Hiring a custom cabinet maker is a five-figure decision you’ll live with every day. The right questions — asked before you sign anything — reveal how a shop really operates: who builds your cabinets, how they price, and what happens when something goes wrong. Here are seven questions worth asking any cabinet maker, including us.
1. Do you build in-house or outsource?
Some companies sell custom cabinets but outsource the actual building to third-party shops, adding markup and removing quality control. Foundry Cabinet Co. designs, cuts, finishes, and assembles everything in its own Portland, Oregon shop using an in-house AES CNC router. Building in-house means tighter tolerances, consistent finishes, and direct accountability — the people who quote your project are the people who build it. If a maker can’t show you their shop, ask why.
2. What is the real lead time?
Vague timelines are a red flag. Ask for a written lead time — and what starts the clock. Foundry’s typical lead time is 4–6 weeks from approved drawings, not from your first phone call. That distinction matters: design and revisions happen first, then fabrication begins. A maker who promises “six weeks” without explaining the starting point may be quoting hope, not a schedule. Get the milestone in writing.
3. How do you price — and what drives cost?
Ask whether pricing is per linear foot, per project, or itemized — and what moves the number. Foundry’s fully custom work typically runs $80–$300+ per linear foot, driven by materials, finish complexity, hardware, and design details. Itemized estimates let you see exactly where your money goes and make informed trade-offs. Be wary of lump-sum quotes with no breakdown: you can’t value-engineer what you can’t see.
4. What warranty do you offer?
A warranty reveals how much a maker trusts its own work. Foundry backs every project with a 1-year workmanship warranty against manufacturing defects — if something we built fails because of how it was made, we make it right. Ask what the warranty covers, how long it lasts, and who honors it. A maker unwilling to put workmanship in writing is telling you something important.
5. Will I see drawings or renderings before you build?
Never approve a build you can’t see first. Ask whether you’ll receive measured drawings and a 3D visualization before fabrication begins. Foundry produces detailed CabinetSense shop drawings plus SketchUp models, so you can review proportions, clearances, and details while changes are still cheap. If a cabinet maker wants a deposit before showing you real drawings of your project, walk away.
6. Who installs — your crew or subcontractors?
The best cabinets in the world fail with a bad installation. Ask whether the company uses its own install crew or hands the job to subcontractors. Foundry’s own installation crew handles every project with careful attention to fit and finish, so the people who built your cabinets are accountable for how they land in your home. Consistent crews mean consistent results — and one phone number to call if anything needs attention.
7. Can you show me finished work and connect me with past clients?
Portfolios can be staged; references can’t. Ask to see completed installations — not just renderings — and to speak with past clients about communication, timelines, and how problems were handled. Every project hits a snag; what matters is how the maker responds. A confident cabinet maker welcomes the question. One that dodges it has already answered it.
Ready to Ask Us These Questions in Person?
Start with a free consultation. Call Foundry Cabinet Co. at (360) 606-1106, email scott@foundrycabinets.com, or request a quote through our contact page. We serve the Portland metro area and Vancouver, Camas, and Washougal, Washington — and we ship CNC-machined cabinet parts nationwide.
Leave a Reply