It might be tempting to rush through the process of installing your kitchen cabinets, but this is one area in which it pays to be thorough. Not all custom cabinet builders are made alike, and you’ll need to come in with a few questions in mind to make sure they’re a good fit. Here are five questions to ask your cabinet builder before hiring them:
1. Do You Do The Installation?
Some custom cabinet builders handle both the design and the installation, while others solely handle the design of the cabinets. If your custom cabinet builder does both, then mistakes are much less likely to occur during installation. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t hire one person to design your cabinets and another to install them. Just make sure that both companies have the same measurements, as even an inch or two difference can have catastrophic consequences.
2. What Is The Turnaround Time?
The turnaround time will depend on how detailed your specifications are. Custom cabinetry takes longer to deliver than stock cabinetry due to the building time, although semi-custom orders should arrive within around six weeks. If you’re going for a more advanced custom design, then you’ll likely be facing eight or more weeks before your cabinetry is delivered.
3. How Can We Maximize Space?
This is an important thing to consider regardless of whether or not you’re tight on space. Areas such as the toe kick space, which is the empty space underneath the floor cabinets, can either be left empty or put to use. You can install pullout drawers for extra storage or floor strip lighting to help accentuate the design of the kitchen. You should also consider installing space-saving features such as wine bottle racks underneath the upper cabinets. These will help conserve counter space and keep it free of clutter.
4. Will You Add Lighting?
Lighting is a popular feature of modern custom cabinets. Depending on what the lighting is like in your kitchen, you may want to add lighting either in or underneath your cabinets. You can include automatic in-cabinet lighting that turns on whenever you open the cabinet, which will help you see the nooks and crannies much more easily. You can also install strip lighting under the floor cabinets to help illuminate any dust or debris on the ground for easier cleaning.
5. Can You Work Within My Budget?
Your budget is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a custom cabinet builder. Find someone who is willing to work within your budget to help you build something stylish and practical without breaking the bank. Although custom cabinets are more expensive than stock cabinetry, you will get more for your money thanks to their greater durability.
You deserve to have the kitchen of your dreams. Ask your cabinet builder these five questions to make sure that they can meet your needs. If you choose the right person for the job, it can make a world of difference in the design of your kitchen.