Our Story

Built by Someone Who Gives a Damn

Twenty-plus years in the shop. A five-person team. And a founder who came up through the trades the hard way — self-taught, obsessive, and allergic to cutting corners.

Richard Armstrong — founder of Armstrong Custom Cabinets

The Man, the Myth, the Leader

Armstrong Custom Cabinets is a five-person operation based in Surrey, BC. We build custom cabinetry, handle kitchen restorations, take on insurance work, do commercial millwork, and build anything else that requires real craftsmanship and good wood.

Richard doesn't just run the shop — he sets the standard for it. His belief is simple: if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right the first time. That's not a slogan. It's how he's operated since day one, and it's the expectation he holds every person on the team to, every single day.

The work ethic you see in the finished product isn't accidental. Richard leads by showing up first, staying latest, and never asking his team to do something he wouldn't do himself. That culture — of ownership, of pride, of not walking away from a problem until it's solved — transfers. His team doesn't just work for Armstrong. They build like they own it.

We serve Surrey and the entire Lower Mainland. Residential or commercial. New builds or restoration. If it's wood and it needs to be done right, we're the call to make.

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Richard Armstrong's custom guitar builds — the precision that carried into cabinetry

A Little About Richard

Richard Armstrong is a self-made guy. He didn't go to trade school. He didn't apprentice under anyone. He taught himself in a garage in his twenties, making mistakes and fixing them until things came out right. That's still how he runs the shop.

Before there were cabinets, there were guitars. He spent years building custom electrics — taught himself everything from shaping bodies to setting up necks to getting a finish that holds up under stage lights. He ended up doing a full recreation of Brian May's Red Special from Queen and a run of Van Halen-inspired Frankenstrat builds for collectors who cared deeply about getting it right. Not because he was chasing credentials, but because that's just how he works — once he's in on something, he's all the way in.

He talks straight, shows up on time, and won't hand a job off to someone who doesn't hold the same standard. When you work with Armstrong, you're working with Richard — and he takes that personally.

The Journey

Early 2000s

Learning the Hard Way

No trade school. Richard teaches himself woodworking out of a garage, starting with guitar builds. Joinery, finishing, shaping by hand — all of it figured out through trial, stubbornness, and starting over until it's right.

Mid 2000s

Brian May, Van Halen & What Precision Actually Means

Richard builds a recreation of Brian May's Red Special and several Van Halen Frankenstrat tributes. Collectors take notice. More importantly, Richard learns what it means to work at tolerances where anything less than perfect is just wrong.

Late 2000s

The Pivot

A friend asks Richard to build a set of kitchen cabinets. He applies the same precision and finishing standards from guitar building. The result is unlike anything the client has seen. More referrals follow.

2010s

Armstrong Custom Cabinets

The cabinet business formalises. Richard builds a team, takes on commercial projects, and develops specialties in insurance restoration and kitchen renovation. The guitar-shop standards come with him.

Today

20+ Years, 5-Person Team

Based in Surrey, BC, Armstrong Custom Cabinets is a five-person operation delivering custom cabinetry, millwork, restoration, and specialty builds across the Lower Mainland. Every piece is still built to the standard that started in a garage with a guitar.

How We Work

Four things that don't bend, no matter the project.

Precision First

Measure twice, cut once is a cliché. We measure four times. Guitar-shop tolerances applied to every joint, every edge, every finish.

No Shortcuts

We don't use filler where we should use wood. We don't spray where we should brush. If there's a right way and a fast way, we pick the right way.

Straight Talk

We'll tell you what it costs, how long it takes, and what the options are. No upselling. No surprises. Just honest answers from people who build things.

Built to Last

Trends fade. Good craftsmanship doesn't. We build cabinets and millwork that look just as good in ten years as the day they're installed.

The Team

Five people. One standard. Every project gets the full crew's attention.

Richard Armstrong

Manager, Designer & Sales

Gary

Master Fabricator & Installer

Shane Quinn

Installer & Fabricator

Mackenzie

Office Manager & Scheduling

Let's Talk About Your Project

From a simple cabinet refresh to a full kitchen build, we'd love to hear what you're planning.

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