Common Cabinet Mistakes Homeowners Make
At True North Cabinetry, we specialize in designing, building, and installing custom cabinets in Edmonton. Over the years, we’ve seen many projects where things have not gone according to plan. Without consideration or planning, many a well-intentioned homeowner can end up regretting decisions that could have been avoided. We believe that protecting your investment and your comfort are vital. Here are some of the most common cabinet mistakes that homeowners can make, and how you can avoid them.
Mistake 1: Skipping a Proper Design Consultation
The first misstep homeowners can make is jumping straight into picking styles or finishes before the design of the home is nailed down. This can lead to improper measurements or clashing aesthetics that may cost more money to remedy. At True North, our cabinet design & consultation process is collaborative. We take time to understand your needs, budget, and space before producing CAD renderings. By visualizing your layout ahead of building, you can catch layout issues, clearance conflicts, or impractical door swings before anything is cut or installed.
Mistake 2: Underestimating Material Selection
Another mistake is choosing a wood species or material simply because it looks “nice” in a showroom, without considering durability or how it will age. This is an easy oversight to make, but it is nevertheless vital to maintaining sturdy and strong cabinets. We at True North offer a broad variety of wood species and materials for cabinets. From oak and maple to walnut and cherry, we believe that looks and strength should go together naturally so that you can match beauty with performance. Each species has its advantages in terms of hardness, grain, and maintenance, and selecting them wisely helps avoid warping, inconsistent finish, or damage down the road.
Mistake 3: Overlooking Hardware & Functionality
On the flipside of materials and wood, people can sometimes pick cabinet hardware just for looks without considering usability and practicality of the fixtures on it. True North’s cabinet hardware options include knobs, handles, soft-close hinges, and full-extension drawer runners, all engineered for daily performance. Opting for low-quality hardware or skipping features like soft-close can lead to faster wear, noisy operation, or even failures. Any of these could in turn result in more money having to be spent on fixing the problem.
Mistake 4: Trusting Outsourced Installation
Another factor to consider is how even perfectly built cabinets can fail in the field if installed poorly. Some companies or contractors outsource installation to subcontractors who may not align with the original design quality. True North avoids this by doing in-house installation with their own trained cabinetmakers, ensuring precision and accountability. This continuity, from design to build to install, helps avoid gaps, misalignment, or aesthetic inconsistencies. We can coordinate with you and your contractor directly to ensure that everything matches both preference and blueprint specifications.
Mistake 5: Overlooking Manufacturing Quality
A final, critical mistake that homeowners can sometimes make is buying from contractors who use stock parts or prefab units for their jobs and then passing them off as custom. We know that this could be dishonest, and does not reflect craftsmanship. True North does not assemble from stock. Our cabinet fabrication and manufacturing is custom and built from scratch for each home. You control what we do, and we will work hard to make sure that your vision is met. This means every part of the cabinet matches the precise dimensions and style you approved, instead of forcing unneeded or unwanted compromises on sizing or fit.
Best Practices to Avoid Buyer Regret
- Start with a detailed design consultation and visualization to catch layout issues.
- Choose cabinet materials based on durability, grain, and environment, not just looks.
- Pair good hardware with thoughtful functionality like soft-close hinges or full-extension runners.
- Insist on in-house installation rather than outsourced crews to maintain quality control.
- Choose a cabinet maker that truly manufactures custom cabinets (no stock or prefab shortcuts).
Best Practices to Avoid Buyer Regret
Avoiding these common mistakes will help ensure your cabinetry project delivers function, beauty, and longevity. At True North Cabinetry, we commit to getting every step right. From design and materials to hardware, manufacturing, and installation, we cover it all. If you’d like help designing cabinets that stand the test of time, contact us today, and let’s start the conversation. There is no time like the present to prepare for a bright future.