Many consumers wish they could buy cabinets directly from a manufacturer, instead of being forced to buy from a cabinet dealer. There are many reasons builders, contractors, and homeowners feel like they would do better by buying “direct”. In the typical market consumers may not have that option.

In the Chicagoland area consumers have a few choices.

• They can buy from a dealer where there's a showroom and where a dealer re-sells cabinets they buy from a manufacturer.
• They can buy from the big boxes like Home Depot or Lowes who also buy their cabinets from a manufacturer and re-sell them.
• Or they can buy from a manufacturer directly.

Many contractors and builders try to buy directly from a manufacturer of cabinets because of the old phrase "cut out the middleman." When they can buy direct from the factory they can save money because there's less dealer markup.

In many markets consumers don't have the option to buy from a manufacturer, because decent-sized manufacturers don't typically sell to homeowners directly. Many don't even sell to contractors directly. Unless they are a significant builder or contractor, they are forced to buy from a dealer or home center.

Consumers in the Chicagoland area, however, have more choices. They can actually buy directly from a manufacturer.

Benefits of Buying Directly from the Manufacturer

In addition to saving money mentioned above, there are other reasons consumers can benefit by buying directly from the manufacturer.

• Control to Finish the Job - When consumers buy from the manufacturer directly, that manufacturer has full control over what they need to do to finish anything related to the job. If that means fixing a cabinet or replacing a cabinet they can do it much more quickly than the typical dealer who has to order it from another manufacturer and wait in line.

• Higher End Cabinets - Manufacturers who do sell to consumers typically build a higher-end more custom type of cabinet. This usually means a better quality cabinet at its foundation than is found at a dealer-focused manufacturer.

• More Custom and not “Semi-Custom” – Manufacturers that sell to dealers usually have more of a “production line” focus, where they succeed by pushing out as much product as fast as possible to as many dealers as possible. Because of this philosophy, they MUST limit the things that they offer in their cabinet line. These manufacturers are called “Stock” or “Semi-Custom”. It just means that they allow “some choices” in their line, but possibly not the ones you need. They may offer the ability to do an upgraded wood drawer (from particle board), or a reduced depth on a cabinet, etc. Custom manufacturers offer many more construction options.

Brakur Custom Cabinetry is a Chicagoland manufacturer that sells to the public.

If you are building a new home, or are considering a kitchen remodel in the Chicagoland area, contact one of our experts so we can show you how to get what you really want in your home.

This Guide to Cabinetry 101 will help educate you for your project as well.