Cabinet pricing conversations get confusing fast because "custom" gets used loosely — some showrooms call anything not sold at a big-box store "custom." Here's what the three real categories actually mean, and where the price gap between them comes from.
Stock cabinetry
Manufactured in fixed sizes (typically 3" increments), shipped from inventory or a short production run, with a limited set of door styles and finishes. Fillers and spacers are used to make fixed-size boxes fit your actual wall dimensions.
Typical range: $8,000 – $16,000 for a full kitchen, cabinetry only. Lead time: 1–3 weeks.
Semi-custom cabinetry
Built to order in a much wider range of sizes and configurations — width adjustments in smaller increments, more finish and door style options, and modifications like added drawer stacks or specialty storage inserts. This is where the majority of full remodels we build actually land, because it balances real customization with a manageable lead time and cost.
Typical range: $18,000 – $32,000 for a full kitchen, cabinetry only. Lead time: 6–8 weeks.
Full-custom cabinetry
Built to your exact dimensions with no filler pieces, furniture-grade joinery, unlimited configuration (custom appliance panels, non-standard heights, specialty wood species), and typically inset door construction where doors sit flush with the frame rather than overlaying it.
Typical range: $35,000 – $70,000+ for a full kitchen, cabinetry only. Lead time: 8–12 weeks.
Side-by-side comparison
| Factor | Stock | Semi-Custom | Full-Custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size increments | 3" fixed | 1" increments | Exact fit |
| Door construction | Overlay only | Overlay, some inset | Inset or overlay |
| Storage customization | Limited | Broad catalog | Unlimited |
| Lead time | 1–3 weeks | 6–8 weeks | 8–12 weeks |
How to actually decide
If your kitchen has standard dimensions, no oddly-sized walls or unusual appliance placements, and your timeline is tight, semi-custom almost always delivers 90% of the look of full-custom at a meaningfully lower price. Full-custom earns its cost when you have a genuinely non-standard space — an angled wall, a ceiling with a step, a desire for a specific wood species or inset door style — where stock and semi-custom sizing simply can't get you an exact fit.
We bring cabinet samples in multiple tiers to every consultation so you can feel the actual box construction and drawer glide quality difference in person before deciding what your project actually needs.