Custom kitchen cabinets are built to your exact wall dimensions, in the wood species you choose, with the door style and interior fittings you select. They are the single biggest visual and functional element in any kitchen - and the single largest line item in most remodels. The right cabinets last 50+ years; the wrong ones look dated in 8.
Since 2015 we've installed cabinetry in 350+ Wichita kitchens. The lessons that repeat: pick wood species you love uncovered (paint hides flaws but eventually chips), spend the upgrade money on dovetail drawer boxes (not pulls), and build the layout around how you actually cook, not how the kitchen "looked nice" in a showroom.
What's Included When We Quote Custom Cabinets
- Detailed digital measure - every wall, every soffit, every plumbing rough-in to 1/16"
- 3D rendering - full walk-through of the proposed cabinetry before order
- Box construction - 3/4" plywood (not particleboard) sides, backs, and shelves
- Soft-close hardware - Blum or equivalent on every drawer and door, included
- Adjustable shelves - 1" increment, full-extension, supported on metal pins
- Toe-kick & scribe - fitted on site to your floor, not the showroom floor
- Crown moulding & light rail - installed and caulked
- Optional dovetail drawer boxes - solid hardwood, mortised joints (recommended)
- Optional inset construction - door sits flush with face frame (premium look)
- Cabinet pulls & knobs - your selection, installed
- Final adjustment pass - every door aligned, every drawer level, gap inspection
Wood Species & Finish Options Compared
| Species | Look | Cost tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Painted MDF | Smooth, no grain | $$ | Crisp shaker, modern white kitchens |
| Maple (paint-grade) | Tight, even grain | $$ | Painted finishes that need to age well |
| Maple (stain-grade) | Light, subtle grain | $$$ | Honey, natural, light stains |
| White oak (rift/quarter) | Linear, modern | $$$$ | Contemporary, organic-modern designs |
| Cherry | Reddish, darkens with age | $$$$ | Traditional, formal kitchens |
| Walnut | Rich brown, varied figure | $$$$$ | Premium contemporary builds |
Door Styles We Build Most Often
- Shaker - flat center panel, square frame. The most-requested style in Wichita.
- Slab - flat door with no panel. Strong fit for modern and minimalist designs.
- Beaded inset - recessed door inside the face frame with bead detail. Classic, premium look.
- Raised panel - traditional center panel with profile. Best for transitional kitchens.
- Mullion / glass-front - typically used on upper end-cabinets for display
Our Process
- Free in-home measure - laser-measured to 1/16", photographed for the design file
- Design & rendering (1–2 weeks) - every cabinet modeled in 3D before ordering
- Sample boxes & finish chips - physical samples in your kitchen lighting
- Final approval & deposit - fixed-price contract signed
- Build (6–10 weeks) - boxes constructed, doors hung, finishes applied, packed for delivery
- Install (1–2 weeks) - old cabinets removed (if applicable), new boxes set, doors hung, drawers fit, hardware installed, scribed and caulked
- Final adjustment - every gap, every reveal, every drawer slide checked
Pricing Factors
The biggest cost levers, in order:
- Wood species. Painted MDF vs. walnut can swing the project $12,000+.
- Construction method. Inset doors require tighter tolerances and add 15–25% over standard overlay.
- Linear footage. Tall pantry cabinets and full-height refrigerator surrounds add significant material.
- Drawer boxes. Dovetail solid wood vs. melamine: ~$80–$140/drawer × 12–20 drawers.
- Specialty fittings. Pull-out spice racks, blind-corner pullouts, interior LED, soft-close upgrades on already-soft-close = $300–$1,200 each.
Financing Available
Spread the cabinet investment over 60–120 months at fixed rates, or 0% promotional periods up to 18 months.
Local Wichita Context
Wichita's humidity swings dramatically - winters drop below 20% indoor RH, summers run above 60%. Solid wood doors and frames need to be acclimated in your home for 5–7 days before final hanging or you risk visible expansion gaps in the seasons opposite installation. We deliver cabinets to your home a week before install for exactly this reason. Older Wichita homes also commonly have walls that are out of plumb by 1/2" or more across a single run - we scribe every cabinet to the wall on site rather than forcing factory-square boxes against bowed walls.
Why Choose Us
Plywood Box Construction
Every box we build uses 3/4" plywood (not particleboard) for sides, backs, and shelves. Particleboard sags under load and disintegrates if it ever gets wet - common under sinks. Plywood doesn't.
Soft-Close Hardware Included
Blum or equivalent soft-close hinges and drawer slides on every door and drawer at no upcharge. Many regional shops still quote them as a $400–$800 upgrade - we treat them as table stakes.
Warranty on Workmanship
If we hung a cabinet wrong, scribed a face frame poorly, or set a drawer slide off-level, we fix it free for as long as you own the home. Manufacturer warranties on the boxes are passed through.
FAQ
How much do custom kitchen cabinets cost in Wichita?
Typically $18,000-$45,000 for a 10x10 footprint depending on wood species, door style, and interior options. Painted MDF shaker sits low; rift white oak inset sits high.
What's the difference between custom, semi-custom, and stock cabinets?
Stock cabinets come in fixed 3-inch increments and standard depths. Semi-custom offers more sizes and finishes from a manufacturer's catalog. Custom is built to your exact dimensions with any door style, finish, or interior fitting you specify.
How long do custom cabinets take to build?
Lead time from final design approval to delivery is typically 6-10 weeks for custom cabinets. Semi-custom catalog cabinets ship in 3-5 weeks.
Are soft-close drawers and doors standard?
Yes. Every custom cabinet we build includes Blum or equivalent soft-close hardware on all drawers and doors at no extra charge. Dovetail drawer boxes are optional but recommended.
Related Services
- Full Kitchen Remodel - when cabinets are part of a larger scope
- Cabinet Refacing - keep existing boxes, replace fronts
- Cabinet Design Service - design only, no install
- Kitchen Countertops - paired with cabinet installs