Stock or Custom Kitchen Cabinets? DIY Home Improvement

Are you doing a kitchen renovation and wondering which DIY kitchen cabinets are best for you project? The first thing that you need to do is see what options are available at your local home improvement warehouse. Two major ones that will be mentioned here are The Home Depot and Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse. Either one of these retailers can offer you in-stock DIY kitchen cabinets as well as an extensive array of special order or custom cabinets.

In Stock Options

First, let's look at the pros and cons of in stock DIY cabinets and then move on to the special order. In-stock DIY kitchen cabinets come in a large variety of sizes to fit just about any kitchen project. The downside is that you may have to use more filler because every size is not available in stock. Today, between Lowe's and The Home Depot, you have about 6 in-stock options to choose from but you are usually limited to maple, oak or white veneer. The door styles for in-stock DIY kitchen cabinets in recent years have been either a raised panel with and an arch or a square non-raised panel. These door styles can match with any style by adding coordinating knobs, countertops, and other features.

If you were planning to do the project this weekend then DIY in-stock kitchen cabinets may be the only way to go but don't count your cards yet. While in-stock cabinets offer the convenience of being able to pick those your cabinets up today, what happens if they are out of stock? It is important to realize that even if they carry a size in-stock, cabinets are large and bulky and your home improvement warehouse may not carry enough for everyone in need that weekend! However, many times the store you are at can check other local stores and with a little running around you should be able to find all the pieces you need to finish your DIY kitchen cabinet project.

If you are planning a kitchen remodel make sure you are prepared to either pay for delivery or pick them up yourself. Most home improvement warehouses offer delivery for unlimited items for about $75, which is a steal but do not expect them to bring it inside, this is curbside delivery only.

As far as pricing is concerned; if you choose in-stock DIY kitchen cabinets from your local home improvement warehouse you will surely save some money! In-stock cabinets will run you under $2000 for a 10 x 10 kitchen, that number could be less or more depending on your options. One great way to save hundreds is to build a pantry out sheet rock instead of cabinets. Whatever you choose, in-stock cabinets are a great option for a great price.

Custom Cabinets

Custom cabinets can be ordered from any major home improvement warehouse and there are hundreds of options to choose from. From American Woodmark to Kraftmaid, each company has dozens of wood options, door options, and color options. You can even mix and match for a French country or other style that fits your fancy. Beware though, those fancy chocolate or distressed stains will open your wallet even further.

When it comes to size, custom cabinetry can offer you just about anything. Need to change the depth? Not a problem! Need 6" cabinets instead of a filler? You can have a baking tray roll out cabinet instead of wasted space! It is possible to order roll out trays, spice racks, lazy susan, deep pan drawers, and just about anything else that you could imagine.

So now that you know what you can order and where you can order from, what about who decides this order? When it comes to any kitchen cabinet install, the best thing to do is use a designer to help you plan this out. An error of a few short inches can change everything. Most major home improvement warehouses have designers on staff free of charge to help your kitchen dreams come true. This is one of the easiest ways to order custom cabinets but beware designers are people too, and mistakes can and do occur.

One major drawback of custom cabinets is the price; custom cabinets tend to start at upward of $4,000 and can go up to $20,000 easily if you include all the options. The second major drawback is the time frame from order to delivery. These cabinets are special order custom cabinets which means your order will take on average five weeks or more. Be prepared, if a mistake is made it can take another 5 weeks for just one replacement cabinet. If you were planning your kitchen re-model for this weekend, custom cabinets are not an option.

Besides their beauty and unlimited number of options, custom cabinets do offer you the piece of mind when it comes to delivery. Most companies deliver orders of 10 pieces or more directly to the job site. Just make sure your garage is open and clear because they will not always offer the option of bringing them into the kitchen.

What To Choose?

Ten years ago the better option would have had to be custom order because in stock all the home improvement retailers carried was unfinished Zee cabinets. Today, the options have expanded and you have about 6 great colors and door styles to choose from. Not only have the styles and colors changed, home improvement warehouses are offering free design services so you don't have to remodel your kitchen based on your napkin drawing. Today, you can get built in pantry's, lazy susans', and spice racks all in stock and ready to install. If you are looking to save thousands of dollars, the only real option for DIY kitchen cabinets is in stock.