Kitchen cabinets are one of the most important areas of your home. They combine storage and visual appeal in what is commonly called the heart of the home, the kitchen. Whether you want to show your home to potential buyers, impress the casual house guest, or efficiently entertain a dozen people at a get-together, your kitchen cabinetry is often the first area of your home to receive attention and solicit comment. A guest can exclaim, "I love your kitchen," without ever opening the fridge, walking on the floor, turning on a faucet, or firing up your gas stovetop.

Recently, we've had homeowners as far out as Auburn Hills and West Bloomfield or as close as Redford ask for a Detroit kitchen cabinet contractor. No matter where in the greater Detroit area you live, we'll help you find the right cabinet contractor for your job. Before you begin, take a look at these elements of kitchen cabinet projects to facilitate your discussion with the contractors ServiceMagic refers you.

Detroit Kitchen Cabinet Remodeling
The first tip we give to homeowners and hear from homeowners whose projects have completed is to focus on the primary function of a remodel—in this case, kitchen storage. Of course, the best kitchen cabinetry enhances the look of a kitchen and yours will, too, but you should ensure you've got a great design, convenient opening mechanisms, and sufficient space. Once this is accomplished you can select color, finishes, and cabinet accessories that will effectively complement the vision you have for your kitchen. In particular, look for places where you can combine these functions. A pull-out cabinet for your trash can, for example, will get this eyesore out of sight and/or free up space in your pantry.

Understanding Detroit Kitchen Cabinets: Stock and Custom Built
Of all the decisions you'll need to make about your new kitchen cabinets, the one that will have the greatest impact on design, cost, and overall quality of the project is likely to be whether you want stock or custom built cabinets. As the names suggest, stock cabinets are pre-manufactured cabinets that offer inexpensive cabinets with fewer design options. Custom built cabinets are constructed by a highly skilled craftsman who will help design the perfect (and stunningly beautiful) cabinetry at a higher cost. While you may have a set budget in mind that prohibits hiring a custom cabinetry builder, some homeowners may this decision based on need. If you have unusual kitchen spaces or want an eccentric cabinet shape, you may need the services of a true craftsman. It's difficult to say which is more popular. ServiceMagic receives more requests for custom cabinets, but many homeowners may seek out a custom cabinet builder for a single corner cabinet or nook-like space in their home, while stock cabinets are probably more common for complete kitchen remodeling purposes.

How Detroit Kitchen Cabinet Contractors Fit In
Even if you don't know the term, you're probably familiar with stock cabinets. These are the same cabinets you can find at a large, chain store such as Home Depot or Lowe's. Though these stores may seem like the most inexpensive option, they're also known to overcharge for installation. In fact, we hear from homeowners, time and time again, that their project was cheaper by hiring an independent contractor first, who then orders the cabinets through the manufacturer. This, often, allows you to get similar (or exactly the same) price as the chain stores and save on installation and the overall cost of new cabinets. Of course, there's no reason to guess. Get estimates from independent contractors through ServiceMagic and total the costs from these stores, including installation, and compare.

Homeowner Testimonial
Echoing this sentiment, here's what one Detroit-area homeowner told us: "Plan, plan, plan. Look up many different contractors, get multiple quotes."