Cabinet Maker in Chattanooga

June 15, 2026

A cabinet maker builds and installs custom and semi-custom cabinetry for kitchens, baths, built-ins, and commercial millwork, and a Chattanooga shop offers something a catalog order cannot: the chance to compare wood species and finishes in person, take field measurements in the actual room, and engineer cabinetry around the realities of an older home on the North Shore or a new build in the surrounding Hamilton County suburbs. Chattanooga has a population of roughly 186,000 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau) and anchors a metro that has drawn steady residential and commercial investment, which keeps demand active for custom kitchen and bath cabinetry, library and entertainment built-ins, custom hoods and closets, and the commercial casework that fills offices and retail spaces across the region.

Custom cabinetry sits at the top of a three-part market. Stock cabinets ship in fixed sizes and finish out quickly at the lowest cost, semi-custom lines allow modifications to standard boxes within a manufacturer’s catalog, and full custom work is built to the exact dimensions of a space with the buyer’s choice of species, joinery, and finish. Chattanooga shops often work across this range, pairing bespoke builds with semi-custom lines so a project can match a budget. Material choices drive both cost and durability: solid hardwoods such as maple, cherry, hickory, oak, and walnut for face frames and doors, plywood or medium-density fiberboard (MDF) for cabinet boxes, and finishes ranging from clear and stained to painted, glazed, and distressed.

In Tennessee, licensing turns on the size and nature of the work rather than on the act of building cabinets. A contractor’s license from the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors is required when the total project, combining labor and materials, reaches $25,000 or more. A separate Home Improvement license applies to certain residential projects valued between $3,000 and $25,000 in the counties that have adopted that license class, which include Hamilton, Davidson, Knox, and Shelby. A shop that simply sells cabinets as retail goods needs no contractor license, but installing cabinetry as part of a larger remodel can cross the licensing threshold. Cabinet purchases carry Tennessee’s 7% state sales tax plus the local option tax, bringing the combined rate in Hamilton County to 9.25%. Buyers can confirm a license at verify.tn.gov before signing a contract.

Consumers in Chattanooga are protected by the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), administered through the Division of Consumer Affairs, which handles complaints about deceptive trade practices. On construction work, the state’s mechanics’ lien law (TCA 66-11-145) gives those who furnish labor or materials 90 days from completion to file a lien, a timeline worth understanding when scheduling payment milestones. Practical steps protect both sides of a cabinetry project: request written specifications listing wood species, box material, finish, and hardware, confirm whether the price separates materials from installation labor, ask for the design drawings before fabrication begins, and verify any required license through the Board for Licensing Contractors. Comparing a shop’s custom capability against a semi-custom line, and confirming lead times in writing, helps a buyer match the work to both the room and the budget.

Top Cabinet Maker Providers in Chattanooga

1. H Cabinets and Millworks

Address: 1748 Gunbarrel Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421
Phone: (706) 866-7007
Website: https://hitcab.com
Services: custom residential cabinets, commercial cabinet builds, kitchen and bath cabinetry, millwork, remote design services
Description: H Cabinets and Millworks is a Chattanooga custom cabinet maker that has operated for 22 years, working from a location on Gunbarrel Road and running its millwork plant in nearby Rock Spring, Georgia. The company builds both custom residential cabinets and commercial cabinet jobs, handling kitchen and bath cabinetry along with broader millwork. Its process emphasizes quality-checked work by professional craftsmen and a range of finish and style options, and it offers remote design services for buyers who want to begin a project without an in-person visit. H Cabinets is a member of the National Kitchen and Bath Association, and it backs its work with a guarantee.

2. Olive Branch Woodworking

Address: 2401 Bachman Street, Chattanooga, TN 37406
Phone: (423) 457-8019
Website: https://www.olivebranchwoodworking.us
Services: custom kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities and cabinetry, custom closets, kitchen pantries, custom wooden built-ins, custom wood furniture, wood furniture refinishing
Description: Olive Branch Woodworking is a family-owned Chattanooga cabinet shop on Bachman Street that specializes in custom cabinetry, furniture, and wooden built-ins. The shop builds kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, closets, and pantries to match a home’s style and layout, and it also crafts custom wood furniture and refinishes existing pieces, which broadens its work beyond cabinetry alone. The company emphasizes high-quality, locally sourced materials where possible and invites prospective clients to visit the shop and meet the team. Olive Branch received a 2024 Best of the Best award from the Chattanooga Times Free Press, and it keeps regular weekday hours.

