety of mix-and-match options and size variations. However, semicustom cabinets do not give you the option to decide every detail.

Having your cabinets custom-made is the only option that gives you full control of every detail of your cabinetwork. Even then, the only time you deal with the cabinetmaker one on one will be when measurements are done in the space and installation of the final product takes place. Cabinetmakers of semicustom units often do not meet with their customers at all.

With this said, the question posed by most homeowners is: How can I make sure my money goes along way towards quality cabinets? Cabinets are often the most vital part of a kitchen or room. It is essential to do business with a showroom or shop that has a trusted relationship with your contractor. Express the importance of the look of your cabinets to your contractor. This will give your contractor a better reason to care about choosing a dependable manufacturer. It takes an expert to notice if cabinets are done right. This guide will touch on the basics of the most common unit choice, semicustom cabinets while discussing custom cabinet options also.

What options do I Have

Choices for semicustom cabinets are made through meetings with a sales representative. You will usually be presented with common wood types such as maple, oak, and birch with attention to details like paints, stains, door options and hinge options. You will also be asked about extras in conjunction with your cabinetwork like drawers and garbage container add-ons.

In addition to the options on the surface of your cabinet, you will also control the dimensions on your cabinet including height and width measurements usually in 3-inch increments.

For more exact cabinet dimensions and placement of add-ons, you should go with custom cabinets. Custom cabinets give you a more hands-on sense of control over your finish product. Meeting with your cabinetmaker gives you an advantage on the appearance of your cabinets. Cabinetmakers work with you personally at your home to experience the feel of your cabinet space ahead of time and are also there to install your custom unit.

When dealing with a local cabinet shop, pricing for custom cabinets generally has about a 20 percent price jump between levels. Pricing usually includes standard lamination of your countertop. Extra cost is added for custom work lie granite or special surface options.

Making the Right Decisions

In deciding what you want your cabinets to look like, use examples from magazines and books to translate your expectations with your contractor. If you have specific photographs of work you have seen, bring them too. You will discuss with your contractor your choice of species, finishes, door type, and countertop choice for the wood of your cabinet.

In general, work with your contractor will be done according to a budget that you present to your contractor. If your expectations exceed that budget, your contractor will likely give you a more realistic alternative. If not, you can extend your budget to fit your expectations.

After an agreement has been made in according with your budget, a visit to the showroom is made. Typically, your contractor will call ahead to discuss your budget, expectations, and other details with the sales representative. The contractor should also share a decent copy of the building plans with the sales rep.

The Showroom

From the discussed preferences and plans, the sales representative will map out clearly how the cabinets will be personalized. The sales rep should discuss every possible detail of the cabinets with you. No detail should be left untouched to ensure the best quality of your cabinets.

Small extras that you think will cost nothing can end up really denting your budget. Be careful to pay attention to cost, especially when adding on multiple items. Your sales rep should be responsible and keep you informed on all prices while keeping your budget in mind.

After meeting with your sales representative, you should have a good idea of the price it takes to complete the work and all the specifics involved. If you have added extras that exceed your budget, the contractor will present you with an “overage” bill informing you of added cost and extra labor. Custom cabinetwork follows pretty much the same process. For custom cabinetwork, instead of the showroom, you may deal in the cabinetmaker’s shop and discuss details with the cabinetmaker himself.
It is recommended that any final decisions be made at this time. Though revisions can be made in the future, they are sometimes difficult and more costly than taking care of them now.

Taking Care of Business

After final decisions have been reached, the cabinetmaker visits your work space to make measurements and fit dimensions or he may just begin work from the plans he is given. Work typically begins no sooner than three to four weeks to ensure that proper measurements have been taken ahead of time.

When your cabinets are delivered to your home, your contractor should take proper action to inspect them and approve their condition. Be sure to not leave this up only to the contractor. Be involved and be sure to take notice to any discrepancies you may have in regards to the condition of your cabinets. After your cabinets have been delivered from the cabinetmaker, the responsibility falls into the hands of the contractor.

Why do I need a Contractor to order?

It is best to cooperate with your contractor when choosing your cabinet choice. Since he is an expert, your contractor has a trained eye and can spot good quality from bad. He can eliminate the choice of cabinets that he feels are not “up to par” with the proper expectations.

Your contractor knows the importance of sticking to a cabinetmaker that makes deliveries of materials on the proper deadlines. Scheduling errors can be costly since they take place between drywalling and painting. Scheduling conflicts with one of these can get everything off course. Only your contractor can make the right choices when it comes to complying with other components in your work space such as floors, applicances, and kitchen components.

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