Ready to Assemble vs Custom vs Semi-Custom

With so many options on the  market it can be confusing when making even one of the hundreds of decisions involved in a kitchen or bathroom remodel. It doesn’t help that a lot of the terminology is specific to the industry, and homeownership doesn’t come with a dictionary. If you’re redoing your cabinets odds are you’ve come across these three terms, but what do they actually mean?

RTA (Ready to Assemble) – RTA cabinets are generally less expensive than either custom or semi-custom cabinets. They come in modular units set to standard sizes in width, height, and depths, and are perfect for fast turnaround times, DIY homeowners, contractors on a time crunch, and spaces on a budget. They generally come unassembled but in boxed kits so the vendor, contractors/installers, or homeowners can assemble for themselves. Because they are imported in bulk and meant to move quickly, you will find that RTA cabinets will have a smaller selection for colours and styles than custom or semi-custom will, and your ability to modify them will be limited. QGC cabinets differ from standard RTA styles in that we upgraded the base model to include soft-close hardware, full-extension drawer glides, all-wood construction, and dovetailed drawers. Because we import directly we’re able to provide top-shelf material at wholesale pricing (we’re sorry for the bad pun, please don’t hurt us).

Semi-Custom – Semi-Custom cabinets come in a much wider variety of colours and styles than RTA will, but will still be limited compared to fully custom cabinets. Semi-Custom will often be constructed in a factory by a specialist company and then shipped either assembled or unassembled to the jobsite or distributing vendor. This option will also offer a much wider variety of cabinets with upgrades such as roll-out trays, blind corner pull-outs, pantry organizers, and drawer organizers possible within each line. They will also be more modifiable but will still have some restrictions based on the specific company’s policies. QGC does act as a vendor for Yorktowne Semi-Custom Cabinetry should you need a style or type of cabinet not on offer in our own RTA import lines. Delivery of cabinets for this specific company ranges between 6-10 weeks from time of order placement and pricing tends to be around 2-3 times more expensive than our in-store RTA lines. If you’d like to check out their stuff you can stop by our showroom to see an in-person display or find their website at https://www.yorktownecabinetry.com/

Custom – Custom cabinets will be the most expensive option, but the most customizable. They are usually built either on-site or in the local area and the cost, availability, and turnaround time for custom cabinets will depend on the specific cabinet maker. Custom cabinets will be exact to the space and to the interior requirements of the property owner as far as structure will allow, but the construction of the cabinets won’t necessarily be higher quality than either RTA or Semi-Custom. For instance, QGC RTA cabinets have dovetailed drawers whereas custom drawers may be stapled or glued together, and our cabinets are all-wood whereas a custom maker might use Particle Board or MDF. With custom cabinets especially it’s important to do your research and make sure the cabinet makers you hire are worth the premium cost. QGC does not currently supply or vendor for custom cabinet makers.