There are hundreds of kitchen cabinets that you can choose from, which is why you need to know the basics before you even step foot in a store or start flipping through a catalog. Being unprepared can cost you a lot more money, plus you may end up with cabinets that you are not completely in love with.
The first thing that you will need to do is determine what your budget is for your cabinets. This price tag can easily be approximately fifty percent of your overall budget, so don’t panic when you realize the true cost. Once you know how much money you have available to spend on cabinets, it will be time to measure your space. This will allow you to have an idea of how many cabinets you can squeeze into your kitchen.
As soon as you know your measurements, you can finally begin looking at cabinets. However, please be aware that there are stock, semi-stock, and custom cabinet options. All stock cabinets are going to be the cheapest and most readily available. These all come in standard sizes that work well in most kitchens.
You may want to consider a semi-stock cabinet if you want a certain design or feature that is not available on the stock cabinets that you look at. Custom kitchen cabinets should always be your last option when possible, as they cost the most and take the longest amount of time to get. Each one needs to made according to your specifications, which means it could be weeks or months before you can install them in your kitchen. This is an excellent option though if you have one or two odd sized spaces that only a custom cabinet will fit into.
If you are looking for features that include pull-out shelves, a lazy Susan, vertical dividers, or pull-out bins, then a semi-stock or custom cabinet is going to be your best choice, as they can both be customized with the features you desire.
Any cabinet that you choose should be made from quality materials, so that they last as long as possible. While you may not be able to afford custom cabinets, that doesn’t mean that you should need to settle for subpar cabinets that will need to be replaced in a few years. Therefore, look for a manufacturer or supplier that specializes in finding cabinets that are of excellent quality without the bigger price tags.
Your kitchen remodeling contractor should be able to share what they think is going to be your best option, so that you do not need to worry about making a mistake during this entire process. That way you can comfortably make a decision and know that it is one that is best for you.