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The Refacing Cost to reface a cabinet is $6,925, with expenditures ranging from $1,350 to $12,500. The cost to reface your kitchen cabinets increases dramatically when solid wood doors are used; with laminate or wood veneer, costs come down significantly.
Refacing cabinets is a less expensive option than replacing them entirely. Replacing kitchen cabinets might cost up to $24,600 for a big kitchen with bespoke cabinetry.
Refinishing your existing cabinet boxes and replacing the doors and drawer fronts makes refacing cabinets a more environmentally friendly method of updating your kitchen’s appearance while generating less waste for landfills.
| AVERAGE COST OF CABINET REFACING | |
|---|---|
| Average Cost | $6,925 |
| Highest Cost | $12,500 |
| Lowest Cost | $1,350 |
Cost of Cabinet Refacing Depending on Renovation Size
What is the price of refacing cabinets? That is contingent upon your financial commitment. Suppose you want to use high-quality materials to refinish kitchen cabinets on a wide scale. In that case, you may hire a kitchen remodeler for more than $15,000, or you can do it yourself for less than $1,000 using inexpensive supplies.
Let’s examine what constitutes a significant and small cabinet refacing project and the potential cost.
Major
A significant kitchen cabinet renovation costs $7,000 to $15,000 or more. In that price range, you would be furnishing your refurbished cabinet boxes with bespoke, solid wood doors, drawer faces, and opulent pull hardware, slides, and hinges. You may also consider adding cabinet lights and customizing the cabinets with trash pulls, spice racks, and other features for an additional fee.
Minor
The approximate cost of a small kitchen cabinet makeover is between $1,000 and $5,000. You would probably have to settle with wood veneer or laminate at this pricing range. At the absolute least, you may attempt refacing the cabinet and using the current hardware instead of buying new drawer pulls, hinges, and knobs.
| KITCHEN CABINET REFACING SCALE | COST RANGE |
|---|---|
| Major | $7,000 – $15,000 |
| Minor | $1,000 – $5,000 |
Remember that these restoration expenses only include the price of refacing kitchen cabinets. Depending on how ambitious you want to be, you should invest anywhere from $5,000 to $60,000 for a complete kitchen makeover.
Cabinet Refacing Cost by Linear Foot
What is the cost per linear foot of refacing cabinets? Anywhere from $500 to $90. The broad pricing range takes into consideration local labor costs as well as varying materials.
Remember that labor may account for up to 60% of the total cost of cabinet refacing; thus, material costs may only range from $36 to $200 per linear foot if you want to do the work yourself.
Budget-Based Cabinet Refacing Cost
Your kitchen cabinets may be refaced for almost any price range. Check out what you may be able to do at various pricing points:
Under $1,000.
Laminate may be used to reface cabinets in tiny kitchens. You will need to utilize the existing hardware and do the task yourself.
$1,000 – $5,000
Most kitchen cabinet sizes may have their cabinets refaced with wood veneer or laminate by hiring a professional. You can upgrade to new accessories like garbage pulls, under-cabinet lighting, and built-in wine and spice racks, but you probably can’t buy new hardware.
$5,000 – $10,000
For a big kitchen, you may pick premium wood veneer, opulent hardware, and fresh cabinet accessories within this budget. Alternatively, you might get a professional to replace the cabinets in a smaller kitchen with solid wood.
$10,000 – $15,000
Professionally built solid wood doors and drawer fronts with opulent hardware and distinctive accents are what you can expect. Installing one or two new, matching bespoke cabinets could be possible.
Cost of Cabinet Refacing by Material
You may use several materials to reface your cabinets’ doors and drawer faces. Still, solid wood (including plywood), wood veneer, and laminate (plastic or stiff thermofoil) are the most popular choices.
