Where do the figures in this guide come from?
This guide draws on an article published by Bradco Kitchens & Baths, the Houzz Los Angeles custom kitchen cabinet list, the home pages of MJ Custom Woodworks and I&M Custom Cabinets, a George Cabinetry list of California makers and three California Contractors State License Board pages. Each figure belongs to the firm or agency that published it, so read them as questions for your own quote, not Los Angeles averages.
What kinds of cabinet makers work in Los Angeles?
Houzz counts 1,499 local pros serving Los Angeles under cabinets and cabinetry, with 80,411 local projects, and its first page of custom kitchen cabinet companies mixes cabinet makers with general contractors, interior designers and kitchen and bath remodelers. Some entries are marked Sponsored, and its filters include references available, free estimate and offers custom work. MJ Custom Woodworks shows Since 2006 on its home page and lists custom-built cabinetry, display cases and countertops. I&M Custom Cabinets describes custom cabinet design and installation for kitchens, bathrooms and closets in Los Angeles and surrounding areas. The Bradco guide features three Los Angeles firms, Bradco Kitchens & Baths, Mr. Cabinet Care and Casta Custom Cabinets, so read that shortlist as the publisher's own
picks. Among the 20 entries in George Cabinetry's California list, which puts its own Foshan, China firm first, only one lists Los Angeles, CA as its location.
Which license should a Los Angeles cabinet maker hold?
The state's C-6 classification covers a cabinet, millwork and finish carpentry contractor that makes cabinets and also places, erects and finishes them in structures. The Bradco guide says a General B contractor license is the California requirement for a full kitchen remodel that covers plumbing, electrical, carpentry and mechanical work, and that only General B contractors can pull all the permits together. Whichever class a firm holds, ask which one covers your job, then look up the number and its status on the board's website. Bradco also says to confirm both general liability and workers' compensation insurance. The MJ Custom Woodworks home page prints a California license number, which gives you a number to check.
What should a written contract say before you pay?
California's licensing board says a written contract is required for home improvement projects over $500, as described on its contract page. The board says the contract should describe the products and how the work will be done, include a detailed written payment schedule, say which party will get the permits, give a completion date, and record any change in price or scope as a signed written change order. It adds that the down payment cannot be more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. The board's homeowner checklist asks whether you got at least three local references and whether you called them and saw the work. Ask every firm for the same items so
the quotes compare like for like, and see our guide to questions to put to each supplier before you sign.
How long does custom cabinet work take in Los Angeles?
The Bradco guide gives three bands. Simple projects such as single cabinets, refacing or small vanities take 4-8 weeks, with 2-3 months of planning. A medium project such as a full kitchen in a standard layout takes 8-12 weeks, with 3-6 months of planning. A high-complexity project such as a full-room custom or luxury kitchen takes 12-20+ weeks, with 6+ months of planning. Bradco says winter months offer faster manufacturing and delivery, that spring and summer can extend timelines by months, and that buying in November-December saves 10-20% on materials. Those are one remodeler's statements, not measured averages, so ask each firm for its own start and finish dates in the contract.
How much do custom cabinets cost in Los Angeles?
Houzz states that the average cost for custom kitchen cabinets ranges from $2,620 to $13,485, without saying what size or scope that covers. The Bradco guide says Los Angeles homeowners invest an average of $50,000 or more in kitchen renovations, with cabinets representing 30-40% of total budgets, and its own table turns that into $15,000, $17,500 and $20,000+ for the cabinet share. The two figures come from different bases and neither is a quote. Use our kitchen renovation cost guide to check what else the budget needs.
How do a local shop, a remodeler and a factory compare?
I&M Custom Cabinets describes four steps: a design consultation, picking your style, fabrication and installation, which is the shop route. The Bradco guide describes a design-build route from a remodeler, with an in-house design team overseeing the work from consultation to installation.
It says custom cabinets give a perfect fit to exact dimensions, while pre-made ones cost less up front, arrive sooner and carry shorter warranty periods, and that leading makers offer warranties up to 20 years. A factory route supplies cabinets made elsewhere, which changes the firm that installs them, so the table below sets the three routes side by side. For firms close to home, our guide to finding local kitchen remodel experts adds more questions.
| Check | Local shop or remodeler | Factory route such as Fadior |
|---|---|---|
| License and insurance | Look up the license number and status on the state board site and confirm insurance in writing | Ask in writing which firm installs and under which license |
| Cabinet body | Ask what the carcass is made of; Bradco lists solid wood, MDF, plywood and powder-coated metals | Fadior uses 304 stainless steel cabinet bodies, with doors, finishes and worktops specified separately |
| Written contract | A written contract, payment schedule and written change orders, as the state board describes | An itemized supply and service scope with a stated pricing unit, per the Fadior kitchen page |
| Timing | Start and finish dates written into the contract | Production and freight timing written into the quotation |
| Seeing the work | Visit finished projects and call references | Compare Fadior Real Homes pages, or visit the factory and showroom in Foshan |
What can a factory such as Fadior add to the comparison?
Fadior is a stainless steel kitchen manufacturer working from its own factory in Foshan, China, so a Fadior order is a factory order. Its kitchens, wardrobes, baths and storage systems use 304 stainless steel cabinet bodies, with doors, finishes and worktops specified separately, and Fadior states a 30-year cabinet-body structural warranty, with terms per contract. The Fadior kitchen page says a quote starts with a cabinet schedule and lists freight, import and installation among the items agreed in the quotation, so settle which firm installs the cabinets, and under which license, before you order. The Bradco guide lists powder-coated steel among the materials Los Angeles makers use and describes it as water, fire and pest resistant, so ask any maker
what the carcass is made of.
What does a Fadior room-by-room home show?
This Fadior Real Homes case of a private home in Australia suits a whole-home brief, with a cream wood-grain kitchen, two studies, a dressing table, a storage room and a frosted-glass wardrobe. Its write-up says the white sink island uses 304 stainless steel cabinet bodies, with fronts, finishes and worktop specified separately, and advises writing down the contents and daily activity of each room first, then coordinating finishes only where the cabinets will be seen together. Give each firm the same room-by-room list.
How do you check references and portfolios?
The Bradco guide says to check Yelp, Houzz and Google for consistent feedback, to request at least three referrals from similar projects and to talk to those clients rather than rely only on online reviews. Its red flags include vague quotes without itemized breakdowns, no portfolio, fake or borrowed license numbers, and generic staged photos, which it suggests testing with a reverse Google search. The board's homeowner checklist adds that you should see the work the contractor completed. For an overseas factory, see our guide to checking an overseas factory before you buy.
Where can you send a Fadior question?
Send your project through the Fadior contact page. Name, Email and Phone are required; Country, Project type, Budget range, Company and Message are optional, and the form has no photo upload. The Fadior kitchen page describes a quote that starts with a cabinet schedule, with cabinet dimensions and quantities, door finishes, worktop, drawer and pull-out choices, appliance integration and delivery scope shaping the final configuration. The Fadior Real Homes portfolio shows more documented rooms.
