When people start shopping for new kitchen cabinets, they usually hear three words: stock, semi-custom and custom. The labels sound simple, but they describe very different ways cabinets are made, priced and delivered. Here’s how they compare, and why semi-custom is the sweet spot for most Phoenix-area homes.
What are custom cabinets?
Fully custom cabinets are built from scratch for one kitchen by a cabinet shop. Every box, door and finish can be made to any size or design. That freedom comes with the highest price and the longest wait, often several months from design to install.
What are semi-custom cabinets?
Semi-custom cabinets start from a large catalog of quality cabinet sizes, door styles and finishes, then get tailored to your room. Designers combine the right sizes, fillers and panels, and many pieces can be modified, for example adjusting depths, adding end panels, or stacking uppers to the ceiling. The result fits your space and looks built-in, at a lower price and with much shorter lead times than custom.
What are stock cabinets?
Stock cabinets come in fixed sizes with few door and finish choices. They’re the least expensive, but gaps get filled with wide fillers and the kitchen can look generic.
How they compare
- Design freedom: custom is unlimited, semi-custom offers many styles, colors and modifications, and stock is limited.
- Price: custom costs the most. Semi-custom gives you a custom look for noticeably less.
- Timing: custom often takes months. Our semi-custom cabinets are in-stock, so they’re typically delivered in two to four weeks. See how long new cabinets take.
- Fit and finish: with good design, semi-custom kitchens fit wall to wall with crown, panels and trim, just like custom.
Why in-stock semi-custom is faster
Custom cabinets are built only after you order, so you wait for the shop to make every piece. In-stock semi-custom cabinets are already made in standard sizes and finishes, so your order ships right away and modifications are handled as part of the design. That’s how our kitchens are typically delivered in two to four weeks.
Getting a custom look with semi-custom cabinets
A few design choices make a big difference:
- Run cabinets to the ceiling or stack a second row of uppers with glass doors.
- Add finished end panels and crown molding so the cabinets look built-in.
- Mix finishes, like a painted perimeter with a wood or contrasting island.
- Choose a distinctive door, from a clean Shaker to the layered detail of Casselberry.
Is semi-custom right for you?
If you want a kitchen that looks tailored to your home without the price and wait of fully custom cabinetry, semi-custom is usually the best value. Our mobile showroom brings door samples to your home, and we design, measure and quote in one visit. Book a free in-home consultation or browse our door styles.