3. Classic Cabinetry

Address: 2601 Broad Street, Chattanooga, TN 37408
Phone: (423) 266-0077
Website: https://www.classiccabinetry.us
Services: custom kitchen cabinetry, bathroom vanities, closets, pantries, bars, laundry and mudroom cabinetry, built-in storage, custom hoods
Description: Classic Cabinetry is a Chattanooga custom cabinetry firm that has operated for more than 25 years from a showroom on Broad Street, designing spaces the company describes as personal, functional, and classic. Its work spans kitchens, bathroom vanities, closets, pantries, bars, laundry rooms, mudrooms, built-in storage, and custom range hoods. The firm follows a structured five-phase design process that runs from an initial consultation through design proposals, hardware selection, delivery and installation coordination, and a final installation with a quality review. Classic Cabinetry serves the greater Chattanooga region, maintains relationships with contractors and countertop vendors, and is a Guild Quality member.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cabinet Maker in Chattanooga

Q: Does a cabinet maker in Chattanooga need a contractor license?

It depends on the size of the job. A shop that only sells cabinets as retail goods does not need a contractor license. Once a cabinetry project reaches $25,000 or more in combined labor and materials, the work requires a license from the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. In Hamilton County, which has adopted the Home Improvement license, certain residential projects valued between $3,000 and $25,000 fall under that license class. Installation done as part of a larger remodel can push a project across these thresholds, so buyers should confirm a shop’s license at verify.tn.gov.

Q: What is the difference between custom, semi-custom, and stock cabinets?

Stock cabinets come in fixed sizes and a limited set of finishes and are the fastest and least expensive option. Semi-custom cabinets start from a manufacturer’s standard boxes but allow modifications to size, finish, and detailing within that catalog. Full custom cabinets are built to the exact dimensions of a room with the buyer’s choice of wood species, joinery, and finish, which gives the most design freedom and typically the longest lead time. Many Chattanooga shops work across all three, which lets a project balance cost against the degree of customization.

Q: How much is sales tax on cabinets in Chattanooga?

Tennessee charges a 7% state sales tax, and Hamilton County adds a local option tax that brings the combined rate to 9.25%. How labor is taxed can depend on whether the cabinet maker structures the job as a retail sale of goods or as an installation contract, so buyers should ask for an itemized invoice that separates materials, labor, and tax before signing.

Q: What wood species and box materials are common for custom cabinets?

Face frames and doors are commonly built from solid hardwoods such as maple, cherry, hickory, oak, and walnut, each with a distinct grain and price point. Cabinet boxes are typically constructed from plywood or medium-density fiberboard (MDF), with plywood generally favored for moisture resistance and screw-holding strength. Finishes range from clear and stained to painted, glazed, and distressed. A written specification that lists the species, box material, finish, and hardware helps ensure the delivered cabinets match what was quoted.

Q: How do I verify a cabinet maker’s license and protect my project in Chattanooga?

Confirm any required contractor or Home Improvement license through the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors at verify.tn.gov. Request written specifications and design drawings before fabrication begins, a price that separates materials from installation labor, and a clear payment schedule. Because Tennessee’s mechanics’ lien law (TCA 66-11-145) allows those who furnish labor or materials to file a lien within 90 days of completion, structuring payments around completion milestones offers protection for both the homeowner and the shop.

Q: How do I file a complaint against a cabinet maker in Chattanooga?

Complaints about deceptive trade practices or contract disputes can be filed with the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs, which enforces the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). Disputes involving a licensed contractor can also be directed to the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. Keeping the signed contract, design drawings, payment records, and photographs of any defective work strengthens a complaint.