FAQ
Custom cabinet FAQ
What makes a cabinet custom?
Cost & quotes
How much do custom kitchen cabinets cost?
It depends mainly on how many linear feet of cabinets you need, how many drawers and tall cabinets are in the plan, the door style and the finish. Our guide to custom cabinet cost in Colorado walks through price per linear foot, typical kitchen totals and what moves the number. Woodridge Cabinets packages start at $450 per linear foot installed (Essential), $650 (Select) and $900 (Signature), so a typical 20-foot kitchen starts around $9,000; a quote request gets you a ballpark for your room.
Are custom cabinets worth it compared with stock or semi-custom?
They're worth it when the room is hard to fit or you want storage planned around how you cook. Stock cabinets come in 3-inch width steps and fixed depths, so odd walls end up with filler strips and wasted space. Custom cabinets are sized to the inch and can be built to any height. Our custom vs. semi-custom vs. stock guide compares sizing, materials, lead time and price.
What makes custom cabinets cost more or less?
The biggest factors are the total length of cabinets, the share of drawers versus doors (drawers cost more but store more), tall pantry and oven cabinets, finished panels on islands and exposed ends, interior pull-outs and organizers, and the finish and wood species. Keeping the sink, range and dishwasher where they are also lowers the cost of the overall remodel.
How do I get a quote?
Use the quote form to send photos of the room, rough wall lengths, the ceiling height and a short description of what you want. You'll get a reply with next steps and a ballpark range. If the ballpark works for you, the next step is an in-home measure, and the final written price is based on that measure and the approved design.
Is a ballpark price the same as a final price?
No. A ballpark is a range based on rough measurements and the package you're considering, so you can decide early whether the project fits your budget. The final price comes after the in-home measure and design, and it covers exactly what's in the approved drawings: every cabinet, panel, filler and accessory.
Design & materials
What kind of cabinet construction do you use?
Both. Our standard is frameless (full-access) boxes made from 3/4-inch plywood, which gives wider openings and full-width drawers. We also build face-frame cabinets, including inset doors for traditional kitchens and older homes. Our frameless vs. face-frame guide explains the trade-offs in storage, look, hinges, cost and durability.
What door styles do you offer?
Three: Shaker, Slim Shaker and Slab. Shaker is a five-piece door with a flat, recessed center panel and a medium-width frame. Slim Shaker uses a narrower frame for a lighter, more modern look. Slab is a single flat panel with no frame, which suits modern and mid-century homes. Keeping the list short lets each style be built consistently well.
What cabinet finishes are available?
The standard finishes are painted (a curated palette), natural white oak, stained white oak and walnut. White oak has a strong, straight grain and takes stain well; walnut is naturally darker and richer without any stain. Paint suits Shaker doors, and a painted island with oak perimeter cabinets, or the reverse, is a common pairing.
What hardware comes standard?
The standard spec is Blum soft-close hinges and Blum full-extension, soft-close undermount drawer slides. Full-extension slides let a drawer open all the way, so you can reach the back, and undermount slides sit hidden under the drawer box instead of on its sides. Soft-close hinges and slides stop doors and drawers from slamming.
Will wood cabinets crack or warp in Colorado's dry climate?
Well-built cabinets shouldn't, but wood does move. Solid wood shrinks in dry winter air and swells in more humid months. Plywood boxes and flat panels stay stable, five-piece doors let the center panel float, and letting parts acclimate before install helps. On painted Shaker doors, a fine line at the frame joints in winter is normal movement, not a defect.
Can new cabinets match the rest of my house?
Yes. The usual approach is to choose one door style and finish for the kitchen, then carry it into vanities, a mudroom or laundry room, and built-ins, so the house reads as one project. If you're keeping older cabinets or built-ins in another room, bring photos to the measure so the design can pick up their proportions or color.
Timeline & process
How long do custom cabinets take?
Lead time is about 8–10 weeks from signed design to install. The time before that, from first quote to signed design, depends mostly on how quickly design decisions get made. Countertops are templated after the cabinets are set, so add the fabricator's lead time when planning when the kitchen will be fully usable again.
