A full kitchen remodel is a dream for many Long Beach homeowners. After all, who wouldn’t want a brand-new kitchen with all modern appliances, shiny new cabinets with smooth-gliding drawers and soft-close doors, and brand-new countertops?
Kitchens are one of the most highly used rooms in a home, and many people consider the kitchen the “hub” of a house. But kitchens don’t just have to be functional—they can also bring a lot of beauty to a home. The appliances, countertops, lighting, and flooring can certainly bring a lot of style to your kitchen, but the cabinets are where you should focus the majority of your attention when designing your new kitchen. Not only do cabinets take up the largest amount of space, but they are also likely to be the most frequently used part of your kitchen. You want to make sure your cabinets are thoughtfully arranged and good quality. Otherwise, your kitchen will not be as functional as you probably hoped it would be, and it will start to look less than new in no time at all.
You have several options when it comes to kitchen cabinets, all of which come at varying price points. It’s important to understand what exactly you are getting for your money and how the various options compare.
RTA Cabinets
Ready-to-assemble, or RTA, cabinets are typically the most affordable option available. With RTA cabinets, each individual cabinet comes flat packed. They must then be assembled before they can be installed. Ikea made this type of cabinet popular, but there are many other companies that have gotten into the RTA market as well. RTA cabinets come in varying degrees of quality. Some are made entirely of particle board or MDF, while others are made of high-quality plywood.
Many brands of RTA cabinets are imported (typically from China). Most homeowners don’t find this to be a problem until they need replacement parts, such as hinges, drawer guides, or new doors to replace those that have been broken or damaged. Getting replacement parts from overseas can be a huge issue.
RTA kitchen cabinets are generally designed to be sold to the DIY homeowner. Paying someone to assemble and then install your new cabinets could wipe out any savings you might have been hoping to achieve by purchasing RTA cabinets.
Stock Cabinets
Stock cabinets are those that are purchased already assembled and ready to install. You can purchase stock cabinets at many home improvement stores. They typically come in limited sizes and styles, which gives you less flexibility in the design of your kitchen, but also helps to keep the costs down. If the sizes available don’t work perfectly in your kitchen, it will require you to use “filler” pieces, which will be a less effective use of your space.
Semi-Custom Cabinets
Semi-custom cabinets are a step up from in-stock cabinets in that you have more modification options. You can often select from a variety of door and drawer styles and finishes, and you can even modify the sizes of the cabinets themselves. In addition, you can typically add customized features, such as organizational tools. As you might expect, the more features you include above the standard cabinets, the higher the price will be.
Custom Cabinets for Long Beach Kitchens
Custom cabinets are considered the top of the line when it comes to kitchen cabinets. With custom cabinetry, you get exactly what you want—any type of material, any color of paint or stain, any door and drawer style, any configuration. The features in your cabinets are only limited by your imagination or the creativity of your kitchen designer. If you want an espresso machine built into your kitchen cabinets, a custom cabinet builder can make it happen. If you want your cabinets painted bright orange, that is an option as well when you go with custom cabinets.
Custom cabinets are generally the most expensive option, but many Long Beach homeowners will say they are well worth the cost. Custom kitchen cabinets made by a true craftsman are typically the most beautiful and most durable cabinet option out there. Even if you believe custom cabinets are out of your price range, you may want to get a quote just to be sure. Sometimes, custom cabinets can be quite comparable in price to semi-custom cabinets with added options.
If you decide to go with custom cabinets, make sure the design truly suits your needs and provides you with everything you want. Otherwise, why would you pay the price for custom? Some Long Beach custom cabinet makers can help you design your dream kitchen, but other homeowners choose to have their kitchens designed by a dedicated kitchen designer or a Long Beach architect. You’ll want to use an architect if you plan on knocking down any walls to expand your kitchen or otherwise open up the space. If you’re just rearranging cabinets, you could go with a kitchen designer or a creative cabinet builder.
When taking on a large home improvement project like a kitchen remodel, it’s always good to explore all of your options. You may find that one of the lower-priced cabinet options suits your needs just fine, or you may decide that custom is the only way to go to give you the kitchen of your dreams.
