RTA / Comparison
RTA vs custom cabinets
RTA cabinets are manufactured in standard sizes and shipped flat; custom cabinets are built to your exact dimensions. RTA wins on cost and lead time and covers most layouts. Custom wins where the room has genuinely non-standard dimensions or a unique requirement.
This is not a quality comparison — both can be built to the same construction standard. It is a fit and logistics comparison.
Get free estimate
What is the difference between RTA and custom cabinets?
RTA cabinets come in standard sizes from a published catalogue and ship flat for on-site assembly. Custom cabinets are built to your room's exact measurements. The difference is dimensional flexibility, not material grade — an RTA box can match a custom one specification for specification.
| RTA | Custom | |
|---|---|---|
| Sizing | Standard increments | Built to exact dimensions |
| Lead time | Shorter | Longer |
| Cost | Lower | Higher |
| Construction | Plywood box, dovetail drawers, soft-close | Specified per project |
| Repeatability | Excellent across units | Per-project |
| Best for | Most layouts, multi-unit work | Non-standard rooms, unique requirements |
Are RTA cabinets lower quality than custom?
No. Quality comes from the box material, the drawer construction and the hardware, not from how the cabinet is shipped. Every IQ+ RTA line uses plywood boxes, solid-wood dovetail drawers and soft-close hardware, with TSCA VI, KCMA and CARB2 certification.
When is custom genuinely necessary?
When the room cannot be served by standard increments: an unusual ceiling height, a non-standard appliance, an angled or curved wall, or a bespoke piece such as a fitted banquette. Filler panels solve small gaps; they do not solve a fundamentally non-standard room.
Which is better for a rental or a flip?
RTA, almost always. Fixed specification makes cost predictable across units, plywood construction survives tenant turnover, and shorter lead times keep a property earning sooner. Custom rarely earns its premium in an investment property.
Frequently asked
RTA vs custom cabinets — your questions answered
Can you mix RTA and custom in one kitchen?
Often yes — RTA for the standard runs with a bespoke piece where the room demands it. Raise it during the design consultation.
Do RTA cabinets look different once installed?
No. Once assembled and installed, an RTA cabinet is not visually distinguishable from an assembled one of the same specification.
Does IQ+ do both?
Yes. Our public catalogue is RTA only, and our design and remodeling teams handle custom cabinetry projects.
Compare with
Talk it through with a designer.
Send photos and rough measurements and see your room designed in 24 to 72 hours, then a detailed estimate. No cost, no obligation.
Get free estimate