Cabinet questions, answered
Costs, timelines, permits and the choice between new cabinets, refacing and painting. Every question from the service and town pages sits here by topic, with a link to the page that covers it in full.
General questions
How much do custom cabinets cost in Fort Wayne?
National cost guides put a typical custom cabinet project at about $2,800 to $13,000, or $500 to $1,200 per linear foot. A small kitchen with painted shaker doors sits near the low end; a large kitchen in stained hardwood with an island and pantry runs higher. The written quote after the measure gives your number.
How long do custom cabinets take?
Most kitchens take several weeks from the measure to the install, because the cabinets are built after you sign off on the drawings and finish. The install itself is usually a few days. Refacing and painting are quicker, usually one to two weeks on site.
What is the difference between custom cabinets and store-bought cabinets?
Store cabinets come in 3-inch width steps, so gaps get filled with filler strips and panels. Custom cabinets are built to the room's real measurements, so they fit the wall, use corners and odd spaces, and come in any finish and door style.
Should I reface or replace my kitchen cabinets?
Reface if the boxes are solid, level and laid out the way you like; it skips the tear-out, often costs less, and the kitchen stays usable. Replace if the boxes are water-damaged, sagging or the layout itself is the problem.
Can you match cabinets I already have?
Usually, yes. A cabinet maker can build a new run or an island to match your door profile and color, though older stained wood may need a sample or two to get the tone right.
Do I need to empty my kitchen before the install?
Yes, empty the cabinets being removed and clear the counters. Most homeowners set up a small temporary kitchen in another room for the install days.
Do you work outside Fort Wayne?
Yes. Besides Fort Wayne and Allen County, the cabinet maker covers New Haven, Huntington, Auburn, Columbia City, Decatur and Warsaw.
Who builds the cabinets?
Fort Wayne Cabinet Studio connects you with an independent local cabinet contractor. You get their name and a written quote before you agree to anything.
Auburn
How far is Auburn from Fort Wayne for a cabinet maker?
About 20 miles on I-69. Name the town on the form so any trip charge is settled before the measure.
Should I reface or replace in a newer Auburn house?
Reface when the boxes are solid and the layout works; replace when the boxes are damaged or you want to move things. A measure visit settles it.
Can I buy cabinets and only pay for the install?
Yes. Installation is priced on its own, by the number of cabinets, the wall condition and any crown or trim.
Columbia City
How do I know if my old cabinets have lead paint?
Test them. EPA-recognized test kits are sold at hardware stores, and a Lead-Safe Certified contractor can test as part of the visit. Assume lead in a pre-1978 house until a test says no.
Is Columbia City too far for a Fort Wayne cabinet maker?
No. It is about 20 miles on US-30. Name the town on the form so the cabinet maker knows the distance before calling.
How long does cabinet painting take?
About one to two weeks including cure time. Doors and drawers come off, get sprayed elsewhere, and go back on once the finish has hardened.
Decatur
Do Fort Wayne cabinet makers work in Decatur, Indiana?
Yes. Decatur is one of the towns this site covers. It's about 22 miles down US-27, and some cabinet makers add a trip charge for small repair jobs, so ask on the first call.
Is it worth repairing old cabinets?
Yes, when the problem is hardware or one damaged box. When several boxes are water-damaged or the layout no longer works, new cabinets usually cost less over time than repeated fixes.
Can a vanity be built for an odd-size Decatur bathroom?
Yes. A custom vanity is sized to the gap you have, down to the inch, and built from moisture-resistant materials.
Huntington
Do Fort Wayne cabinet makers come to Huntington?
Yes. It is about 25 miles down US-24. Say you're in Huntington when you call, so any travel charge is settled before the measure.
What does a custom kitchen cost in Huntington?
National cost guides put a whole custom cabinet project at about $2,800 to $13,000, or $500 to $1,200 a linear foot. Extra scribing and leveling in an older house can push a job toward the upper end.
Can new cabinets match my old woodwork?
Usually, yes. Bring a photo of the trim or a door, and the cabinet maker can match the profile and make a finish sample for you to approve.
New Haven
Is there a travel charge to New Haven, Indiana?
Ask when you book whether New Haven carries a trip charge. It's about 6 miles from downtown Fort Wayne by SR-930 or I-469.
Who do I call about a cabinet permit in New Haven?
The Allen County Building Department, at 200 E Berry St in Fort Wayne, (260) 449-7131. A like-for-like cabinet swap needs nothing from them.
How long until my New Haven kitchen is done?
Plan on several weeks from the approved drawing, most of it shop time. The house is torn up only for the install days at the end.
Warsaw
Will a Fort Wayne cabinet maker travel to Warsaw?
Yes. Warsaw is one of the towns this site covers. Some cabinet makers add a trip charge for the distance, so name the town on the form and ask when they call back.
Can cabinets be installed while the lake house is empty?
Yes, if someone can open the house and the water is on for the sink hookup. Do a walk-through before the final payment.
How long does a Warsaw kitchen take?
Several weeks in the shop after you approve the drawing, then about two to five days to install a kitchen.
Bathroom vanities
How much does a custom bathroom vanity cost in Fort Wayne?
The national cost-guide range for a vanity and countertop installed runs from about $300 to $3,000 or more, with a typical job near $1,200. A small single-sink unit in a powder room sits at the low end; a wide double vanity with a stone top sits at the high end.
How long does a custom vanity take?
A few weeks to build and about a day to set. The countertop and plumbing hookup can add a visit or two after that.
Can I keep my sink where it is?
Yes, and it's the cheaper route. The vanity is built around your existing drain and water lines, and no permit is needed.
Do I need a double vanity?
Only if two people get ready at the same time. A single sink with more counter and drawers often works better on a shorter wall.
