Cabinet terminology gets used loosely, which makes comparing quotes harder than it should be. Here is what the three categories actually mean.
RTA
Ready to assemble cabinets ship flat and are put together on site or before installation. They are the cheapest option and the fastest to get hold of, and sizes come from a fixed catalogue with no modifications. Quality varies enormously between suppliers, so the construction of the drawer box and the hardware are what to inspect.
Semi-custom
Built to order from a defined range of sizes, door styles and finishes, with modifications available: altered depths, reduced heights, custom end panels and finish changes. Lead times are longer than RTA but far shorter than custom, and this is where most kitchens land. It is the category all four of our lines sit in.
Custom
Made from scratch to your drawing, with no catalogue constraints at all. Any size, any configuration, any finish. It is the right answer for genuinely unusual rooms or highly specific requirements, and it carries the longest lead time and the highest cost by a clear margin.
Which one you need
Most kitchens do not require custom. If your room takes standard sizes with a few modifications, semi-custom will get you the same result for meaningfully less. Custom earns its cost when the room will not accommodate anything else.
Bring your measurements to an appointment and we will tell you which category your kitchen genuinely needs, rather than which one is easiest to sell.
