Stock cabinets explained
Stock cabinets are ready-made, pre-manufactured and ship when ordered.
They almost never can be altered or customized. What you see is what you get.
There also is a broad range of quality differences among stock cabinets that
may not be readily apparent.
Pros: Short to no lead times to have your cabinets delivered. Stock
cabinets can be ideal solutions for homeowners who want to increase
the value of a home that they plan to sell in the near future. They also are
among the more budget friendly options.
Cons: Typically, you don’t have a broad selection of styles, shapes,
colors, wood type or finishes. Stock cabinets may be offered in only
one style of wood species, one paint/stain color and one door style.
Some manufacturers offer up to 10 different options for door
styles, colors and wood types. Stock cabinets also have limited or
a predetermined number of doors and drawers depending on the
manufacturer. Some stock cabinets are made with lower quality materials,
e.g., engineered wood versus natural wood, and lower quality finishes,
hardware and construction techniques.
Common misconception: Large home centers typically sell stock
cabinets. What is commonly misconceived about home center cabinetry
is that it is less expensive than what is offered at a kitchen and bath
showroom. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, showrooms
are better positioned to offer more choices and a range of stock cabinet
options that may better suit your needs because showrooms are not limited
to one or two manufacturers whose cabinets that a home center stocks.
Showrooms also are better equipped to explain quality differences and
available options between different stock cabinet options.