Kitchen cabinets can be one of the most expensive elements of a kitchen remodel. The cost of new cabinets depends on several factors, including the type of material, quality of construction, number of cabinets needed, custom vs stock, and special features. On average, new kitchen cabinets cost $100 to $300 per linear foot installed. For a typical 10×10 foot kitchen with 25 linear feet of cabinets, total costs usually range from $2,500 to $7,500. High-end custom cabinets can cost $500 or more per linear foot.
Factors That Determine Cabinet Cost
Several key factors impact the total cost of kitchen cabinets:
Type of Material
The material used to construct the cabinets is the biggest driver of cost. Solid wood and plywood cabinets tend to cost the most, while engineered wood and thermally fused laminate cabinets are lower cost options.
- Solid wood – $125 to $250 per linear foot. Highest quality option using hardwoods like oak, cherry, maple. Durable and can be refinished.
- Plywood – $100 to $200 per linear foot. Made from layers of wood glued together. Provides sturdy construction.
- Particle board – $75 to $150 per linear foot. Made from wood particles pressed into sheets. Prone to swelling from moisture. Usually has vinyl or laminate coating.
- Thermally fused laminate (TFL) – $50 to $120 per linear foot. Particle board coated with plastic laminate coating for water resistance. Most economical option.
- Stainless steel – $175 to $400 per linear foot. Modern, durable option for a contemporary look. Resistant to moisture and impact.
- Glass – $250 to $600 per linear foot. Used for display cabinets to create an open, airy aesthetic. Requires special mounting and framing.
Quality of Construction
Higher quality cabinets made with thicker materials, dovetail joinery, and soft-close hinges and drawers will increase costs. Consider:
- Thickness – 3⁄4 inch thick cabinet sides recommended for durability vs 1⁄2 inch stock cabinets.
- Joinery – Dovetail joints strongest method to join cabinet boxes vs staples or nails.
- Drawers – Soft-close slides and pull-outs provide more storage and easier access.
- Doors – Self-closing hinges create clean look after each use. Glass/inset panels more expensive than flat recessed.
- Hardware – Sturdy full extension drawer glides, antique/unique handles and pulls add cost.
Stock vs Custom Cabinets
Stock (prefabricated) cabinets cost $80 to $200 per linear foot. Custom cabinets are made to fit the exact measurements of your kitchen and allow personalized design, but cost $200 to $1000+ per linear foot.
Number of Cabinets
The total number of cabinet doors, drawers, and cabinet sizes impact overall cost. More cabinets means higher material and labor expenses. Consider your storage needs and kitchen layout to optimize costs.
Special Features and Modifications
Unique storage solutions, organizational inserts, glass cabinet doors, or custom trim and moldings will increase the cabinet expense. Special modifications like reducing cabinet depth or height also increase labor time and costs.
Average Cost to Install New Kitchen Cabinets
Based on the above factors, the average total cost to purchase and install new kitchen cabinets ranges from $2,500 to $7,500 for a 10×10 size kitchen.
Here is a breakdown of average cabinet costs for a standard 10×10 kitchen:
- Low end = 10 cabinets at $100 per linear foot installed = $2,500
- Mid-range = 10 cabinets at $200 per linear foot installed = $5,000
- High end = 10 cabinets at $300 per linear foot installed = $7,500
These estimated costs include materials, labor for installation, and sales tax for a major metropolitan area. Additional costs may apply for demolition and disposal of old cabinets, modifications to make cabinets fit, lighting or electrical work, countertop installation, and painting/finishing.
As a general rule of thumb, expect to pay approximately 10-15% of your total kitchen remodel budget on new cabinets. For a more customized kitchen, cabinet costs could be 25% or more of your total budget.
