RTA vs Custom vs Big Box Store Cabinets

RTA cabinets ship flat packed and are assembled at home using included hardware, which removes most of the labour and shipping cost built into other options. Our White Shaker RTA line uses plywood boxes with solid hardwood face frames and doors, painted white, with soft close doors and drawers included as standard.

Because the cost structure skips factory assembly and reduces shipping volume, RTA cabinets typically deliver solid wood and plywood construction at a price point closer to laminate big box cabinets, without giving up material quality. The tradeoff is that assembly and installation are on you, or handled through an optional assembly service.

Custom cabinets are built to order by a local cabinet shop or factory, with full control over dimensions, finishes, and configurations. This is the most flexible option and the best fit for unusual layouts or specific design visions, but it comes with the highest price point and the longest lead times, often eight to sixteen weeks or more depending on the shop's backlog.

Custom is worth the investment when your kitchen has non standard dimensions throughout, or when you want finishes and configurations that off the shelf lines simply do not offer.

Big box home improvement stores sell both stock and semi custom cabinet lines, usually pre assembled or assembled in store for a fee. Selection is convenient and lead times can be short for in stock items, but materials often lean toward particleboard boxes and thinner veneers at the lower price tiers, with solid wood construction reserved for higher priced lines.

Big box cabinets are a reasonable choice for a fast, budget renovation where long term durability is a lower priority than getting a kitchen finished quickly.

• Cost: RTA is typically the best value for solid wood construction, custom is the most expensive, big box varies widely by line
• Materials: our RTA line uses plywood boxes with solid hardwood frames and doors, custom varies by shop, big box varies from particleboard to solid wood depending on price tier
• Lead time: RTA orders ship in 2 to 3 weeks, custom often runs 8 to 16 weeks, big box in stock items can be immediate but special orders take weeks
• Labour: RTA requires home assembly (or a paid assembly service), custom and many big box lines arrive pre assembled
• Selection: custom offers the most flexibility, RTA and big box offer curated but growing option sets

If your kitchen has fairly standard dimensions and you want solid wood construction without a custom price tag or a months long wait, RTA is usually the sweet spot. If you have unusual layout requirements or want a completely bespoke design, custom cabinetry is worth the extra cost and time. If speed and the lowest possible upfront cost matter most and you are comfortable with lighter duty materials, a big box option may fit your project.

One tradeoff worth planning for with RTA is that assembly and installation require either your own time or a paid service. Custom and most big box cabinets typically arrive ready to install, which shifts labour cost into the purchase price rather than leaving it as a separate step. If you would rather skip assembly, our expert assembly service builds every cabinet before delivery for 75 dollars per cabinet, giving you the RTA price and material advantage without the do it yourself assembly step.

When comparing options, it helps to think beyond the sticker price alone. Solid wood construction, like the plywood boxes and hardwood face frames used in our White Shaker line, tends to hold up better over years of daily use than particleboard, which can mean fewer repairs or replacements down the road regardless of which category you choose it from. Factor in delivery costs as well, since free local delivery within 300 km of London, Ontario can meaningfully offset the price difference between options for many Southwestern Ontario homeowners.