FAQ

The investment required to remodel your kitchen will depend on many factors, from the size of your kitchen to the type of cabinets you choose to whether or not you need or want new appliances. Those are just a few of the factors that will shape your end investment. We encourage people to visit a showroom to identify the cabinet options (wood species, countertop type, etc.) that you like, and then speak with one of our qualified kitchen professionals. Our kitchen pros can help you determine your investment based on your needs and wants, then help you add or subtract options based on your budget.

There are several key differences between the types of cabinets. Identifying your needs and what style you’re looking for is important in determining which type of cabinet is right for you. Does one type of cabinet offer the door style you’re looking for? Does a cabinet type offer the finish or wood species that you like? What additional features are you looking to add to your kitchen? These are just a few of the questions to answer before making your decision. Use this cabinet guide to help you narrow your selection:

Stock Cabinets
The name stock comes from a time when cabinets where made in large quantities and stocked in a warehouse. Back then, there were a limited number of colors and door styles to select from. Today all that has changed. Merillat’s stock cabinet line now offers over 17 doors styles, four wood species, dozens of finishes and optional plywood sides and dove tailed drawers – and they can deliver the cabinets in as little as eight days. Stock isn’t what it used to be.

Still, the extra options and features offered by stock cabinets are relatively limited, compared to the other cabinet types. But the quality of stock cabinets is good, with solid construction and reliable hardware. Overall, stock cabinets are a good value, making them the right choice for people looking for quality while remodeling on a tight budget.

Semi-Custom
Semi-custom cabinets are the most popular type of cabinet today. The big difference versus stock is that semi-custom cabinets provide minor modifications to their standard cabinets (reduce or increase the depth, install glass, etc.). They also offer more door styles, cabinet options, cabinet types, and finishes than a stock cabinet line. The semi-custom Kitchen Craft line at SARE has 25 door styles, five wood species and 50 finishes. Semi-custom cabinets are high quality from top to bottom, with a moderate price range – an affordable cabinet and a great value.

Custom
Custom cabinets can be made to meet any need or desire you have, but the cost can be significant. Most custom cabinet companies offer a large variety of standard sizes, configurations and designs; and they can modify or construct a cabinet to almost any size you require. Still, custom cabinets usually don’t come with custom door styles, although some companies will modify the edge detail and size of their door offerings. The Dura Supreme Designer line at SARE offers 70 door styles, six wood species and almost unlimited finishes (they will custom match a stain for you). The benefits of custom cabinets range from high quality to endless options, so you can create a one-of-a-kind dream kitchen with features galore.

There are many types of countertops to choose from: granite, quartz, solid surface and laminate. What surface material you choose should depend on factors such as how you plan to use your countertop, your expectations for the surface and your budget. Use this countertop guide to help you narrow your selection:

Why choose Granite?
Granite is a natural stone, and the look and feel of real stone is hard to match. It is very durable, it handles heat well and it comes in many variations – almost 200 to choose from. The cost of granite has decreased significantly over the last few years and the average starting price is about $60 per square foot, installed. It requires periodic sealing, depending on the granite selected, and will have visible seams. SARE offers an exclusive line of granite for the incredibly low price of $39 per square foot, installed. The Kensington line of granite is available in four gorgeous colors so you can have the kitchen of your dreams at a very affordable price.

Why choose Quartz?
Quartz is a blend of quartz and resins that form a hard, durable surface, with a feel that is much like granite. The colors and patterns that are created typically have little variation and provide a consistent appearance. In addition to its durability, quartz tops handle heat well, require little maintenance and will have visible seams. Quartz countertops begin at about $75 per square foot, installed.

Why choose Solid Surface?
Solid surface (Corian is one brand) countertops are typically acrylic products that are durable and very adaptable. There are hundreds of colors and a large variety of edge profiles to choose from. It has moderate heat resistance and hard-to-find seams. And while solid surface tops can scratch, they can be repaired easily. The average starting price of solid surface countertops is $59 per square foot, installed.

Why choose Laminate?
Laminate is the most popular material used for a countertop. It offers thousands of colors and a number of textured finishes. It wears fairly well and doesn’t require any sealing. The seams are visible and it has almost no reparability. Laminate tops with a square edge start at about $20 per square foot, installed.

Oftentimes, your existing flooring, paint and appliances will look good with your kitchen remodel, but sometimes they must be upgraded to look good with the renovation. By working with a qualified kitchen designer, you can determine what course of action is best for you, and your project can be developed accordingly.

A typical stock kitchen from Merillat will take about eight days for SARE to deliver to your home. Semi-custom cabinets take four to six weeks. Custom cabinets take between eight and 12 weeks to deliver. If SARE performs the installation, you should plan on one to two weeks after delivery to complete the project. The type of countertop selected will also impact the project completion time. Laminate tops take about a week, and granite takes up to four weeks.

Every remodel is different, but there are some things that you can plan for. The basic installation process includes these steps:
Step 1: Your old kitchen will be torn out.
Step 2: New electrical, if required, is installed.
Step 3: New plumbing, if required, is installed.
Step 4: The walls are repaired and prepped for paint.
Step 5: The cabinets are installed.
Step 6: The top is measured and a template is made.
Step 7: The trim for the cabinets is installed. Step 8: After the countertop is fabricated or cut to size, the top is installed.
Step 9: The final plumbing is connected and your kitchen is functioning once again.
Step 10: The new floor is installed, where applicable.

Since your kitchen will be out of commission for one to two weeks, expect to eat at restaurants frequently – a minor inconvenience that is more than made up for when the installation is complete!

A quick way to estimate installation cost is to take the investment of the cabinets themselves and cut that number in half. This estimation works for stock, semi-custom and custom cabinets. After your kitchen is completely designed, our kitchen pro will give you a more concrete installation figure.