Cost Breakdown by Cabinet Type
Here is a more detailed look at average per linear foot pricing based on different cabinet materials and qualities:
Stock Thermally Fused Laminate (TFL) Cabinets
Low End TFL Cabinets
- Material: Thermally fused melamine laminate on particle board
- Thickness: 3⁄4” sides; 1⁄2” shelves and backs
- Hinges: Standard concealed
- Hardware: Plastic handles and pulls
- Drawers: Standard hardboard bottoms
- Cost per linear foot: $50 to $70
Mid-Range TFL Cabinets
- Material: Thermally fused melamine on MDF
- Thickness: 3⁄4” sides; 1⁄2” shelves and backs
- Hinges: Self-closing concealed
- Hardware: Iron handles and pulls
- Drawers: Dovetail construction
- Cost per linear foot: $80 to $100
Semi-Custom TFL Cabinets
- Material: Thermally fused melamine on plywood
- Thickness: 3⁄4” sides, shelves, and backs
- Hinges: Soft-closing concealed
- Hardware: Iron handles and pulls
- Drawers: Soft-close undermount glides
- Cost per linear foot: $110 to $120
Stock Wood Cabinets
Economy Wood Cabinets
- Material: Particle board with laminate veneer
- Thickness: 3⁄4” sides; 1⁄2” shelves and backs
- Hinges: Standard concealed
- Hardware: Plastic handles and pulls
- Drawers: Hardboard bottoms
- Cost per linear foot: $75 to $100
Standard Wood Cabinets
- Material: Plywood with veneer fronts
- Thickness: 3⁄4” sides and shelves; 1⁄2” backs
- Hinges: Self-closing concealed
- Hardware: Iron handles and pulls
- Drawers: Dovetail joinery
- Cost per linear foot: $110 to $135
Semi-Custom Wood Cabinets
- Material: Solid wood fronts, plywood box
- Thickness: 3⁄4” sides, shelves, and backs
- Hinges: Soft-closing concealed
- Hardware: Iron handles and pulls
- Drawers: Soft-close undermount glides
- Cost per linear foot: $160 to $190
Custom Wood Cabinets
Mid-Range Custom Cabinets
- Material: Plywood construction
- Thickness: 3⁄4” sides, shelves, backs
- Hinges: Soft-closing concealed
- Hardware: Iron or solid brass
- Drawers: Dovetail, soft-close undermount glides
- Cost per linear foot: $200 to $250
High-End Custom Cabinets
- Material: Solid wood construction
- Thickness: 3⁄4” minimum sides, shelves, backs
- Hinges: Soft-closing concealed
- Hardware: Solid brass, unique pulls
- Drawers: Hand-cut dovetail, soft-close full extension
- Cost per linear foot: $300 to $500+
Cost of Other Cabinet Components
In addition to the cabinet boxes, other elements like doors, drawers, shelves, and hardware will impact costs. Here are typical price ranges for each component:
Cabinet Doors
- Standard flat panel: $25 to $100 per door
- Raised/Shaker panel: $35 to $150 per door
- Glass insert: $75 to $250 per door
- Custom designs: $250+ per door
Drawers
- Standard roll-out: $50 to $100 each
- Soft-close undermount glides: $75 to $150 each
- Custom roll-outs: $200+ each
Shelving
- Standard fixed shelves: $25 to $50 each
- Adjustable shelves: $35 to $75 each
- Glass shelves: $75 to $200 each
Hardware
- Standard handles/pulls: $2 to $25 per item
- Decorative handles/pulls: $25 to $50 per item
- Soft-close hinges: $5 to $10 per hinge
- Undermount drawer glides: $15 to $25 per drawer
Miscellaneous
- Trim molding: $2 to $10 per linear foot
- Toe kick: $10 to $30 per linear foot
- End panels: $75 to $200 each
- Interior organizers: $50 to $200 per cabinet
Factors That Increase Cabinet Costs
Several options will boost the price of your new kitchen cabinets:
- More cabinets – Adding more wall cabinets or specialty storage like pantry cabinets, microwave cabinets, or garage cabinetry.
- Larger cabinets – Oversized cabinets for large appliances or wide spans increase material costs.
- Added height – Extending cabinet height to ceiling requires additional materials and work.
- Custom sizing – Any cabinets with non-standard widths or heights cost more in labor and materials.
- Specialty storage features – Roll-outs, organizers, cabinet inserts add functional storage but also cost.
- Glass fronts/doors – Glass cabinet fronts or glass door inserts look great but add a premium.
- Custom or decorative trim – Moldings, corbels, appliques, embellished designs require skilled labor.
- Unique finishes – Special glazes, paint techniques, or finishes like crackling or antiquing add labor time.
- Premium hardware – Upgraded hinges, antique or decorative handles and pulls boost cost.
- Lighting – Under cabinet lights or inside cabinet lighting add functionality at an extra expense.
Factors That Decrease Cabinet Costs
You can lower your total cabinet cost in a few ways:
- Stock cabinets – Prefabricated stock cabinets cost 20-50% less than custom.
- Limit specialty features – Skip glass doors, roll-outs, and other upgrades. Stick to essentials.
- Standard sizes – Use standard cabinet widths and heights vs custom sizes.
- Limited decor – Simple recessed panel doors and minimal trim/molding lowers cost.
- Medium or light colors – If painting, lighter paint colors are cheaper than dark shades.
- DIY installation – Save on installation costs by installing cabinets yourself if experienced.
- Discount retailers – Big box stores offer more affordable options than local cabinet shops.
- Sale or closeout items – Consider discounted in-stock cabinets rather than custom to save.
Cost to Reface vs Replace Kitchen Cabinets
In addition to installing all new cabinets, homeowners can also choose to reface or repaint existing cabinets at a lower cost. Here is how refacing or repainting compares:
Reface – Keep existing cabinet boxes, replace doors, draws, and hardware. Costs about 50% less than new cabinets.
- Avg. Cost: $1,300 to $3,500
Repaint – Light sanding, priming, and new paint on cabinet boxes and doors. Cheapest option.
- Avg. Cost: $500 to $2,000
Replace – Remove old cabinets entirely and install new from scratch. Highest cost but longest lifespan.
- Avg. Cost: $2,500 to $7,500
While refacing or repainting cabinets costs less up front, the tradeoff is a shorter lifespan vs. new cabinetry. New cabinets should last 15-20 years, while refacing may need updates in 5-10 years. Evaluate your budget, timeline, and existing cabinet condition to decide if refacing/repainting or full replacement is the better investment.
