"Chuck" wrote in message

I have one big question though. I'm not sure if it's cost effective to
build my own cabinets or to go out and buy some decent quality ready
made ones.

As you can see by the responses ... it depends.

What it boils down to is expertise, equipment, time, and fortitude.

That said, if you've ever done it once, you can categorically say that you
can indeed on sucessive ocassions; if you've not done it before, it's a
gamble ... particularly throwing in the "fortitude" factor.

Use the following 'real life example' drawings (each drawing is one leg of
an "L" shaped kitchen area) as a rough 'go by' for material cost (updated
today) for a "custom" build, in new construction, in this neck of the woods
(Houston, TX):

http://www.e-woodshop.net/images/381...enElevWest.JPG
http://www.e-woodshop.net/images/3811%20DeskMaster.JPG

You're looking at approximately 32' of upper and lower kitchen cabinets, and
a 3.5' x 7' island not shown.

Face frame cabinets - red oak cabinet grade plywood carcase, with red oak
rails and stiles; drawer/door fronts - raised panel solid red oak; drawers -
5/8" hard maple sides, 1/4" maple ply bottoms.

Material cost for boxes (16) and drawers (22): $2276.00
Door/drawer fronts w/slides & hinges: $2550.51

Factoring in the island as a 10' entity, that is roughly $115/LF for uppers
and lowers _BEFORE_ installation, finish, countertops, backsplash.

A trim carpenter "labor only" bid to fill the same space with 'site built'
cabinets, but a MUCH inferior product - $3700 +/-.

If you have the tools, expertise, time, and MOST importantly _FORTITUDE_, it
is not only doable, but can indeed save money.

If you're lacking any one of these, you will most likely come out ahead by
farming out all, or part, of the job.

And indeed, you may want to pick your poison, do those things you feel
comfortable doing, and outsource the remainder ... particularly the doors
and drawer fronts which will get you into all kinds of issues if they are
not done "straight, square and true". I've done it all, but I now outsource
the latter as a matter of "equipment" and "time" in the above equation.

.... and, as far as the space issue, you can rent a high and dry,
unconditioned storage space in most areas of the country for way less than
$100/month ... and BTW, that's where the above cabinets, drawers, doors and
drawer fronts are residing, real time, at the moment ... as my shop is only
18' x 18'.


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Last update: 10/25/07
KarlC@ (the obvious)