What happens at the in-home measure?
The room is measured in detail: every wall at several heights, the ceiling height, windows, doors, outlets, vents and plumbing locations, and how level the floor is. You'll also talk through how you cook, what you store and what you'd change about the current room. Have appliance model numbers ready, because appliances set cabinet sizes.
Will I see the design before I pay a deposit?
Yes. The design comes first: a layout, 3D views and dimensioned drawings of each wall, plus your choice of package, door style and finish. Revisions happen at this stage, on screen. The final written price and the deposit come only after you've approved the design, so you know exactly what's being built.
Can I change the design after I approve it?
Small changes are usually possible until parts are cut. After cutting, a change can mean new material and recut parts, which adds cost and time. That's why it pays to review the 3D views and wall elevations carefully and to confirm appliance models before you sign. Any change should be confirmed in writing with its effect on price and schedule.
Do I need to move out during a kitchen cabinet install?
Usually not, but plan to live without a working kitchen for a while. Demolition, plumbing and electrical changes, cabinet install and countertops happen in sequence, and the sink and cooktop are out of service for most of it. Many people set up a temporary kitchen in another room with the refrigerator, a microwave and a coffee maker.
Install & working with contractors
Do you install the cabinets?
The standard offering is installation by our own crew, or delivery to your contractor. Install covers setting and leveling the boxes, scribing fillers and panels to the walls, hanging and adjusting doors and drawer fronts, and fitting trim. Countertops, plumbing and electrical hookups are separate trades that follow the cabinet install.
Can you deliver the cabinets to my contractor instead?
Yes. Cabinets can be delivered finished and ready to set, along with dimensioned drawings for your contractor, plumber and electrician. Delivery should land after drywall and flooring and before countertop templating. Share your contractor's contact details early so delivery can be timed to their schedule.
Do I need a permit to replace kitchen cabinets?
It depends on the scope. Moving plumbing, adding electrical circuits or removing walls usually needs a building permit, and your contractor handles it. In Boulder, exterior changes to landmarks and homes in historic districts also need city review. Rules vary by town, so check with your city or county building department for your project.
Who handles countertops, plumbing and electrical?
Those are separate trades. A countertop fabricator templates from the installed cabinets, then makes and installs the tops. A licensed plumber and electrician disconnect and reconnect the sink, dishwasher, disposal, range and lighting. On a remodel, your general contractor usually coordinates them all, and the cabinet drawings show each trade where everything goes.
Can you work from my kitchen designer's or architect's drawings?
Yes. Designer and architect drawings are a good starting point. Before anything is cut, every dimension is checked against an in-home measure, and the final cabinet drawings are approved by you and your designer, so differences between the plan and the real room are caught on paper rather than in the shop.
Service area
What areas do you serve?
Boulder County, Colorado. Longmont and Boulder come first, and we also serve Louisville, Lafayette, Erie, Niwot and Superior, including foothills and canyon homes in the county. Every project starts with an in-home measure, so the design and the final price are based on your actual room.
Do you work outside Boulder County?
Boulder County is the focus, and the listed towns come first. If you're just outside the county, send a quote request with your address and a short description of the project, and you'll get a direct answer about whether it fits. Longmont addresses on the Weld County side of the city count as Longmont.
Where can I read more?
The guides below go deeper on cost and construction. For the step-by-step, see how our process works; for rooms, start with custom kitchen cabinets, then vanities, laundry and mudroom cabinets and pantries and built-ins. Local detail is on our Longmont and Boulder pages.
Guide
How much do custom cabinets cost in Colorado?
Price per linear foot, what a typical kitchen costs, and what drives the number up or down.
Read more →Guide
Custom vs. semi-custom vs. stock cabinets
What actually changes between the three tiers: sizing, materials, lead time and price.
Read more →Guide
Frameless vs. face-frame cabinets
How the two construction styles differ in storage, look, hinges, cost and durability.
Read more →Have a question we didn't answer?
Send it with your quote request, along with a few photos and rough measurements. We'll reply with next steps and a ballpark range.