DIY vs Hiring a Contractor
Installing kitchen cabinets is a challenging project best left to professionals. However, for those with carpentry skills, DIY installation can save on labor costs. Expect to pay a contractor about $100 per hour for cabinet installation. DIY can save 50% or more on labor, but the tradeoff is spending days or weeks completing the project solo. Make sure to get professional advice on layout and design before purchasing cabinets. Consider hiring a contractor just for trickier parts like hanging wall cabinets or installing specialty pull-outs and organizers.
Hiring a Kitchen Cabinet Contractor
When hiring a company to purchase and install new kitchen cabinets, here are some helpful tips:
- Get at least 3 quotes to compare pricing and options.
- Verify they are licensed, insured, and experienced with cabinet installation. Request references from past clients.
- Confirm timeline and who will be responsible for securing permits if needed.
- Understand what services they provide – do they include plumbing and electrical modifications in the proposal? Cabinet demolition? Countertop installation?
- Inspect display models carefully for quality of materials, hardware, and construction. Open and close doors and drawers.
- Don’t feel pressured into making a decision on the spot. Take time to thoroughly review quotes before signing a contract.
How Long Does Cabinet Installation Take?
Kitchen cabinet installation typically takes 2 to 5 days depending on the scope of work:
- Demo and removal of old cabinets: 1/2 to 1 day
- Basic install of new cabinets: 2 to 3 days
- Install with added plumbing or electrical: Add 1-2 days
- Complex layout or integration of specialty storage: Up to 5 days
Many contractors recommend you allot 1 week with a buffer for potential delays or issues. If you are combining the cabinet install with countertop replacement, backsplashes, or appliance upgrades, plan for the total project to take up to 2 weeks.
Design Tips to Optimize Your Kitchen Cabinets
Careful planning and design of your kitchen cabinet layout can maximize function and storage. Here are some useful tips:
- Mix upper and lower cabinets, tall pantry units and specialty pull-outs to make the most of vertical and horizontal space.
- Include a variety of drawer sizes – shallow drawers for utensils, medium for cooking items, and deep for pots and pans.
- Incorporate “dead space” into the layout for storage, like corner cabinets or a message center.
- Ensure proper clearance for appliances like the refrigerator, range, and dishwasher based on manufacturer specs.
- Use filler panels and molding to disguise any gaps between cabinets and ceilings or walls.
- Install interior cabinet organizers, spice racks, blind corner storage and other space-saving inserts.
- Consider easy-access roll-outs for base cabinets and lazy susans for corner cabinet efficiency.
- Float wall cabinets to give an airier, more open look with increased visibility and functionality.
Average Costs for Related Kitchen Remodel Projects
Beyond just the cabinets, many other elements make up a kitchen remodel project. Below are the typical costs for other common kitchen upgrades:
- Countertops – $1,000 to $5,000, with granite, quartz, marble, and solid surface costing $50 to over $100 per square foot installed.
- Sinks and Faucets – $200 to $2,000+ for undermount sink installations, high-end faucets, and plumbing modifications.
- Backsplashes – $300 to $600 for tile backsplash installation. Higher if using glass, stone, or mosaic tiles.
- Lighting and Electrical – $200 to $1,000+ for under cabinet lighting, pendant lights, recessed cans, and electrical upgrades.
- Flooring – $3 to $12 per square foot for materials and professional installation of new wood, tile, vinyl or laminate flooring.
- Painting – $300 to $700 for priming, painting walls, ceiling, trim, doors. More if also painting cabinets.
- Appliances – $2,000 to $10,000+ for a full suite of appliances like a range, refrigerator, dishwasher, and microwave.
When budgeting your kitchen remodel, expect to spend $15,000 to $30,000 or more for a complete gut renovation. The NKBA estimates the average minor, mid-range, and major kitchen remodel costs at $13,000, $26,000, and $66,000 respectively in 2021-2022.
FAQs About Kitchen Cabinet Costs
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about kitchen cabinet prices:
How much do Home Depot kitchen cabinets cost?
Home Depot offers both stock and semi-custom cabinet lines ranging from economy to premium options. Pricing averages $50 to $250+ per linear foot. Stock cabinets cost around $100 per linear foot. Higher-end Hampton Bay Designer Series run $200 to $300 per foot.
How much do custom made cabinets cost vs stock?
Custom cabinets average $200 to $1000+ per linear foot. Stock cabinets range from $80 to $200 per foot. The extra cost buys tailored sizing, storage features, materials, and detailing.
What is the most expensive kitchen cabinetry?
The most expensive cabinets use premium materials like exotic imported woods, hand-distressed finishes, and architectural accents. Fully customized designs can cost $500 to $1000+ per linear foot installed.
What are the cheapest options for kitchen cabinets?
Thermally fused laminate stock cabinets from home improvement stores cost as little as $50 per foot. DIY refacing kits also offer an affordable alternative starting around $100 per linear foot.
Should I DIY or hire a professional?
Installing kitchen cabinets is