Kitchen Remodeling

How Much Does It Cost to Replace Kitchen Cabinets?

Cabinet replacement costs $8,000–$40,000+ depending on stock vs custom, kitchen size, and whether you reface or replace entirely.

8 min read

Replace vs reface vs repaint

Full replacement offers the most layout flexibility. Refacing updates doors and veneer while keeping boxes — often 30–50% less than replacement.

  • Repaint/refinish: $2,000–$8,000
  • Refacing: $4,000–$12,000
  • Full replacement: $8,000–$50,000+

Stock, semi-custom, and custom

Lead times and price increase with customization. Stock cabinets ship in weeks; custom can take 8–12 weeks.

  • Stock: $100–$300 per linear foot installed
  • Semi-custom: $150–$500 per linear foot
  • Custom: $500–$1,200+ per linear foot

Hidden costs to budget for

Demo, disposal, drywall repair, and hardware upgrades add to the cabinet line item.

  • Soft-close hinges and drawer slides
  • Crown molding and filler strips
  • Plumbing disconnect for sink base

What a cabinet bid should list that a countertop bid will not

Cabinets are boxes, doors, drawers, fillers, and labor to hang them level. They are not the slab, the sink cutout, or the backsplash. Mixing those lines is how two “kitchen quotes” look $15,000 apart when one included quartz and the other did not.

  • Count actual drawer boxes, not false drawer fronts on the sink base
  • Ask whether the quote includes demo, haul-away, and wall repair behind the old boxes
  • Crown, light rail, and matching end panels are often optional lines — decide before you sign

Refacing math versus a new layout

Refacing only wins if the boxes are plywood-sound and the layout already works. If you need a trash pullout where a dummy drawer sits, or you want to steal a wall for a pantry, replacement is the cheaper honest path. Do not reface boxes you plan to rip out for an island.

  • Open a sink-base door and look at swollen particleboard at the plumbing cutout
  • If doors no longer sit square, the box may have racked — replacement territory
  • New boxes let you change heights and depths; new doors on old boxes do not

Frequently asked questions

Is it cheaper to reface or replace cabinets?
Refacing is usually cheaper if cabinet boxes are structurally sound. Replace when layout is poor, boxes are damaged, or you need more storage.
Does cabinet replacement include new countertops?
Usually not. Fabricators template after cabinets are set and filled. Budget counters as a second contract unless your GC explicitly lists both with allowances.
Can I keep my existing counters and only change cabinets?
Rarely a clean fit. New boxes rarely match old heights and depths, so the old slab will not drop back on. Plan on new counters if you replace the boxes.