Post pictures of his work. Closeups. Inside the box. The backs. The glides and hinges. Where does he build the cabinets? Where does he finish them? Does he offer any wood you can dream of? Walnut, bubinga, curly maple, quartersawn cherry, ash? Will he let you choose 179 different outside profiles for the doors? Does he have a huge wall of router profiles/wood samples/stain samples/paint saammples displayed? There are a lot of faux custom guys out there that lay people don't have the discernment on board in order to actually judge quality. And lay people don't know how those questions should be answered in order to have a BS detector ping. His warranty says more about that capability, and his judgement of his own quality than anything would.

Lol Joseph, I hear you! I am looking at local cab companies and have received the following responses with regards to warranty:

Um... One year. I got the impression it was a new to him question.

5 years!! And we come by in a year to do a check-up and any required adjustments.

I've been building furniture and cabinets for 25 years. As long as I am alive you have a warranty.

A quality local guy is worth finding. Unfortunately there have been too many scam artists co-opting that term who are anything but custom. You have to do your due diligence. Visit the shop. The clean room where he finishes. Discuss the finish types and brands and his equipment. Where does he source his ply? (If HD RUN!) What's his favorite wood? Is he a raised panel guy or does he prefer recess panels? Where does he stand on reverse raised panels and humidity? What requirements does he have for his customers in order to maintain the warranty? How large of a drawer does he recommend as maximum size?

Is he the guy you hope to find? Or just another smoke blower hiding behind a Self applied PR label?

As a 35 + year builder of custom homes, I've used nothing but local custom shops for cabinets.

Sure, by law, a one year warranty is pretty much the standard for contractors and their subs, unless of course negligence can be proved. But I echo what Joseph and sherri say, a fine local craftsman with a good reputation will typically stand behind their work for life, or they would not still be in business.... no brainer

Thanks so much for the comments so far. I'm primarily asking if a one-year warranty is all that I should expect from a small operation. And, should the installation be under warranty? Cookncarpenter, are you saying that the contract will probably say one year, but if he is worth his salt, he'll stand behind his work no matter what? I have been to his shop, and I am very impressed with his work. He uses 7-ply 1/2" plywood. He uses I-beam braces. Everything is dove-tailed tight and smooth. Doors are solid. He also uses 1/2" plywood on the back, so he uses 1/4" mounting strips. Sounded logical to me. I saw his finishing room. Finishes are hand sanded and hand applied.

My local cabinet maker was in business 25 years when I started my kitchen. He has a fantastic reputation, and I have seen several examples of his work in friends' homes. We had a great working relationship. I can't count the number of times he said "I want you to be happy", and he meant it.

I don't think I got an explicit warranty. He joked that I got the "tail-light warranty", but I am confident that if I had an issue now (2 years later), or 5 years from now, he would try to make it right for me.

"are you saying that the contract will probably say one year, but if he is worth his salt, he'll stand behind his work no matter what?" ...yep

I understand it's hard for the average lay person to judge the quality of some ones work when they are unfamiliar with the trade there are so many variables at play. Perhaps you're not explaining it correctly but what was started above is not something that would give me confidence instead it only raises more questions. Only 1/2" ply? Where? I-beam construction (don't know what that means exactly) Hand finishes? Not the best method unless you are going for a certain look. Not enough information to give an opinion but there are many more factors to be concern with than a somewhat meaningless piece of paper. What is covered in the warranty anyway? And how is it qualified?

"Only 1/2" ply?"

Where on any cabinet are you going to need more than 1/2" plywood?

"Where on any cabinet are you going to need more than 1/2" plywood? "

On the cabinets that I build the answer would be "everywhere." That's just my choice 3/4 all around with full top. I know some people use 1/2" but I don't need to save a few hundred dollars on a kitchen I charge enough. 1/2" doesn't give you much left over after drilling or doweling into the end grain or much depth into the side panel. It's not gong to fall apart but the reasoning behind it would cause me to question other things.

The cabinet brands that we carry offer a 'lifetime warranty'. In my experience, this means that the cabinet company is committed to always having replacement pieces in that style and that color available - forever. We have replaced cabinet doors in kitchens from the early 90s!

I bought and fabricated some of the last sheets of 3/4" DuPont Corian available from my distributor in the late 90s. They quit making it because it needlessly inflated the cost of countertops, as does 3/4" plywood on cabinets.

Anyone installing solid surface on full top cabinets will have to remove them or void their warranty. No, drilling holes doesn't work. Full underlayment retains heat.