Can the vanity match my kitchen cabinets?
Yes. A cabinet maker can use the same door style and finish if both are ordered together. See custom kitchen cabinets for the kitchen side.
Built-ins and millwork
How long do built-in cabinets take?
Usually a few weeks to build after you approve the drawing, then one to three days to install. Adding wiring adds a visit from the electrician before the install.
Can a built-in go on a plaster wall?
Yes. Plaster walls are rarely flat, so the cabinet maker scribes the sides and top to the wall and screws through to the studs or lath framing behind.
Can a built-in match my kitchen cabinets?
Usually. Bring a door or a drawer front to the measure so the door profile and color can be copied. Older stained wood may take a sample or two to match.
Do I need a permit for built-ins in Allen County?
Not for the cabinets alone. New hardwired lights or outlets, or moving a wall, need a permit from the Allen County Building Department.
Are built-ins painted in the shop or on site?
Most are finished in the shop. After install, nail holes and caulk joints are filled and touched up on site, which is why a final coat of paint sometimes goes on in your house.
Cabinet installation
How long does cabinet installation take?
Most kitchens take about two to five days on site. A small run with no tear-out can be done faster; a large kitchen with crown molding and wall repairs takes the longer end.
Do I need a permit to install kitchen cabinets in Allen County?
Not for cabinets alone, set where the old ones were. A permit comes in when plumbing, wiring or a wall changes.
Can I use the kitchen during the install?
Not much. The sink and often the range are disconnected for part of it, so set up a coffee maker and microwave in another room.
Will the installer hook up my sink and dishwasher?
Usually a plumber does that once the cabinets and countertop are in. Ask who schedules the plumber when you get the quote.
Is it cheaper to install cabinets myself?
It saves the labor, but leveling and scribing are where DIY kitchens go wrong. If boxes aren't set to one line, the countertop rocks and doors never line up.
Cabinet painting
Can laminate or thermofoil cabinets be painted?
Laminate can, with a bonding primer made for slick surfaces. Thermofoil that is peeling or bubbling is a poor candidate, because the vinyl keeps lifting under the paint. New doors through refacing usually make more sense there.
Will painted cabinets chip?
The edges around pulls and the lower doors near the trash wear first. A hard enamel over good prep resists most of it. Keep the leftover paint for touch-ups.
Should I paint or replace my cabinets?
Paint if the boxes are solid and you like the door style and layout. If the boxes are water-damaged or the layout does not work, look at new kitchen cabinets instead.
Cabinet refacing
How long does cabinet refacing take?
Usually a few days on site, once the new doors and drawer fronts are made. You keep most of the kitchen working during that time.
Can particle board cabinets be refaced?
Yes, if the boxes are dry and firm. Particle board that has swollen from a leak should be repaired or replaced first, because veneer and new hinges need solid material to hold on to.
Can I change anything about the layout?
Small changes, yes. A cabinet can be added at the end of a run, or a door swapped for a drawer front. Moving cabinets or adding an island means new boxes, which is a custom cabinet design job.
Cabinet repair
Can a water-damaged sink base be fixed?
Usually, yes. Once the leak is fixed and the box has dried, the swollen floor is cut out and replaced, often with plywood that handles water better. If the sides are swollen too, the whole sink base may need replacing.
How long does a cabinet repair take?
Most repairs are done in one visit. Jobs that need a new panel, drawer box or special-order hinge take a second visit.
Can stripped screw holes in particle board be fixed?
Yes. The hole is drilled out and filled with a glued hardwood dowel, then the screw goes into the dowel. A hinge can also be moved to fresh material beside the old spot.
Can you match my cabinet finish on a new part?
Painted finishes match closely. Older stained wood is harder, because it darkens with age, so a new part may look slightly different until it ages too.
Can a bathroom vanity be repaired?
Yes, the same fixes apply, and vanity sink bases get the same water damage as kitchen ones. If the vanity is past repair, see bathroom vanities for new ones.
Custom cabinet design and building
How do I find cabinet makers near me in Fort Wayne?
Call the number on this page or send the form. Fort Wayne Cabinet Studio connects you with an independent local cabinet maker, who sets up the design visit and gives you a written quote.
How long does it take to design and build custom cabinets?
Expect one or two design meetings, then several weeks in the shop after you approve the drawings and finish. Changes after sign-off can push the date back.
Do I pay for the design?
Ask at the first call. Many cabinet makers fold design into the cabinet price, and some charge a design fee that's credited back if you order.
Is face-frame or frameless better?
Neither wins outright. Face-frame suits traditional and inset doors and forgives a bit more on install; frameless gives a little more room inside and a clean modern front.
Can a cabinet maker match furniture or trim I already have?
Usually. Bring a photo or a sample piece, and the cabinet maker can copy a profile and stain a test board to match.
Custom kitchen cabinets
How much do kitchen cabinets cost in Fort Wayne?
National cost guides put custom kitchen cabinets at $500 to $1,200 per linear foot, semi-custom at $150 to $700 and stock at $100 to $400. Count the feet of wall that will get cabinets, uppers and lowers, to get a rough range before the measure.
How long does a custom kitchen take?
Plan on several weeks from sign-off to delivery, then a few days for the install. Countertops follow after the base cabinets are set, so the sink is usually out of use for part of that time.
Is semi-custom good enough?
Often, yes, in a square kitchen with standard ceiling heights. Custom pays off in rooms with uneven walls, tall ceilings, odd corners or a door style the semi-custom lines don't offer.
Should I reface instead of replacing?
Reface if the boxes are sound and you like the layout. Replace if the boxes are water-damaged or the layout is the problem. The refacing page covers what that job includes.
Ready to plan your cabinets?
Book a design consultation or call. You get a measure and a written quote before anything is built.