Probably more than any other element, cabinetry sets the look and feel of your kitchen. It also can set the size of your budget. Nearly half of the average kitchen remodeling budget goes toward cabinets.
Cabinets fall into three basic categories: stock, semicustom, and custom. The category is not necessarily an indication of quality; fine cabinetry can be had in all three. Look for the blue-and-white "certified cabinet" seal from the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association.
Stock Kitchen Cabinets
Stock cabinets come in a great number of styles. Widths run between 9 and 48 inches, increasing in 3-inch increments. They can be ordered through retailers, at home improvement and kitchen and bath centers, or from manufacturers' catalogs.
Pros: Stock cabinets are usually the most economical choice. They are also readily available -- usually within a week or so of being ordered.
Cons: Because they're already built, they don't come in special sizes. Filler strips can close gaps between a cabinet and an appliance or a wall, but that's pretty much the extent to which the cabinets can be customized. Stock cabinets are usually made with laminates or veneers; you're unlikely to find solid wood.
