Best cabinet contractors near Marblehead, MA

While having an assistant to help ensure safety and to lend a hand is desirable, if someone isn't around to assist, you can install kitchen cabinets on your own. Normal kitchen cabinet installation starts with the upper wall cabinets. If you're working on your own, consider installing the bases first and building a temporary support structure on top of them to help you install the uppers.

If you’re brave enough to tackle building your own cabinet bases, you’re brave enough to install them yourself. You’ll need a stud finder to get you started, but the installation will be a breeze if you’ve already done all the hard work to build the cabinet bases yourself. If you’re hanging upper cabinets, you’ll need a helper, though, to balance the weight of the cabinets and make the process easier.

It is typically cheaper to buy stock or semi-custom cabinets than to build custom ones. The price difference is significant:

• Custom Cabinets: Cost between $500 and $1,200 per linear foot. This price is affected by materials, size, design complexity, and door styles. For instance, a simple slab door's materials might cost $60-$70, while a decorative mullioned glass door could be $100-$200.

• Semi-Custom Cabinets: Cost between $150 and $700 per linear foot.

• Stock Cabinets: Cost between $100 and $400 per linear foot.

While buying pre-built cabinets is more cost-effective, building custom cabinets allows for full modification to fit unique spaces, such as rooms with high ceilings or unusual layouts, which stock options cannot accommodate.

You aren’t obligated to tip cabinet contractors, but you can choose to do so if they went above and beyond and you want to show your gratitude. This is usually something in the ballpark of 10% to 15% of your total cost. As an alternative, you can provide snacks and drinks for workers and/or offer to serve as a reference for prospective customers.