The three tiers, in plain terms
Stock (IKEA and big-box): flat-pack cabinets made by the million in fixed sizes, usually melamine-coated particleboard, assembled by you or your installer. Cheapest by far, fastest to get, and the door and interior options are what's in the catalogue — nothing else.
Semi-custom: factory lines that let you modify standard cabinets — a few extra widths, more door styles and finishes, some upgraded boxes. A real step up in choice, though sizes still come in increments and anything outside the program is a "no."
Fully custom: cabinetry built from scratch for your room, the way our shop has done it since 1997. Any dimension to the millimetre, any door profile, colour-matched finishes, and construction you choose — in our case ¾″ plywood boxes, soft-close Blum hardware, hand-finished doors.
What actually differs
| Stock / IKEA | Semi-custom | Fully custom | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fit | Fixed sizes; gaps hidden with fillers | Size increments; fewer fillers | Built to the millimetre; no fillers |
| Box construction | Melamine particleboard | Particleboard; plywood upgrade on some lines | ¾″ plywood standard (our shop) |
| Doors & finishes | Catalogue only | Broader catalogue | Any profile; colour-matched to anything |
| Islands & specials | Assembled from stock boxes | Limited programs | Sized to your room's clearances |
| Lead time | Days | Weeks | 4–6 wks standard, 6–10 made-to-measure |
| Typical Toronto price | Lowest — commonly quoted in the low five figures installed | Mid-range | Most custom kitchens land $30k–$60k |
| Repairability | Replace when worn | Partly repairable | Built to refinish, re-face and repair |
When each one is the right call
Choose IKEA / stock for rental units, short-horizon flips, tight budgets, or when your room happens to fit standard sizes well and you're comfortable with DIY assembly. It's a rational choice more often than custom shops like to admit.
Choose semi-custom when the layout is conventional but you want a specific door style or finish the stock lines don't carry, and the size increments happen to work for your walls.
Choose fully custom when the room is awkward — bulkheads, off-square walls, odd widths; when you're staying long enough for lifespan to matter; when appliance panels, islands and built-in features need to resolve as one design; or when you want the piece to match existing trim and cabinetry exactly. That's the work in our gallery — 221 numbered pieces, every one a size no catalogue carried.
Undecided? Bring your measurements to a free consultation — if stock cabinetry genuinely serves your project better, we'll tell you so.
Questions, answered.
Are custom cabinets worth the extra cost?
If your room has awkward dimensions, you plan to stay ten or more years, or you want materials and details stock lines don't offer — usually yes. A custom kitchen uses every centimetre, fits appliances exactly, and is built to be repaired and refinished rather than replaced. For a rental unit or a short-term flip, stock cabinetry is often the more rational spend.
Can a custom shop match IKEA's price?
No, and honest shops say so. Flat-pack cabinetry made by the million will always cost less than one-at-a-time joinery. What a custom shop competes on is fit, materials, lifespan and the things stock lines can't do at all — not the sticker price.
What lasts longer — IKEA, semi-custom or custom cabinets?
Construction is the difference. Melamine-over-particleboard boxes are vulnerable to moisture and pull-out at the fasteners; plywood boxes with quality hardware take decades of use and can be re-faced or refinished. Our own cabinetry is ¾″ plywood with soft-close Blum hardware and carries a 5-year warranty.
How do lead times compare?
Stock cabinetry is the fastest — often same-week if it's on the shelf. Semi-custom typically runs several weeks. Fully custom work from our shop runs four to six weeks for standard orders and six to ten weeks made-to-measure, including drawings you approve before anything is cut.