Casework

Something that will demand a good portion of you project's budget is cabinetry. Over the past ten years materials costs have increased substantially. Just try walking out of a Home Depot or Lowes without dropping $100 these days. Cabinetry hits two fold, with its materials cost and then the human hours to get the raw materials turned into something functional and beautiful.

When designing the cabinets to fit our needs, we tend to under estimate the quantity of materials that is require for the build. Just like looking at a finished house. All we see are walls with switches and faucets protruding. Forgetting or just not understanding just how much infrastructure it takes to have those items functional. We also tend to underestimate the quality of materials needed. Yes we might want a nice exotic hardwood, or some contemporary styled metal on the parts we see and feel. But what makes those cabinets quality is the "foundation" if you like, of what those finishes are laid upon. And there lies a problem. How do we differentiate between good and bad quality. Do we know if the electrician or plumber did a good job behind our home's walls?

We need to ask the right questions..

First decide on the function of the unit. Then decide what the budget is. Keeping that number in mind, put together three tiers of construction. The best you would like. The least you would accept. Then a mid-point between the two. Now you have some basic guide lines to discuss with your contractor. We find it better to be upfront with your contractor or supplier, than just asking for a quote. Just a lot of wasted effort. When you have your budget scale set out, then a good contractor or supplier has a cost basis of how they can fill your requirements.

Within these three budgets, keep in mind that usually the cost will determine both build quality as well as materials quality. Labor is labor at the end of the day. If you opt for labor intensive construction and/or finishing, this will inflate the labor cost, potentially greatly. Materials, again will have a large effect on the final budget. However, you have the ability to shave the budget here by using lesser quality, especially in places where the impact is less. For instance a sheet of good quality 12mm MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) costs about $20 per sheet. Where a 12mm sheet of cabinet grade ply-board will be $50. And you don't get many parts out of a sheet. And if that ply-board has hardwood veneer, that price will jump to over $100. So, do you really need costly hardwood or even ply-board in the supporting structure? Does the inside of the cabinet need a piano finish? Does the rear of the wall-mounted cabinet need to be finished at all?

Construction and Manufacturing are a balancing act between quality, longevity, form, function and cost. We have the ability to build the very best of everything. It is just not cost effective or necessary. We just have to be sensible about the process. You probably have a good idea of how you want the cabinet to function. You probably have an idea of how you would like it to look. A good starting point is the internet. There are lots of photos and examples out there. This will help nail down exactly how you want the project to turn out. Then contact a professional about the options you have. If the professional can use CAD (See our Computer Aided Design page) to draw up something for you, it will help you visualize the finished product.

If you have a project you are considering and whether you need some advice, someone to turn key the project or any level in between, then drop us a line. We are here to help.