Laminate Cabinet Refacing Costs
The least expensive choice for refinishing cabinets is laminate, which costs between $90 and $110 installed per linear foot. Laminate is the preferred material for do-it-yourself projects since it is the simplest to install. Although laminate is available in many colors, it is not as strong as natural wood and is more prone to chipping or cracking over time.
| MATERIAL | TYPICAL COST PER LINEAR FOOT | TYPICAL PROJECT COST RANGE |
|---|---|---|
| Laminate | $90 – $110 | $1,350 – $2,750 |
| Wood veneer | $150 – $200 | $2,250 – $5,000 |
| Solid wood | $200 – $500 | $3,000 – $12,500 |
Costs of Wood Veneer Cabinet Refacing
Although wood veneer costs slightly more than laminate, it is still much less costly than natural wood. After installation by an expert, plan on spending between $150 and $200 per linear foot. Wood veneer, which comes in birch, cherry, maple, oak, and walnut forms, mimics actual wood more accurately than laminate.
Applying the wood veneer is more complex, however. Although you could install it yourself, we advise most homeowners to hire a professional to do the installation.
Costs of Solid Wood Cabinet Refacing
Solid wood is much more costly than other materials for cabinet refacing. For a complete installation, the cost per linear foot will range from $200 to $500. However, you get what you pay for. Solid wood is more abundant, long-lasting, and simpler to maintain over time via refinishing and repairs.
Labour Costs for Refacing Cabinets
Approximately 60% of the cost of kitchen refacing is labor-related. Thus, labour might account for up to $4,155 of the total cost of refacing cabinets, assuming you spend the same as the typical homeowner ($6,925).
Cabinet refacing is a multi-stage, labor-intensive operation that involves measuring, removing drawer fronts and doors, refinishing cabinet boxes, installing new doors and drawer fronts, installing hardware, and cleaning up afterward.
Doing this job yourself may save a lot of money, but be advised that it’s not a simple task—especially if you’re dealing with solid wood or wood veneer. Do you think you can handle the challenge? This is a step-by-step guide on refacing your cabinets.
Factors Influencing the Price of Cabinet Refacing
The total cost of cabinet refacing might vary depending on several variables. Think about elements such as:
Material
As we have seen, solid wood is much more costly than laminate and wood veneer. Although there are many benefits to utilizing solid wood, the cost may rapidly mount up when employing this material.
Geographic Location
Labour expenses are affected by where you reside. For a professional to reface your cabinets, anticipate spending extra per hour in places with a higher cost of living.
Size of Kitchen
There is often a direct relationship between the size of your kitchen and the quantity of cabinets in it. The cost of materials and labour will increase with the number of cabinets you have.
Extra Project Improvements Linked to Cabinet Refacing
In addition to resurfacing your cabinets, many more simple kitchen renovations will revitalize your cooking area. Other typical improvements to think about when refacing your cabinets are:
- Lighting beneath and inside cabinets may be installed.
- Refinishing your countertops (you can even paint your countertops)
- Including innovative cabinet attachments, such as trash pulls for concealed garbage cans or built-in wine racks
- swapping out some cabinets with unique ones, maybe to serve as the room’s central point
- Installing a new backsplash (if you want to do it yourself, the cost may be as little as $750)
Cost of Cabinet Refacing vs. Repairing vs. Replacing
You may be able to afford basic cabinet repair if one or two of your cabinets have seen better days and need a little TLC (perhaps refinishing one or two boxes, leveling some shelves, or repairing a crooked door). For cabinet repair, you should set aside between $300 and $500, depending on the severity of the problems.
That is much less expensive than replacing cabinets ($2,200 to $24,600) and less costly than refacing cabinets ($1,350 to $12,500).
Another option is to paint your cabinets. This simple do-it-yourself technique allows you to maintain your existing cabinets and avoid contributing to landfill debris. The average cost to paint kitchen cabinets is $775.
How much does a kitchen redesign cost on average?
Pros and Cons of Cabinet Refacing
Although there are many benefits to refacing cabinets, there are also some disadvantages to take into account:
Pros
- Refacing uses less energy than replacing cabinets since less debris is in landfills.
- While refacing is less expensive than replacing cabinets, it still offers your kitchen a modern appearance.
- You might do this without hiring a contractor if you’re experienced at do-it-yourself tasks.
- You can still access your food and cookware during the procedure, so your kitchen won’t seem like a construction site.
