What to Ask a Cabinetmaker Before Signing a Contract

A practical checklist of questions that separate a reliable custom cabinetmaker from a costly mistake.

What to Ask a Cabinetmaker Before Signing a Contract

Custom cabinetry is one of the few line items in a project where the difference between a good shop and a poor one is invisible until installation day. By then the deposit is spent and the schedule is fixed. The questions below help you read a cabinetmaker before any money changes hands.

Materials and construction

Ask exactly what the boxes are made of. Furniture-grade plywood behaves differently from particleboard or MDF, especially in kitchens and bathrooms where humidity swings. Ask about the door and drawer fronts separately, since many shops upgrade the visible surfaces while economizing on the carcass.

Then ask how the joints are made. Dovetailed drawers, dadoed shelves and mortise-and-tenon face frames signal a shop that builds to last. Stapled butt joints signal one that builds to a price. A confident maker will explain the trade-offs without defensiveness.

Finishes and hardware

A finish is a system, not a color. Ask whether it is sprayed in a controlled booth, how many coats are applied and whether it is catalyzed for durability. For hardware, ask the brand and model of hinges and slides. Soft-close mechanisms from a reputable manufacturer carry their own warranty and outlast the cabinet itself.

Timeline, payments and change orders

Get the lead time in writing, measured from final approval of shop drawings rather than from the contract date. Ask how change orders are priced and how long they add to the schedule, because most disputes begin here. A clear payment structure, tied to milestones rather than calendar dates, protects both sides.

Drawings, site measurement and installation

Confirm who is responsible for the final field measurement. A shop that measures the actual opening, rather than working from your floor plan, absorbs the risk of an out-of-square wall. Ask to see shop drawings before production starts and insist on approving them. Clarify whether installation is included, who patches and scribes to imperfect walls, and what happens if a piece arrives damaged.

Warranty and references

Ask what the warranty covers and for how long, and get it in the contract rather than as a verbal assurance. Request two or three references from projects completed at least a year ago, since early problems often surface after a full season of use.

At Vertical Custom Supply, the carpentry studio within Bernardo García's practice, these conversations happen before drawings are signed precisely because they prevent the expensive surprises that erode trust. A contract that answers these questions in writing is worth more than the lowest bid.

A short checklist before you sign

- What are the box, door and drawer materials, named specifically - How are the joints constructed - What is the finish system and how is it applied - Which hinge and slide brands are used - What is the lead time from drawing approval - How are change orders priced and scheduled - Who measures the site and approves shop drawings - Is installation, scribing and damage replacement included - What does the warranty cover and for how long

A cabinetmaker who welcomes these questions is one you can trust with the contract.