| Big-Box Home Centers | | | | what they have to offer. Online cabinet providers |
| Making their presence known in just about every | | | | offer the monetary advantages of not having to |
| community since the late seventies, these | | | | fund stand-alone showrooms, pay for traditional |
| well-recognized retail centers offer a broad set of | | | | advertising or carry excess inventory - all savings |
| cabinetry such as in stock, ready-to-assemble (RTA), | | | | which they can pass on to their customers. Online |
| and semi-custom classifications. Relying on | | | | sites primarily provide stock or ready-to-assemble |
| tremendous amounts of consumer research data | | | | (RTA) cabinetry that is mass produced in a limited |
| that keeps them abreast of satisfaction levels and | | | | number of door styles and wood species. As a result, |
| where customers' demands are going to be, home | | | | the speed of delivery and price are the greatest |
| centers carry respected and trusted brands that are | | | | advantages offered. You will need to know exactly |
| best suited to meet the wide variety of tastes, | | | | what you want, provide accurate measurements, and |
| budgets, and preferences of their shoppers. Big-box | | | | it is advised that you thoroughly review the return |
| stores are conveniently located within most centers | | | | and restocking terms if what you've ordered is not |
| of population in the U.S. with convenient store hours | | | | delivered to your specifications. |
| and delivery options. | | | | If you are searching for stock or RTA cabinetry, a |
| Home centers provide a broad range of price points | | | | reputable online provider may be right for you. |
| for different home improvement budgets; however, | | | | However, you must be careful that the site has been |
| the U.S. Census Bureau recently reported average | | | | modernized to ensure accurate communications and |
| markups for retail sales, and the percentage remains | | | | secure information sharing, particularly with any |
| quite significant for home furnishings. For stock | | | | sensitive personal data. As far as quality of product is |
| cabinetry at the home center, your style choices are | | | | concerned, if you are a homeowner who plans on |
| limited to what is readily available at the store; | | | | living at your residence for many years, a higher class |
| out-of-stock units can delay your project. Home | | | | of cabinetry would simply be a better choice. And, if |
| centers' semi-custom brands offer some cabinet | | | | you desire personalized service, realize that you get |
| luxury feature options such as glazing, soft-close | | | | what you pay for with online providers of stock |
| hardware, and architectural detailing, but are | | | | cabinetry. |
| considered significant upgrades to their starting prices. | | | | Custom Cabinet Shops |
| For semi-custom cabinets, you must also realize that | | | | Before the advent of the industrial revolution, the |
| your options to satisfy unusual applications, spaces, | | | | cabinet maker was responsible for making every |
| or personal tastes are limited. | | | | piece of furniture. Even as the traditional cabinet shop |
| Kitchen and Bath Dealerships | | | | ceased to be the main source for cabinetry in the |
| Kitchen and bath dealerships are specialty stores that | | | | new world, Americans have always yearned for |
| typically carry cabinets from a number of | | | | historic roots; consequently, the traditional cabinet |
| manufacturers; sometimes with territory or other | | | | maker remains an important part of the fabric of |
| rights to exclusive labels. Dealership personnel often | | | | American culture. Cabinet shops exemplify the fine |
| have a high level of expertise and can provide a | | | | wood working traditions from centuries past as |
| complete turn-key service. Managing your project | | | | cabinet craftsmen possess very technical, concise skill |
| every step of the way from space and kitchen | | | | needed to create unique furniture grade cabinetry for |
| design planning to product selection and installation, | | | | the home. As important investment as a work of art, |
| the cabinet dealer takes pride in focusing on the | | | | a custom cabinet maker can transform artistry and |
| details, freeing you up to focus on the big picture; life | | | | refinement of old-world craft into beautifully sculpted |
| in your new kitchen. If you prefer to be | | | | cabinetry for your home. |
| professionally guided through the entire cabinet | | | | Fully appreciating the time-honored wood working |
