Questions about the company and the craftsmen
Who builds the cabinets? The correct answer is: in-house craftsmen in the maker's own dedicated shop. Any other answer — subcontractors, a network of independent builders, a remote manufacturing facility — means you are not getting true custom work. How long have you been in business? Established makers have track records; look for at least ten years of continuous operation with verifiable completed projects. Are you licensed and insured? Ask for the certificate of insurance before any other conversation proceeds.
What is your current production capacity and backlog? This question reveals whether your project will be a priority or an afterthought. A maker who is significantly overbooked will manage your project differently than one who can give it proper attention at every stage.
"The right cabinet maker answers every question without hesitation. The wrong one hedges, deflects, or rushes past the ones that matter."
Questions about materials: what they build with
What is the cabinet box made from? The correct answer is three-quarter-inch furniture-grade plywood — not MDF, not particle board, not a mixture. Plywood resists moisture, holds screws, and does not swell or delaminate under the humidity variation of a working kitchen. For more on why this distinction matters, read our article on plywood vs. MDF cabinet box construction. What species is the face frame? It should be solid hardwood — not finger-jointed softwood, not poplar dressed up as something else.
What are the drawer boxes made from and how are they assembled? The best answer: solid wood with dovetail joints. An acceptable answer: plywood with dado and screw construction. A red flag: MDF or particle board drawer boxes, which expand with moisture and fail at the joint over time. These are not small distinctions — they determine how the cabinetry performs in year twelve as much as year one.
Questions about the design process
Do you produce shop drawings before production begins? Yes should be the unambiguous answer — and non-negotiable. How detailed are the drawings? They should show dimensioned plan views and elevations, section cuts at key details, hardware placement, and any unusual conditions at windows, appliances, or ceiling transitions. How many revision rounds are included? At least two; quality makers do not charge for reasonable design refinements. Who is the person you communicate with from design through installation?
- Dimensioned plan and elevation drawings for every room
- Section cuts at key details — appliance panels, crown transitions, island
- Material and finish specifications in writing, not just verbal confirmation
- Hardware schedule with brand name, model number, and finish
- Signed contract with itemized scope and payment schedule
- Installation timeline with key milestones and dependencies
Questions about finish and hardware
What finish do you apply to painted cabinets? The correct answer: conversion varnish or catalyzed lacquer, applied in a spray booth under controlled conditions. A red flag: brushed-on latex paint, which is wall paint and does not belong on cabinetry. What is the sheen level and is it consistent across all pieces? Sheen should be matched across every door, drawer front, and panel — inconsistency is a quality control failure, not a design choice. Do you apply finish to interior surfaces? Quality makers seal all interior surfaces; unsealed interiors absorb moisture and odors.
What hardware do you use for hinges and drawer slides? The correct answer: Blum, Häfele, or equivalent European-specification soft-close hardware. Generic hardware from unknown manufacturers fails in ways that are difficult and expensive to address after installation. For a full discussion of finish options, see our article on cabinet finishes for luxury kitchens.
Questions about installation
Who installs the cabinets — your own team or a subcontractor? The best answer is the maker's own installation team — people who know exactly how the cabinets were built and what the tolerances are. A subcontracted installation crew has no relationship to the production process and no accountability for quality issues that arise from the interaction of construction and installation. Do you visit the site before production to verify measurements? Yes, without exception — every dimension should be field-verified before any material is cut.
What is the process for handling pieces that require adjustment or replacement? A quality maker has a clear, unhesitating answer: we make it right, we do it quickly, and we do not charge you for it. Any hedging on this question is informative.
"Installation quality determines whether a great set of cabinets performs like a great set of cabinets. The two are inseparable."
Questions about timeline and communication
What is the total timeline from contract execution to completed installation? Expect fourteen to twenty weeks for a full custom kitchen — shorter timelines are possible for smaller projects, longer for large whole-home scopes. What is the production lead time once design is approved and contract is signed? Typically eight to fourteen weeks in production, depending on the maker's current workload and the project's complexity. How do you communicate during production — and how often? Regular, structured updates are appropriate. Silence during a fourteen-week production period is not.
What is your policy if production is delayed? Delays happen; what matters is how a maker responds. A clear communication protocol and a commitment to updating the client's renovation schedule accordingly is what responsible project management looks like.
Questions about the contract and warranty
What does the contract explicitly include and exclude? Ask specifically about hardware, installation, delivery, dust protection during installation, and the punch list process. What are the payment terms? Typical for quality custom work: thirty to forty percent at contract signing, thirty to forty percent at delivery, and the balance at punch list completion — not before. What is the warranty on the cabinetry? A minimum of one year on workmanship; quality makers stand behind their work beyond that and are explicit about what is covered and how claims are handled.
What is covered if a door warps or a drawer stops functioning correctly after installation? The answer should be clear, immediate, and in writing in the contract. Warranties that exist only verbally are not warranties.
How H & J answers these questions
We build every cabinet in our Santa Ana shop using furniture-grade plywood boxes, solid hardwood face frames, and solid wood drawer boxes with hand-cut dovetail joints. We apply conversion varnish for all painted surfaces and catalyzed lacquer for all stained and natural wood surfaces, in a dedicated spray booth. We produce detailed shop drawings for every project before production begins, and no production starts without written drawing approval. Our own installation team — not subcontractors — installs every project we build.
We have been in business since 1988. We are happy to provide references from recent projects of similar scope and budget to yours. We carry all required licenses and insurance. Contact us to begin a conversation, or read more about our approach on our What Makes Us Different page.