Is it expensive to reface kitchen cabinets?

August 14, 2024

When considering a kitchen upgrade, many homeowners face the question: is it expensive to reface kitchen cabinets? The short answer is that refacing can be costly, but it's always a more affordable alternative to a full cabinet replacement. To know whether this investment suits you, it's essential to look at the factors contributing to the refacing cost, such as the potential value it adds to your home and how it compares to other renovation options.


What Does Refacing Kitchen Cabinets Involve?
Cabinet refacing is a process where the exterior surfaces of your kitchen cabinets are updated while your core cabinet boxes are left intact. This typically includes replacing the cabinet doors and drawer fronts, applying new veneers to the visible parts of the cabinet boxes, and updating hardware like handles, pulls, and hinges. Since you aren't tearing out the existing cabinets, the labor and materials are less intensive than getting a full cabinet replacement, which means a more affordable way to update your kitchen cabinets.

Refacing is excellent for homeowners who like the current layout of their kitchen but want a new aesthetic or want to improve worn cabinet surfaces. If your cabinets are still structurally sound but have outdated or damaged finishes, refacing offers a fresh look without the disruption and higher costs associated with a complete renovation.

There are times when refacing might not be the right choice, such as when your cabinets have significant structural damage or if you want to change the layout of your kitchen. In these cases, a full cabinet replacement may be necessary and comes with more costs and considerations. At Cabinet Reface Direct, we inspect your current cabinets to ensure they are good candidates for refacing before we do the job.


Factors That Influence the Cost of Cabinet Refacing
Cabinet refacing is substantially less expensive than renovation. Several factors influence the cost of refacing kitchen cabinets, making it difficult to give a simple answer to the question of whether it's expensive or not, but on average, the cost of refacing kitchen cabinets over the cost of renovation will save you 70% or more.

One of the most significant factors is the size of your kitchen. Big kitchens with more cabinets will naturally require more materials and labor, increasing the overall cost. Another major cost factor is the materials you select for refacing. Budget-friendly options include laminate veneers, which can give your cabinets a modern look at a lower cost. Higher-end materials like natural wood veneers, custom finishes, and upgraded hardware can increase the cost.

Labor costs can vary based on location and the complexity of the job. While some homeowners attempt DIY refacing to save money, we recommend professional installation to ensure the job is done correctly. Making mistakes during a DIY project can cost more in the long run because you might need to hire someone to fix them. At Cabinet Reface Direct, we keep our labor costs down, offer solutions for any budget, and guarantee our work, so you'll always get great results.


Comparing Refacing with Full Cabinet Replacement
When considering whether cabinet refacing is expensive, it's important to compare it to other options, especially full cabinet replacement. Replacing your kitchen cabinets entirely typically can cost between $12,000 and $20,000, depending on the size of your kitchen, the materials you choose, and the complexity of the installation. This is significantly more expensive than having your cabinets refaced, making it a more attractive option for those who want to update their kitchen on a budget, have structurally sound cabinets, and are satisfied with the functionality of their current cabinets.

A complete replacement of your cabinets has other costs to consider that you don't have when you choose cabinet refacing. Cabinet replacement means removing your old cabinets, which could involve disposal fees. There's also a potential for additional repair work to walls or floors that might be damaged during removal. Refacing eliminates these extra costs because the original cabinet frames remain in place.


Return on Investment
Finally, let's consider the return on investment. Maybe you aren't thinking about selling your home, but if you do, refacing the kitchen cabinets offers a potential return on investment (ROI). As a huge selling point in a home, kitchen renovations offer one of the highest ROIs among home improvement projects, which makes it ideal for homeowners looking to increase the value of their property.

Cabinet refacing can refresh and modernize your kitchen, one of the home's most important rooms for prospective buyers. A well-maintained and updated kitchen helps sell a home faster and potentially for more money. Even if you're not planning to sell, refacing offers value in terms of personal enjoyment and functionality. Updating your kitchen makes the space feel new again and more in touch with your style.

Another often overlooked benefit of refacing is its environmental impact. Since the existing cabinets remain in place, refacing generates significantly less waste than a full replacement, making it a more eco-friendly choice for those looking to reduce their renovation footprint.


Leaders in Cabinet Refacing
At Cabinet Reface Direct, our mission is to deliver affordable, professional, and reliable cabinet refacing to our customers. We are a manufacturer and installer of custom cabinets. Because we do everything ourselves, from the manufacturing to the installation, we ensure quality from start to finish. Because there is no middleman, we pass the savings to our customers.

We offer full-service cabinet refacing solutions, including free estimates, multiple design options, and an affordable, fast, clean installation process. Our work is fully guaranteed, so no matter what your needs, you can count on us to deliver the absolute best.

Because we believe everyone should have access to the cabinets of their dreams, we also offer financing with interest rates as low as 0% and $99 a month.

If you're looking for something more, we offer other home improvement services with the same quality and satisfaction as our refacing services, including countertops, custom cabinets, kitchen organization, accent walls, and even full renovation. Our goal is to always give our customers the home of their dreams at a cost that fits their budget.

If you're looking for new cabinets at the best price, call Cabinet Reface Direct at 877-673-3223 to schedule a FREE in-person consultation.