The cabinet choice; it's the biggest decision for most kitchen remodelers

Some showrooms now use computer renderings. This makes it easier to visualize the finished kitchen and prices for different cabinets are just a keystroke away. Your budget will affect more than your choice of cabinets. You can often pay less for lower-priced lines by shopping where design services aren't necessarily included. But "as you step down in price," one designer warned, "you are forced to take more and more responsibility; you have to guarantee the accuracy of every step in the process."

. . . and all this will cost what? Under "Cost range" in our chart, you don't see any numbers. Why? Because so many factors influence the final price. The kitchens you see on these pages have cabinets that range from $1,300 to more than $80,000.

The range of styles-and prices-makes buying cabinets much like buying a car. Like car makers, every manufacturer or cabinetmaker picks a slot of the market, then offers various styles and options that jack up or bring down the basic price. If you're looking for'the cabinet equivalent of "transportation," you can pay a lot less than someone looking for something sportier.

Know your budget. You'll quickly find out what kinds of cabinets you can afford. With your plan in hand, you can get a base price for standard cabinets relatively easily But options will drastically alter the quote-so the same basic cabinet can end up costing a lot of different prices. Bids should be full quotes based on a fully specified room sketch listing the options desired in each cabinet. Within each line, basic costs are determined by the style of the doors and drawers. Remember, the basic frame carcass will be the same within a line no matter what door style you choose. Wood species can also affect price.

In many showrooms, you can get an idea of general costs by asking dealers for the prices of components in sample kitchens. A good showroom has an advantage over most custom shops: you can see many of the possibilities set up in one place.

Even if you're buying manufactured cabinets, consider including a bid from a custom shop for comparison. A shop can match practically any style, or can come up with a pattern or finish not available in a modular or stock line.

As with stock and custom modular bids, make sure your plan is specific enough to get a reliable quote. Ask for complete shop drawings, so there's no misunderstanding as to what you're ordering.

Two construction types: American face European frameless

Traditional American cabinets mask the raw front edges of each box with a 1-by-2 "face fram." Doors and drawers then fit in one of three ways: flush; partially inset, with a notch; or completely overlaying the fram.

Face-frame cabinets offer somewhat more flexibility in irregular spaces than modular ones do; the outer edges of the frame can be planed and shaped to conform to unique discrepancies. Since the frame covers it up, thinner or lower-quality wood can be used in the sides (thus reducing price). But the frame takes up spaces; it reduces the size of the door opening, so drawers or slide-out accessories must be significantly smaller than the width of the cabinet.