Because it's much easier to measure for the doors and drawers after the face frames are built than to build the face frames to predetermined dimensions. I can almost always have fronts and boxes less than a week after I order them. That would be a slight down side, but really, it wouldn't slow down anything else much at all.KAP said:I guess I wonder why the separation between when you do the on-site work, order and then installation? At a minimum, order the drawers, doors, etc... to coincide when you are there the first time or better yet, just order a set of cabinets...
I do have one builder who does spec homes that is very interested. I'm gonna try it with my best worker on a weekend and see how it goes.CarpenterSFO said:Have you asked any builders about it? What do they say? You'd be bucking the trend, and you'd have a few problems to solve: [*]Price - in that market, cabinetry is very competitively priced.Houses are designed for stock. [*]Finishes - You'd have to offer a variety of finishes, and in the middle part of the market, people don't want custom finishes, they want slick and manufactured-looking. [*]Availability - Builders want to order and get their cabinets on their schedule, not to wait in line while you finish another house. [*]Warranty - New construction in that market, you need to have a warranty program, and you should expect to get claims.
You build custom cabinets, hoss.Ya, you're crazy.
Well, at least if you are trying to build cabinets like I do. Especially the finish portion of it.
Especially if you are building an entire kitchen in a few days.
It's been done for decades, my grandfather did it in the early sixties into seventies. New homes and remodels. You build raised panel doors on site?I do have one builder who does spec homes that is very interested. I'm gonna try it with my best worker on a weekend and see how it goes.
Definitely bucking the trend.
Very few builders, at least very few good ones, around here use prefab or stock cabinets. I don't know anyone who likes manufactured looking over custom.
Finishes are no problem. Stained and lacquered is most common here, some paint. I don't care either way. Bout the same work.
Scheduling should be as good or better than a shop, since I wouldn't start until a house was actually ready, thus not having to sit on a batch of cabinets in a shop when the drywallers are delayed 2 weeks or some such.
There's a couple shops locally that only build doors and/or drawer boxes. I've also had very good service ordering from a place in Arizona called Drawer Connection. They've been darn near spot on and ship for almost nothing, big or small order. I wouldn't try building doors and drawer boxes on site.Texas Wax said:It's been done for decades, my grandfather did it in the early sixties into seventies. New homes and remodels. You build raised panel doors on site?
Ha! Well in my book there is something wrong with a profit killing business. If that's what it would be, then forget it.KAP said:Clayton, there nothing wrong or unique about what you want to do... it's just a profit killer... If you know the dimensions, design it ahead, and when you have everything on hand, then build it... no sense making multiple trips... The reason you don't see it done the way you describe much anymore is because there's better, more productive/profitable ways to do it...
Most of these are from the first kitchen I did this way in my own house (so I cut some corners), and it definitely isn't something I'm terribly proud of on close inspection. We've gotten considerably better since then. Best pics I got right now.Leo G said:Of course it less for you. You are doing the work yourself. You are not making a profit off of it in the normal sense, you are saving money rather than making profit. I'd still be interested in seeing a final product. But without the ability to feel it makes it hard to judge it. It can look fantastic on film but feel like sandpaper in real life. And building it in the field you WILL be taking some short cuts because the tooling isn't really available to you there. Show us some pics. With a lot of close ups of jointery.
