How do I teach my son to estimate custom cabinet jobs before I retire?

An estimate for custom cabinets is a string of small judgments: how hard the site will be, how much the client will change their mind, where the hardware and finish will push cost up. You likely do this without thinking, which makes it hard to teach. Start by narrating. When you price a job, say aloud what you noticed and why it changed your number.

Next, hand him jobs of rising difficulty. A straightforward vanity first, then a full kitchen, then a tricky install. Have him write his estimate before he sees yours, and sit down together to go over each difference without blame. Keep the notes; they become the shop’s own estimating guide.

After each job, set the real hours and material use against his estimate. This is where the lesson lands. Also teach the soft side: how to read a client, when to push back on scope, how to word a quote. Before you retire, let him run estimates on his own for a stretch while you stay available but quiet. Be patient when his numbers miss at first. Underbidding one job teaches more than a dozen safe ones, provided the shop can absorb the loss and he sees exactly where the estimate went wrong.

Key takeaways

• Narrate your thinking on real jobs so the unspoken judgment becomes visible.
• Have him estimate first, then compare with yours and the finished job.
• Give him harder jobs gradually and let him run solo before you leave.