How To Save Money On Your Next Custom Cabinet Job : Hire The Well Equipped Shop.

By Keith Sorinson

It's rare that anyone combine phrases like "cost effective" and "custom cabinets" in the same sentence. For a long time custom cabinets were not affordable for those that hoped for a customized kitchen made by those with carpentry talent. However, technology is changing the front of most areas of our lives and this includes the manufacturing of custom cabinets. Large cabinet manufacturers have used this technology for years but now smaller shops are starting to invest just to compete with the large manufacturing process but with one big exception. They strive to maintain a custom service with their custom cabinets. Unfortunately, not every custom cabinet shop can make such an investment but I interviewed one such cabinet maker that did.

This article is about small business going hi-tech in order to improve on price and maintain a custom service for their clients. I support small businesses abroad and I applause LyndenCraft for making such a step in their production process. I support entrepreneurs. More importantly those with such a unique skill set that when combined with technology can offer you some of the best products around. What used to be accomplished with manual labor, a table saw, keen eye and a steady hand is now accomplished on a 4 foot by 8 foot flat surface and robotic router. Imagine pieces being cut within 1/100th of an inch in accuracy. Accurate, safe for the employees and more importantly for you and I it costs less because less man hours are required.

Steve Oates, shop owner, told me recently, "I got a call from a women who wanted me to quote over the phone a price to compete with Home Depot. She was quoted about $6,700 just for a kitchen island with an artificial countertop. After I talked with her a bit I told her I was confident we could save her about $1,400 AND offer her a choice of 20 styles of granite included in the price." She was shocked and I was too when he told me.

Local custom cabinet shop owner, Steve Oates, unfolded this recent example, "My phone rang last week and one struggling Mom called to obtain a verbal quote. I could tell she was anxious to obtain a quote fast so I asked a few questions. Reading from a recent quote from "Home Depo" she said, "can you beat $6,700?" In my mind I'm wondering what she asked for that drove the cost up a bit but after talking a few minutes I instantly knew the cause. She was trying to adjust a manufacturer's standard cabinet to make it customized." "I talked with her a few more minutes then shared that I felt we could save her about $1,400 and in addition include a granite top. I even gave her up to 20 granite types to choose from. Needless to say the client was very pleased and surprised."

He shared more. "Big manufacturers do not have the capability to make cabinet changes to their standard widths, heights, etc. without charging the client a lot of money. It interrupts their process way too much and the client pays for this." I asked how this was different with LyndenCraft. Steve shared, "Everything we do is customized for the client so it makes no difference to us and that's why we could offer her a better product for less and include granite. We don't have standard cabinet parts laying around the shop for the next job. We design, manufacture and install the cabinet they want for each and every job distinctly different. There are no up charges for custom with us. I use similar equipment and software but the big difference is our service. My customers are talking to the guy that will put the information into the computer and cut out the pieces for the Master Cabinet makers to finish and assemble. - 33383

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