Cons:
- Refacing cabinets won’t make your kitchen’s layout more to your liking. Rethinking the arrangement and replacing the cabinets would be necessary.
- You could be tempted to purchase more upscale items (solid wood, ornate hardware) that you don’t need since the job will cost less.
- DIY projects like these might do more damage than good if you don’t know what you’re doing. Hiring a professional is a costly solution.
Four Ways to Reface Cabinets at a Lower Cost
Are you refacing cabinets on a tight budget? Here are a few simple strategies to reduce expenses:
- Refacing cabinets is an uphill task that you can do on your own. Since labour is around 60% of the total cost, doing the work yourself might result in significant cost savings.
- Remain with laminate: It may not be as elegant or long-lasting as natural wood, but it is less expensive and simpler to install.
- Obtain many quotes: Choose not to use the first contractor you come across when choosing a professional. Choose the lowest price after obtaining estimates from at least three reputable contractors.
- Reuse hardware: You don’t need to buy new knobs and drawer pulls if the hardware on your existing cabinets will complement the refaced cabinets’ unique style. Reinstall the outdated hardware instead to save money.
Comparing DIY Cabinet Refacing with Hiring a Professional
It may take a reasonably experienced do-it-yourselfer around eight hours spread over two days to reface cabinets, assuming no errors are made along the route. Refacing kitchen cabinets may save you up to 60% on the entire cost, but it can be not easy and take a lot of equipment and supplies, mainly if you’re not dealing with laminate.
Hiring a professional cabinet contractor to complete your cabinet refacing job makes more sense if you lack the necessary knowledge, equipment, tolerance, and accuracy. Hiring a professional makes even more sense if the refacing is a more extensive kitchen redesign component.
We consulted seven local and national cost databases and three contractors to get the average expenses in this article. The averaged data were accurate when publishing, but they might vary now.
Answers to Common Questions (FAQs)
How do I know if my cabinets are ready for refacing?
When you decide you can no longer live with the way your cabinets appear, they are ready for refacing. It would be simpler to sell your house if you reface your cabinets if they are outdated or if the drawer fronts and doors have seen years of wear and tear.
Just be sure to give the cabinets a thorough inspection. Replace the cabinets instead of trying to reface them if they’re in poor shape, have mold damage, or want to change your kitchen’s layout completely.
How are refaced cabinets done?
Refinishing the cabinet boxes to match the new doors and drawer fronts you’ve bought entails removing the old ones. Once the cabinets have been refinished, you may install the new faces and, if desired, upgrade the hardware to reflect the updated style.
How much money does cabinet refacing typically return?
According to the 2023 Remodeling Cost vs. Value analysis, a minor kitchen renovation, such as refacing cabinets, might return more than 85% of its investment, but estimates vary. Even though you won’t get your money back, remodeling your kitchen might speed up the selling process and save you money on mortgage, taxes, and insurance payments.
Is replacing or refacing cabinets less expensive?
It is less expensive to reface cabinets than to replace them. Refacing cabinets rather than having brand-new ones built might result in a cost savings of around 50%, depending on the materials and styles you choose and the size of your kitchen.
Is it worth it to reface kitchen cabinets?
Refacing kitchen cabinets might be well worth the expense if your kitchen is outdated and you would find it difficult to sell your home without making updates. Minor kitchen upgrades may speed up the sale of your home and provide a return on investment of around 85%.
Refacing cabinets is an inexpensive way to stay current with kitchen trends and create a light and welcoming kitchen, even if you aren’t planning to sell your house.
Which material is the least costly for cabinet refacing?
Laminate is the least costly material for cabinet refacing. Attempting to do the refacing yourself might result in further savings since laminate is the most straightforward material.
How do I estimate kitchen cabinet refacing?
Measuring the linear feet of your existing cabinets and estimating the cost of the materials you wish to use for refacing can help you determine how much kitchen cabinet refacing will cost. Remember to include labour expenses, which comprise around 60% of the total cost. To update any gear, you must also look at prices.
The figures might get complicated when labour, hardware, and other cabinet changes come into play. Obtaining quotations from many contractors may simplify the process and provide a more accurate cost estimate.
