How to judge a cabinet
Ignore the door style for a moment and look at the box. Plywood sides hold screws and survive a plumbing leak better than particleboard. Drawer boxes should be dovetailed or doweled hardwood on full-extension, soft-close slides. Face frames should be solid wood. Finishes should be catalyzed, so they stand up to cleaning. Stock lines come in three-inch increments and rely on fillers; semi-custom lines resize to the inch; custom shops build anything. We tell you which level your room actually needs.
Installation is half the product
No floor is level and no wall is flat. A good install starts at the high point of the floor, shims every box plumb and level, fastens cabinets to each other before the wall, and scribes end panels and fillers to the wall so there are no caulk-filled gaps. Crown is coped, not just mitered. It takes longer. It is also why one kitchen looks built-in and another looks like boxes pushed against drywall.
Choosing a countertop
Quartz is the default for good reason: consistent, non-porous and no sealing. Granite and quartzite offer natural movement and better heat tolerance but need periodic sealing. Marble etches, and you have to love it for that. Butcher block is warm, affordable and needs oiling. Solid surface allows invisible seams and integrated sinks. We template after the cabinets are set, using a digital templating system, and review seam locations and overhangs with you before anything is cut.
How the work runs
- Field measureExact wall, window, appliance and utility locations.
- Design and orderCabinet layout and elevations approved by you, then ordered with a confirmed ship date.
- Remove and prepareOld cabinets and tops out, walls patched, any wiring or plumbing adjustments made.
- Set, template, topCabinets installed, tops templated, fabricated and installed, then plumbing reconnected and backsplash tiled.
What moves the price
We do not publish square-foot prices, because they mislead more than they help. These are the factors that actually change the number on a proposal.
- Cabinet grade and the count of drawer bases, tall pantries and interior accessories.
- Painted finishes cost more than stained in most lines.
- Countertop material group, edge profile, cutouts and whether the backsplash is matching slab.
- Any flooring repair where the new footprint differs from the old.
From our recent projects
Photographs from jobs we have built. Each one opens to the full project, including the framing and rough-in stages when we have them.
How long it takes
Lead time is the long part: four to twelve weeks for cabinets depending on the line. On-site work is usually two to three weeks, including the wait between cabinet set and countertop install.
Permits
Like-for-like replacement generally does not require a permit. Adding circuits or moving plumbing does. See our guide to which projects need a permit.
Cabinets & Countertops questions
Can I keep my countertops and replace only the cabinets?
Rarely. Stone tops are glued down and usually crack on removal, and new boxes seldom match the old footprint exactly. Going the other way, new tops on sound existing cabinets, works fine.
Refacing, painting or replacing?
If the boxes are solid and the layout works, painting or refacing is a legitimate saving. If the boxes are sagging particleboard, new doors on them is money wasted.
Do you build custom built-ins?
Yes: mudroom lockers, window seats, bookcases, entertainment walls and office cabinetry, built in our shop or sourced from a cabinetmaker and installed by our carpenters.