How much does it cost to replace cabinets?
Remodeling kitchens are one of the most expensive investments in the life of a homeowner. The kitchen is a valuable space. It serves not only for the practical function of cooking and serving, but as the catering centerpiece in many homes. Traditionally, the dining room or living room was separate when entertaining guests. The trend in the past decade has been to open the space, blending the living room and kitchen together as the focal point to any occasion. This has made cabinets much more desirable ascetically, which is why Resurrect Wood Refinishing has been determined to provide a durable and cosmetic overhaul without needing to replace cabinets completely.
Based on a Big Box Home Improvement store estimate calculator (which does not include the hidden upcharges), a standard 10 x 10 L-shaped kitchen is going to be approximately $7,100-$8,900 to demo and install new cabinets. This number is for their “basic” cabinet boxes, which are described as “furniture board construction.” This is a thin MDF board with a maple veneer glued on top to mimic the appearance of wood veneer. It is essentially a sticker. It is not real solid wood and incredibly weak against accidents in the kitchen, sagging from weight, and peeling from the Florida humidity. Most importantly you can only construct with them one time. You have one chance to drill a screw in and that’s it. You can never upgrade them, never redoor them, likely any changes at all will require ripping out again and replacing. The quote for this style of cabinet is only 30” tall and includes basic hinges. Handles are not included in this price and it must be stressed that any plumbing or electrical problems that are discovered during installation will be costly as well as wallboard damage, exposing old broken tiles or backsplash etc.
Working with the same layout, their most expensive offering is going to be approximately $17,000-$21,300. This price increase is only because of decorative trim options and not genuine quality material. The boxes are now plywood with a maple veneer glued on top. They are still not real wood cabinet boxes and suffer the same risks as described with the basic tier format. The hinges have been upgraded to soft-close and the cabinet boxes extend to the ceiling. The cabinet doors may appear stylish, but it’s likely the center panel is thin MDF. These small differences are not worth the $10,000 price difference, especially considering that the material and construction is essentially the same.
Is it hard to install cabinets?
Installing cabinets is difficult work, which is why it is the majority of cost when considering new cabinets. Do not be fooled by the seemingly good price on a major retailer’s site. Those veneer cabinet boxes are just the material cost and do not advertise the installation price until the contract is finalized. Resurrect Wood Refinishing has mastered not only refinishing any type of wood, but provides a Re-Door option to convert to real wood doors. This option will save homeowners thousands of dollars by preserving the existing cabinetry while delivering a fresh new look. There is no reason to install new cabinets unless the boxes are falling apart from the wall, and even that may be able to be repaired with the right carpenter.
Why are cabinets so expensive?
Cabinets are expensive because they are one of the few items that cannot be mass produced at a high quality. Big Box Home Improvement Stores have figured out a way to replicate the look of quality cabinets without the actual integrity. There have been multiple instances where a customer has been frustrated because their new cabinets built in 2019 are worse than the oak cabinets they had in their old home from 2005. Quality cabinets require genuine craftsmanship. If there is a decrease in the available labor, it will affect the current market.
Is it better to Refinish than Replace?
The best value for refinishing cabinets is that it is consistently ⅓ the cost of replacing cabinets. The best incentive for refinishing is that if the existing cabinets are of great quality our price is going to remain the same. Where retailers will upcharge $10,000 from cheap MDF to less cheap plywood, our refinishing quote will stay true to the essential charges of quality product and labor. The small investment in refinishing can majorly impact the total value of a home as we can make cabinets look brand new again.
