“How do you compare to the big-box stores?” It’s one of the first questions people ask when they walk into our showroom. It’s a fair question, so here’s a straight answer.
When a big-box store makes sense
Big-box stores sell a lot of cabinets, and for some projects they’re a good fit. If you’re installing cabinets yourself, replacing a few standard boxes, or need something in stock today, a big-box store may be the simplest option.
Where the difference shows up is everything around the cabinet: who designs the kitchen, who measures, who installs, and who you call when something isn’t right.
The cabinet is only half of what you’re buying
A kitchen cabinet purchase is really six things: a design, a measurement, an order, a delivery, an installation, and a promise to fix what goes wrong. At any store, those six can be handled by one team or split across several people and companies. The more hands involved, the more places something can slip.
Six questions to ask any cabinet seller
Ask these wherever you shop. Here’s how we answer them.
| Question | Why it matters | Our answer |
|---|---|---|
| Who designs the kitchen, and what does it cost? | The design decides whether everything fits and works. | Design is free for stock and semi-custom cabinets, with two rounds of revisions. Custom projects carry a design fee, quoted before we start. |
| Who measures, and who’s responsible if it’s wrong? | A measuring mistake can mean cabinets that don’t fit and can’t be returned. | We measure every kitchen ourselves after your deposit, before anything is ordered, even if you sent your own measurements. |
| Who installs, and are they accountable to the company you bought from? | When the seller and installer are different companies, a problem can turn into finger-pointing. | We install only the cabinets we supply, so one company owns the result from order to final adjustment. |
| What happens if something arrives damaged? | Damage found on install day stops the job. | Every order goes through our Jobsite Verified process, so issues get caught and handled before delivery day. Replacement Atlas parts ship within 3 days of a damage claim. |
| Who do I call if there’s a problem after install? | You want one number to call, not a phone tree. | Email photos to sales@thirtythreecabinetry.com and we’ll respond within 3 business days. Installs carry a 1-year workmanship warranty, and we cover the labor on warranty replacements. |
| What will it cost, all in? | Surprise fees are the most common complaint in any remodel. | Our fees are posted on our How It Works page. A site measure is $150, credited to your cabinet order within 90 days, and quotes are good for 30 days. |
What about price?
Our cabinet pricing is competitive with other local cabinet companies. Because we manage the whole process, from design through installation if you need it, our number won’t always be the lowest when you compare the cabinets alone. What you’re getting is the design, the measure, the install, and one company standing behind all of it.
What about timing?
A big-box store may have cabinets in stock today. Ours are ordered for your kitchen: 3–4 weeks for stock, 5–6 for semi-custom, and 8–12 for custom. Most homeowners find the wait is worth getting the kitchen right the first time.
See the difference in person
The best way to compare is to see the cabinets side by side. Our Paris showroom has Atlas, Mantra, KithOne, and Wellborn on display, plus quartz and granite samples. Open a door, pull out a drawer, and ask us anything. Bring a quote from anywhere, and we’ll walk through it with you.