One of the first questions on any project is what it will cost. Custom millwork does not have a price per foot the way stock cabinets do, because every piece is drawn, built and fitted for one space. What we can do is explain what moves the number, so you can make decisions that put your budget where it shows.
1. Scope and quantity
The biggest driver is simply how much is being built. A single host stand and a full room of banquettes, tables and a back bar are different projects. Repetition helps: once a chair, bench or table is engineered and jigged up, each additional unit costs less than the first. A production run like the spindle-back chairs and benches we built for Okesutora benefits from that.
2. Solid wood vs. veneer
Solid hardwood costs more in material and labor than veneered panels, but it can be repaired and refinished and it wears better on edges and tops. Many good projects mix the two: solid wood where hands and shoes touch, veneer on large flat panels and casework sides.
3. Wood species
White oak, walnut and cherry are priced differently and vary with the market. Quartersawn or rift-sawn stock, which is more stable and shows straighter grain, costs more than plain-sawn. See our white oak vs. walnut vs. cherry guide for how they compare.
4. Curves and complex geometry
Straight runs are the most efficient thing to build. Curved banquettes, radiused bar fronts, arched niches and anything fitted around arched windows need templates, bent lamination or kerfed substrates, and more fitting time. Curves are often worth it, but they are where budgets grow fastest.
5. Joinery and hand work
Real joinery, such as through-tenons, dovetails and hand-turned parts, takes longer than screwed and biscuited construction. Hand carving takes longer still: the carved oak panel on the Franquette counter took more than 45 hours on its own.
6. Finish
A simple clear finish is the baseline. Stains, fumed or ebonized finishes, color matching to samples and durable film finishes for bar tops add steps. In commercial spaces the finish is what protects the work, so it is rarely the right place to cut.
7. Upholstery, metal, glass and hardware
Leather and performance fabrics, solid brass or steel details, glass and specialty hardware all add material cost and coordination. The Citizen Hotel front desk combines walnut, leather, glass and bent solid brass, which is part of what makes it look the way it does.
8. Site conditions and installation
Out-of-square walls, uneven floors, tight access, upper floors without freight elevators and after-hours install windows all affect labor. Accurate field measurement up front prevents expensive surprises later.
9. Distance and delivery
Projects outside our home region add crating, freight and travel. Planning can keep that efficient: for Little While in San Diego, we made one trip to measure and handled the rest remotely.
10. Schedule
A realistic schedule is the cheapest one. Compressed timelines are possible, but they can mean overtime and less flexibility with materials.
How to get a useful estimate
- Send drawings, a floor plan or clear reference photos
- Note preferred species and finish, or ask us to recommend
- Tell us the install address, access and target opening date
- Share a budget range so we can suggest where to spend and where to save
To understand the steps from estimate to install, see how a custom millwork project works. You can also browse our commercial millwork and restaurant furniture pages, or request an estimate.
Related guides: Restaurant banquette dimensions · Reception desk dimensions