First things first: check your indoor humidity. Make sure this isn't something the 'house' is responsible for (they will do their own checks anyway...so you might as well head them off at the pass). Now you need to find out what type of surface/wood/product was chosen? Which paint was used...the primer...and the finish (if there is one).

Who picked the cabinet company? Who paid them? Was it the GC or was it your choice and you paid them directly? These are all questions that will be asked (by Houzzers and by the people looking for 'who pays' type of answers) at some point.

How long has the company been in business? Are there other issues out there on the web?

What kind of paint was used? Hard to tell from pic. Conversion varnish is ideal and will be the most chip proof. Were they painted on site or factory painted?

who painted them, with what, and how was it prepped? Should it have happened? no. if proper prep work was done, and the correct paint (or pre-cat lacquer) was sprayed, then it should last just as if it was a factory finish.

Thank you for all of your advice! Fairly new company, excellent reviews. I hired and paid them directly. Need to find out about paint, primer and finish. I have no idea!!! They were built and painted in their shop and installed at our house. Can a custom paint job be as good as factory finish?

It depends on the shop, the product they use and their expertise.

While the deterioration of the finish is a problem, there is more going on than a painting problem. Your photo shows separation of the wood at a joint, and a slightly diagonal line that looks like a crack opening up in the wood. The joint separation can't always be avoided, and it's more noticeable on a painted finish than a stained one. The crack is either due to a flaw in the wood, or use of a piece of wood that had a small, possibly hard-to-see, crack, or resulted from a crack caused by fastener.

First if you had chosen MDF for the painted parts it would have been a better choice and you will have to find out if they used CV or just regular paint and so many things. They are new so who knows how many issues will pop up . Your contractor is not responsible for this IMO since you made the choices.

The person who did our cabinets was our contractor. He managed the project, built, painted and installed the cabinets and gave us a 2 year warranty on all of his work. The panels are MDF. just want to make sure this can be fixed.

I understood this was a custom cabinet company that you dealt ith on your own. If you have a warranty then he has to back it up with repair.

MDF cabinets are not entirely made of MDF. The panels are, but the thinner structural frame pieces which show cracking in your photos typically are (and need to be) kiln-dried wood for strength.

Right now you just need to talk with your contractor. Don try to be a pro. If your car is maki a nois and you tell your mechanic to repl the water pump and they do and they probl still exists your out time and money and st have the noise. Same with this. Dont try to decide the wr paint was used or not enough prep. Could be that but maybe not. Just listen and look carefully at the contract covering the painting of the cabinets. Think it over and then negotiate a solution to the problem.

following

following

The best cabinet finish is a post catalyzed conversion varnish.

http://shearerpainting.com/conversion-varnish-advantages-over-lacquer/

Paint isn't the only problem on this job. The doors fit poorly. I don't think someone knows what they're doing.

Cabinet should be covered by the manufacture therefore the paint if they came painted. As that a manufacturers rep come and look at them. Your contractor or the rep should be able to adjust the doors that are out of wack.

IMo the problem is a contractor trying to be a cabinet maker.

The problem with new companies with great reviews is that you do not know how the cabinets will hold up after ten to fifteen years. As you can see here, you cannot tell the quality of a cabinet finish by just looking at it. The quality is in the durability of the finish and the ability to withstand normal wear and tear. When looking for a quality cabinet, whether custom or semi-custom, look at how long the company has been in business and the warranty they offer. Almost anyone can make a cabinet look good for a week or two. But the best cabinet manufacturers have finishes that can look like new after fifteen years.

The company is offering to come back and repaint the whole kitchen. Do you think these issues will then be resolved? I understand wood cracks naturally but the paint is peeling away from where the cracks are starting.

Its hard to say -that could be from how they prepped the cabinet - I have heard that when the paint is done in one or 2 thicker layers that will happen more vs more thinner layers... Hopefully someone with customer finish experience will chime in...

“The company is offering to come back and repaint the whole kitchen. Do you think these issues will then be resolved?”

Only if:

1. They’ve identified the root cause of the failure and
2. Have taken the appropriate corrective action

The other issue, these are inset cabinets which must be kept adjusted. It looks like the edges are hitting each other.

"come back and repaint"? Were those sprayed on-site instead of in a humidity controlled environment with proper equipment, ventilation and cure time? If they are planning to try and remedy this on your premises, there is no way that I would let them do that. If you are planning to stay in this house for any length of time, I would ask for a full refund. Those cabinets should not be peeling after only five months.

You’re scaring me!!! They were painted in their shop in a special type of booth. I don’t know what to do. Do you think it’s not able to be fixed at this point?

I agree with Sammy. It is difficult to say if you don't know what type of product they used or why the finish is lifting. I am afraid that they may not have been prepped or cured properly. I have painted cabinetry in three bathrooms, two kitchens, and other built in cabinetry and have never had a problem like that. It is normal to see some movement during change of season, but not lifting or peeling. There's lots of info out there on why painted cabinets will peel. If you are seeing this issue throughout your cabinetry, I would get your contractor's remedy in writing and then consult with another cabinetry expert in your area and see if they concur with their fix.