2026-09-07

Semi-custom vs custom cabinets in southern New Hampshire

Most kitchens we design in Plaistow are semi-custom, not fully custom boxes built from scratch. That is usually the right call for southern New Hampshire and North Shore homes: you get made-to-order sizes, a wide range of doors and paints, and a lead time that a builder can actually schedule.

Shiloh, Eclipse, and Aspect are the American-made semi-custom lines we specify most. The factory builds to your plan, with options for wood, paint, glaze, and interiors, without the cost of a one-off cabinet shop for every box.

Custom still has a place: unusual ceiling heights, a historic Seacoast floor plan, or furniture-grade pieces that have to match existing millwork. When that is the right call, we specify Mouser Cabinetry, an American custom manufacturer we now carry. You still design in Plaistow, we still warehouse and deliver, and the boxes are built to the drawing.

We will tell you when Mouser is worth it. Most homeowners in Plaistow, Salem, Haverhill, and Amesbury get a better kitchen from semi-custom plus a careful layout. Visit 56 Newton Road, see door styles in person, and we will put a 3D plan against your budget before anyone orders.