Factory Built Cabinets vs Built-In

There are several differences between factory built cabinets and cabinets that are built in on location. These include cost, quality, and customization. If you have decided to install new cabinets in your kitchen, consider both of your options before you make any purchase. On the one hand, factory built cabinets may come in many different varieties and ultimately save you money, but custom made built-in cabinets give you the opportunity to specify how you want them built, although they will most definitely cost you more. There are thus upsides to both options that you should consider carefully.

Factory Built Cabinets

The purchase of factory built cabinets is one of your options when redesigning or building your kitchen. Factory built cabinets come in many different varieties. They differ in size, wood, and quality. The benefit of using factory built cabinets is that you can save money while still maintaining a certain amount of choice. Because they are factory built, the cost is lower. As is often the case, they come completely unfinished, letting you stain or paint them as you wish. The less value that is added to the cabinets, the less expensive they are.

Although they do not compare to custom cabinets in the sense that they come pre-built, factory made cabinets will undoubtedly come in many styles depending on where you purchase them. Even though you are not getting truly customized cabinets, you have some wiggle room when it comes to exactly what you want installed in your kitchen.

Built-In Cabinets

This is another term for custom cabinets. Built-in cabinets are those that are built in to your kitchen. Thus, from the onset you are getting customized cabinets. The main benefit of going this route is, of course, that you can get exactly what you want. You specify the height, width, depth, wood, number of shelves, type of door, hardware, and finish. If your kitchen presents some difficulty due to odd or inconsistent spaces, custom cabinetry enables the builder to adjust to the specific conditions. This type of cabinet installation will cost you more because it’s customized, but you will get precisely what you require for your kitchen.

Comparison Shopping

Carefully weigh your budget and your needs for kitchen cabinets. If the price is no object and you want the best cabinets, built-ins are definitely the way to go. On the other hand, if you are on a budget and cannot afford to hire a cabinet maker to build and install custom cabinets, you have many factory made options, many of which are of high quality. Just because cabinets are factory made does not mean they are cheap. Solid oak factory built cabinets, although not customized to the specs of your kitchen, offer a good compromise.

There are such things as cheaply made factory built cabinets. Likewise, the price of custom-made built-in cabinets may be excessive in some cases. Whatever your budget and needs, the right cabinetry for your kitchen is available whether you choose between an assortment of factory built designs or hire a cabinet maker to build custom cabinets for your kitchen.