| purchasing process, then working with a kitchen and | | | | traditions of the custom cabinet shop, the |
| bath dealership may be a great fit for you. | | | | disadvantages primarily relate to the cost and time to |
| Ensuring a pleasurable experience for each customer, | | | | produce their product. Typically not relying on |
| it is widely agreed that dealerships provide a highly | | | | innovations in production, fully custom shops also may |
| knowledgeable and comprehensive set of products | | | | not have certain factory technologies such as |
| and services; however with one real drawback in | | | | specialized baking ovens to seal the finish with a |
| terms of affordability. In addition to the costs | | | | modern catalytic top coat proven to create a durable |
| associated with maintaining a prominent retail location | | | | protection against scuffing, dents, and fading to |
| for their business, dealerships rely on skilled and highly | | | | name only a few. Fully custom cabinets are indeed |
| paid personnel, expensive display systems and | | | | the creme de la creme with unlimited possibilities to |
| extensive local advertising campaigns. Their services | | | | satisfy the most discerning of customers; they come |
| are typically bundled together with the sale of the | | | | with a premium however, as fully custom cabinetry is |
| product to ensure adequate profit levels. For the | | | | by far the most expensive option and lifetime |
| trusted fully custom brands that they carry, you will | | | | warranties may not be included. |
| find them to be the most expensive option by far. | | | | Lumber Yards |
| Members-Only Retailers | | | | Lumber yards came into being almost two centuries |
| Members-Only retailers catering to home furnishings | | | | ago to meet the need for a common understanding |
| such as DirectBuy are springing up as the search for | | | | between the mills and the markets as they were |
| affordability intensifies for consumers. Many times, | | | | increasingly distanced from rail or water |
| these club groups offer the consumer the ability to | | | | transportation. Today, lumber yards are typically |
| choose from a selection of several brand name | | | | multi-generational, family-owned businesses that have |
| cabinet choices and a limited selection of decorative | | | | earned the trust over the years from local patrons, |
| features like crown moldings and architectural | | | | many times providing everything from flooring to |
| accents. For each line carried, respective | | | | handy-man type services. Some have grown to have |
| manufacturers' warranties are included. Pricing is | | | | multiple locations and even regional chains. These |
| moderate and some membership clubs also have | | | | very resourceful establishments most likely carry |
| many conveniently located showrooms where you | | | | stock and RTA cabinetry and some may also carry |
| can go touch and feel the product. | | | | semi-custom cabinetry albeit lesser-known brands. |
| The prospect of a special "members-only" price that's | | | | Lumber yards derive much of their business furnishing |
| advertised to be close to the factory-direct, | | | | supplies to various trade businesses. So, while lumber |
| manufacturer's price is very appealing. We all want to | | | | yards can have conveniently on-hand valuable supplies |
| save wherever we can - especially when it comes to | | | | for a trade professional, they typically are not geared |
| big-ticket kitchen and bath projects. While members | | | | toward serving the average homeowner looking to |
| only companies do offer discounted merchandise, the | | | | do a complete kitchen remodel. For their stock |
| several thousand dollars it can cost to become a | | | | cabinetry products, the availability at lumber yards is |
| member may outweigh the savings you realize from | | | | subject to what's in stock and wood and color |
| just a cabinet purchase. You should take this | | | | options as well as warranties are limited to the |
| important total cost of ownership factor into | | | | brands, stock or semi-custom, which they carry. |
| consideration if you plan to purchase from a | | | | Really for the do-it-yourselfer, if you intend on going |
| members-only retailer. | | | | to a lumber yard, you should prepare to provide your |
| Online Cabinet Sites | | | | own kitchen design, measurements and plans. Good |
| Online cabinet retailers have sprung up over the last | | | | contracting services are often found, but service |
| decade across many industries initially to help | | | | levels vary greatly from one lumber yard to another. |
| companies better communicate who they are and | | | | |