Cost-Drivers #1: Custom Mudroom

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“This is what I want!” holding photo from Architectural Digest

I’m often sent example projects early in the design phase of a project that illustrate the design direction a client wants to pursue for their project. These are helpful, but there are caveats. The projects that you see in magazines, on web sites like Pinterest or Instagram, and in luxury homes incorporate features that add significant expense.

If you want those features and they are intended to be part of your design goals, then great, we can make that happen for you. However, if you just like the layout or the color for instance and don’t necessarily care about some of the premium features, then estimating from a photo like this can leave you with sticker shock.

Let’s look at a few examples:

This mudroom cabinetry above is beautiful. It would be costly to emulate because of a few features:

  • Full inset construction

    • This style of cabinetry requires extra precision to do well. The spaces around the doors all need to be exactly consistent or they stick out like a sore thumb.

  • Miter-folded outside corners.

    • See where the exposed end panels turn the corner back toward the wall? These seams have to be cut at an angle like a piece of baseboard so that they wrap evenly around the corner without a seam.

  • Funiture Base

    • See how the baseboard around the drawer unit sits proud of the cabinet like baseboard? This complicates installation and requires more costly material over a recessed toe-kick

  • Drawers

    • The average cost addition of a drawer box is around $150 per drawer. If these were doors or even open cubbies, it would reduce the overall cost of the project. This project has 4 drawers, which add up fast.

  • Finished Panel Ends

    • This features looks great, but rather than a flat end panel, this requires making 3 additional doors and 2 additional face frames, then fitting those doors within those tight margins. It adds additional material cost and labor

  • Tall Doors

    • When we build doors over about 40” in height, it adds additional expense. For instance, here the doors need a mid-rail (horizontal cross-piece), which means we’re now fitting 2 center panels instead of one. The doors also require an additional hinge or sometimes even two to bear the weight. This adds additional hardware expense, but more importantly it adds labor.

    • The lumber used to build tall doors has to be even more perfect than standard door-grade hardwood lumber. This means culling additional material to select the straightest boards without the ability to cut around defects like we can in shorter doors

    • Additionally, if the cabinetmaker orders doors from a door company (very common), the door company may not warranty doors this tall.

  • Dark Color Paint Job

    • While all cabinet-grade paint jobs requires a lot more labor than clear finishes, a dark colored finish is especially challenging. This color shows every detail, making the finishing process more challenging.

    • Many shops charge a premium for dark painted finishes like this.

  • Flush Top Trim

    • When a project calls for top trim or crown tight to the ceiling, it requires additional planning and time during installation.

    • Here, the designer has to account for the added precision in overall height. Since these cabinets are inset, there’s no “faking it” with fillers. They either fit or they must be rebuilt. This adds risk and risk adds expense.

Value Engineering.

Value engineering is an integral part of what we do during our pre-construction process. If you sent me this mudroom as an example of what you want, but only actually want blue cabinets with enclosed cubbies, you’re going to get sticker shock. In many cases, I can create a project to fit your budget that also delivers the features that matter to you. When I ask for a budget, I’m not trying to squeeze every last dime out of you. Quite the opposite! I’m aiming to see how we can maximize the value we deliver. If you want finished interiors and an inset look on a budget, I’m going to sell you a melamine interior and a panel-wrapped full-overlay cabinet rather than a continuous inset face frame cabinet in maple and a Baltic Birch painted interior.

I hope this helps!