A fair price for a custom cabinet?

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mutant-man

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Ok, gang. So my collection is growing, and I have nowhere proper to put it. I went to a cabinet/furniture shop this morning to talk with a builder, go over ideas, talk dimensions, etc., and here's what we came up with:

- 84" H x 60" W x 20" D

- Adjustable shelves, though the bottom three will be wood to hold heavy stuff and the top 2 will be 1/4" laminate glass.

- sides 1/4" tempered glass

- hinged doors also 1/4" tempered glass

- weight bearing top surface

- a single vertical wooden support will be in place

Anyway, the guy quoted me $1500 to make it from scratch. I'll admit that that's more than I had intended to pay, but I'm also not sure if this is a fair price or not. I look at the IKEA shelves (no IKEA near me) that go for a couple hundred each, but I'd have to buy a bunch of them to equal what I'm getting plus add glass myself.

Just curious about your opinions. Is this is fair price, or is this dude taking advantage? He promises that it will be sturdy as heck, and he's including delivery, too.
 
Seems like a pretty good deal to me from the prices I've seen online for smaller but similar cabinets. I would definitely ask for references and want to see examples of his work first though.
 
Seems like a pretty good deal to me from the prices I've seen online for smaller but similar cabinets. I would definitely ask for references and want to see examples of his work first though.

Thanks for your input. He showed me a ton of pictures, but most of them were of decks, interior redesign, and a few almost monumental entryways. He seemed like a really upfront, to the point kind of guy, and I know that he won't use particle board or other similar, cheapy materials. Based on the link you sent, $1500 seems like a good price, but I'm also of the belief that those cabinet websites tend to inflate their prices quite a bit.

I have a few days to decide, so if others have input, please feel free to leave comments. Thanks again.
 
I'm a carpenter and if you are getting something custom made its going to cost. Online sources are always going to be cheaper because they make the same things over and over. Often times imported. Tempered glass is pricey on top of that. I won't say the price is right or wrong but that's a big cabinet.
 
if you do get it made, I would love to see it!

I think I'll go ahead with it, just because it will fit everything I have (and a little more), and I trust the craftsmanship. So, I will post pictures once I get it, which should be in about a month.
 
If hes doing all the finishing, knows what hes doing, and its solid wood, the price is a steal. Thats a huge cabinet and if the carpenter is good, could end up being an heirloom piece. Alot of cabinets that size at that price in the stores would be trash inside of 10 years if you take into account moving, accidents, etc...

I can't wait to see your pics when this is done, counds like you're oging to have one awesome custom display beast. :clap
 
If hes doing all the finishing, knows what hes doing, and its solid wood, the price is a steal. Thats a huge cabinet and if the carpenter is good, could end up being an heirloom piece. Alot of cabinets that size at that price in the stores would be trash inside of 10 years if you take into account moving, accidents, etc...

I can't wait to see your pics when this is done, counds like you're oging to have one awesome custom display beast. :clap

Yea, he says that he'll use Alder wood, not particle board, and that it will be a "show piece." My only real worry is that I will not always stay where I'm living now (I'm renting and will eventually get a bigger place), but it sounds like the real deal and I'm excited about it. It's a little bigger than I want in some ways, but it will hold a ton of stuff and give all of my statues a proper, and safe, home.
 
/jealous cant wait to see pic's especially since i been thinking about the same thing for like a year now.
 
I'll have pictures up soon. It's almost done, but there were several issues with the glass/doors, which have delayed things by a couple of weeks. All said,this process hasn't been as hands-off or easy as I had hoped. All I wanted was to give someone my specs, pay them to build it and deliver it, and then enjoy. Instead it's been a series of phone calls and "wait, but didn't you say..." and other nonsense. So, for others considering doing this, make sure you research builders carefully. I went with the second guy I talked to because he seemed pretty straight, but I can't say the work or process has impressed me.
 
At least you didn't choose Coco as your builder. That guy doesn't have a clue what's going on.

Can't wait to see some pics! :rock
 
I thought about having a mirrored back but decided against it. Thought it would sort of scramble everything visually. I wish I had made it a few inches wider, but doing so would have created even more frustration with the glass. Apparently the glass doors are too wide and too heavy for the hinges the cabinet was designed around. I mean, this thing is almost 8 feet tall and each door is 27" wide. Still, I'm happy with the finished product and the statues look great inside. I also am comfortable with the stability of it and the shelves, so unlike with the IKEA stuff, I don't have to worry about whether it can support the weight of my collection.

As an aside, I installed a bunch of Dioder lights. They're cool, especially with the ability to change colors, but they almost create a black light effect, which really throws off the way the statues look. Even the plain white setting alters the appearance of certain paints. So, for others thinking about Dioders, they definitely don't mimic natural light.
 
Looks nice, my father in law and I are currently building some cabinets for me. We are building 4 cabinets total each will be 90" high 36" wide and 22" deep. I can't wait to get them finished so I can have my collection on display like yours. Congrats :hi5:
 
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