The short answer
Every cabinet line falls somewhere between "pick from the catalog" and "build it from scratch." Factory cabinets come in standard sizes and a set list of styles and colors. Semi custom cabinets start from standard designs but can be resized and finished in many more ways. Custom cabinets are built for one specific room, to the exact inch, with any finish you want.
At Doss Cabinets we call these Core (factory), Flex (semi custom) and Peak (custom). All three get the same free in-home measure, 3D design and installation by our own crew.
Sizing: how well the cabinets fit your walls
Factory cabinets come in 3-inch width increments. If a wall is 127 inches long, the layout uses the closest combination of standard boxes and closes the gap with filler strips. That's perfectly normal and looks clean when it's planned well.
Semi custom cabinets can be adjusted in width, height and depth, so fewer fillers are needed and you can do things like shallower uppers over a counter bar or taller cabinets to the ceiling. Custom cabinets are built to the exact measurement, which matters most in older homes with walls that aren't square, rooms with angled ceilings and anywhere you want furniture-style built-ins.
Styles, colors and wood species
This is where most people feel the difference. Factory lines offer a curated catalog of the most popular door profiles and a fixed color palette. Semi custom lines usually offer 10–20+ door styles, an expanded palette, custom color matching and several wood species. Custom means any profile, including inset, beaded, fluted and reeded doors, and any paint, stain or glaze on any domestic hardwood.
Construction quality
"Factory" doesn't have to mean flimsy. Our Core cabinets use 1/2" plywood boxes, solid wood dovetail drawers and soft-close hardware. Flex steps up to plywood or upgraded plywood with full-extension soft-close glides, and Peak uses premium plywood and solid wood throughout. When you compare quotes from anyone, ask what the box is made of, how the drawers are joined and what hinges and glides are included.
- Box material: plywood vs. particleboard, and its thickness
- Drawer boxes: solid wood dovetail vs. stapled
- Hardware: soft-close hinges and full-extension glides
- Finish: how it's applied and how it holds up to cleaning
Lead times and price
As a planning guide for our three collections: Core runs about $400–$700 per linear foot with about a 4-week lead time; Flex runs about $700–$1,000 per linear foot in about 6–8 weeks; and Peak runs about $900–$1,400+ per linear foot in about 12–16+ weeks. Those ranges are for cabinets. Your final number depends on the layout, the number of drawers and organizers, the finish and the installation details.
How to choose
Pick factory when budget and speed matter most and your layout is straightforward. Pick semi custom for most family kitchens, especially if the walls are a little odd or you want more style and storage options. Pick custom when the room or the design really calls for it, like statement hoods, exact-fit runs to the ceiling or built-ins that need to match the house.
Still unsure? Our free Cabinet Selection Guide walks you through it in a few minutes, or book a consultation and we'll price more than one option side by side.