Custom Cabinets in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Custom cabinets in Fort Lauderdale have to hold up in a city that sits on water. Fort Lauderdale counts 165 miles of waterways and about 7 miles of beach within its limits, at an elevation of roughly 7 feet. That setting shapes nearly every choice we make with a client here, from the box material to the hinges to the finish on a vanity door.

What the climate asks of a cabinet

The city's wet season runs from May through October, with average highs in the upper 80s and lows in the mid to upper 70s, and more than half of summer days can bring an afternoon or evening thunderstorm. The airport station records about 61 inches of rain a year. Air that damp moves into every room that is not tightly conditioned, and cheap particleboard swells when its edges are exposed. For kitchens and baths here we usually recommend:

• Plywood or moisture-resistant boxes instead of standard particleboard, especially under sinks
• Fully sealed edges and backs, not just painted faces
• Stainless or coated hardware in rooms that open toward the water
• Finishes cured properly before install, so they are not trapping moisture from day one

High-rise units and older homes, side by side

Fort Lauderdale mixes condominium buildings with single-family streets in neighborhoods such as Rio Vista, Colee Hammock and Tarpon River. The city officially recognizes more than 60 neighborhoods. About 54.1% of homes are owner-occupied, according to Census estimates, and the median owner-occupied home value is $486,700. That leaves a lot of renters, and a lot of owners who live in buildings run by an association. Our process changes depending on which one you are.

Working inside a condominium

Florida's condominium law limits what an owner can do on or to the common elements, and it bars unit owners from anything that would adversely affect the safety or soundness of the common elements. A new kitchen inside your unit usually stays within your walls, but moving plumbing, cutting into a shared wall or bringing material up a service elevator can all involve the board or management office. We put together a written scope with cabinet layouts and a list of trades involved so you can submit it for approval before we order anything. If your building is three or more habitable stories, it is also subject to Florida's milestone inspection law, and some associations schedule unit work around those inspections and any repairs that follow.

Permits for kitchen and bath work

Replacing cabinet boxes on their own is a different job from relocating a sink or adding circuits for new appliances. Since July 1, 2026, Fort Lauderdale has applied Florida House Bill 803: on a single-family home outside a flood hazard area, cosmetic, non-structural work valued under $7,500, with cabinet replacement named as an example, may be exempt from a building permit. The exemption is not automatic. The owner or contractor submits the city's Residential Permit Exemption Request form and must have written approval before work starts, and the Building Official makes the final call. Condominiums, apartments and other multifamily buildings are excluded, so most high-rise kitchens do not qualify. Any electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas or structural work still needs a permit regardless of cost, and licensed trades handle those portions. We tell you up front which parts of your plan are likely to need a permit or an exemption request so the schedule reflects it.

Everything we build in Fort Lauderdale

• Custom kitchen cabinets sized to your room, including tall pantry walls and island bases
• Custom bathroom vanities with sealed interiors for steamy baths
• Closets and built-in storage for walk-ins, reach-ins and hallway linen towers
• Entertainment centers and built-ins for living rooms with water views and media walls
• Cabinet refacing for solid boxes that just need new doors, drawer fronts and veneer
• Outdoor kitchen cabinets for patios, pool decks and docks that face salt spray

Historic houses need a lighter touch

Some of the city's historic houses sit along the New River and in the Riverwalk area, home to the Stranahan House. Bonnet House is on the National Register of Historic Places, listed in 1984. If your home has original trim, plaster walls or out-of-square rooms, we scribe and fit cabinets to the walls you actually have rather than forcing the room to match a stock box.

Start with a free estimate

Call (754) 340-8881 or send photos and rough measurements. We visit, measure, talk through materials, and give you a written quote that lists each cabinet run, the finish and the hardware.

Get a Free Estimate