How Much Does It Cost to Replace Kitchen Cabinets?

Reviewed by Carol J Alexander remodeling expert. Written by Fixr.com.

The average cost to replace kitchen cabinets is around $8,000, which accounts for between 25 and 30 linear feet of cabinets at an average of $300 per foot. Your costs per linear foot could fall as low as $250 for stock cabinets or as high as $500 or more for custom kitchen cabinetry, which puts the typical costs for an average-sized kitchen between $6,250 and $15,000.

Quick Takeaways

• Kitchen cabinet replacement costs an average of $300 per linear foot, and the average kitchen has 25 to 30 feet of cabinets, including base cabinets and wall cabinets.

• Installing semi-custom or custom cabinets will drastically increase your costs, sometimes as much as doubling the price per linear foot.

• Coupling your new kitchen cabinets with a countertop will cost an average of $11,000, which includes $3,000 for the new countertop.

Costs to Install Kitchen Cabinets

Factors That Influence Kitchen Cabinet Installation Cost

The cost of replacing kitchen cabinets depends on several factors. The main one is the type of cabinet and countertop you choose, but there are other things to consider. Let's look at them here.

Kitchen Cabinet Quality

Kitchen cabinets come in three different levels of quality: stock, semi-custom, and custom. 

Stock Cabinets

Stock cabinets run from $100 to $300 per linear foot, depending on the style, size, and manufacturer, with an average cost of $200.

Stock cabinets come in standard sizes and are available for pick-up at your big box store. They're typically made of plywood or particleboard with a melamine veneer in several color choices. Or, you can purchase them with paint-grade, unfinished fronts and use a high-quality kitchen cabinet paint to customize your look.

Semi-Custom Cabinets

Semi-custom cabinets cost from $150 to $400 per linear foot and average around $275 per linear foot.

Semi-custom cabinets consist of premade boxes, typically plywood, with custom fronts and colors. You can purchase semi-custom cabinets from a cabinet manufacturer or a major retailer like Home Depot. Depending on where you shop, you'll be able to choose from a variety of styles, wood options, and finishes. If you work with a cabinet maker, you'll have more options and the ability to choose custom colors.

Custom Kitchen Cabinets

The best kitchen cabinets — custom-made fixtures — cost from $200 to $500 per linear foot in most cases, and most people pay around $350 per linear foot.

Cabinet makers create custom cabinets according to your sizes and specifications. When working with a cabinet maker, you can choose all the details. From wood species and finishes to style and size, you control the cabinetry design.

Cabinet Style

Having standard-sized upper and lower cabinets is one thing. Installing a kitchen island, a floor-to-ceiling pantry, or other specialty cabinets will influence the overall cost. Here are a few specialty cabinets and their price ranges.

• Lazy Susan: To install a lazy Susan kit in a corner cabinet, expect to pay $80 to $200 on top of the standard per-linear-foot cost for your cabinet.

• Spice rack: Add $100 to $200 to the cabinet cost for a spice rack pull-out.

• Trash can: The kit for a trash can pull-out adds $70 to $125 to the cabinet price.

• Floor-to-ceiling cabinet: A floor-to-ceiling cabinet will add about 30% to the typical per-linear-foot cost of your cabinets.

Number of Cabinets

Of course, the size of your kitchen is a significant factor in the number of cabinets you install. You’ll pay less for cabinets in a smaller kitchen that has fewer linear feet to replace. In a larger kitchen, the number of cabinets and a longer countertop add to the overall cost. Expect to add an average of $300 per linear foot of cabinets you need to install.

Countertop

If you're replacing your cabinets, you may want or need to replace your countertops as well. The cost of the new countertops will add an average of $3,000 to your kitchen remodel cost. That number can vary quite a bit, though, based on the material you choose and how many square feet of countertop you need. 

The average kitchen has around 30 square feet of countertop, so you can use that and the table below to set your budget.

Additional Factors

Besides the basics, there are a few other cost factors to consider.

• Hardware: Cabinet hardware like drawer pulls, cabinet door knobs, and hooks add to the total cost. Depending on the size, material, and finish, one drawer pull can cost as much as $10 to $12. On average, expect to pay between $50 and $200 for all new hardware.

• Labor cost: If you have a cabinet maker build custom cabinets, their price will include installation. But if you purchase stock cabinets, you're faced with the dilemma of hiring someone to install them. Typically, a finish or trim carpenter can do this for you. They charge from $67 to $125 per hour, depending on where you live.

• Upgrading current cabinets: If you already have cabinets installed and don’t want to pay to replace them completely, you can opt for kitchen cabinet refacing. This is a minimally invasive project that takes a fraction of the time to complete compared to a teardown and new cabinet installation. Refinishing solid wood or plywood cabinets costs an average of $3,500 for an average kitchen. Refacing kitchen cabinets will cost an average of $7,100.

The Average Cost to Install Kitchen Cabinets

Setting your budget based on averages is helpful, but if you already know what your budget is, it’s more useful to know what you can get for the money. Below, we’ll look at each level, what it could include, and its cost range. That way, you can feel confident knowing what’s reasonable to expect in your price range.

The Budget-Friendly Option

A budget-friendly cabinet installation costs from $4,000 to $6,500.

Since kitchen cabinets are one of the most costly elements in a kitchen remodel, many homeowners who fall into this pricing level opt to install stock cabinets. But that's not all. Here are a few other options you may have.

Features and materials you’ll find in a budget-friendly kitchen cabinet installation:

• Painting existing cabinets, which costs an average of $1,000

• DIY installation of stock cabinets

• Stock or semi-custom base cabinets with open shelving

• Laminate, quartzite, or quartz countertop installation

The Mid-Range Option

The average price for a mid-range cabinet installation is from $5,000 to $10,000, depending on the extent of the work, with an average of $8,000.

Having some additional money in the budget gives you more options for customizing your cabinets. You likely won't be thinking about trying to hang your own cabinets. You'll hire a professional trim carpenter or handyman at this price level. And, rather than stock cabinets from IKEA or Lowe's, you can afford semi-custom cabinets. Here are a few other options you'll find in this pricing category.

Features and materials you’ll find in a mid-range kitchen cabinet installation:

• Refacing your kitchen cabinets, which costs an average of $7,100

• Painted semi-custom cabinets

• A few specialty items, like a pull-out spice cabinet or rolling shelves

• Natural stone countertops, like granite

• Tall wall cabinets that create a pantry

• An island

The High-End Option

A luxury cabinet installation costs from $10,000 to $30,000 or more, depending on the extent of the work.

A luxury home demands more than the average kitchen. This pricing tier allows you to afford custom hardwood cabinets and high-end marble countertops, and many homeowners in this tier hire a professional interior designer to bring everything together and get the most value. Here are a few ideas to get your creative design juices flowing.

Features and materials you’ll find in a high-end kitchen cabinet installation:

• Custom cabinets with designer built-ins 

• Specialty pieces that improve functionality and complement the design aesthetic

• High-quality materials like marble countertops and cherry cabinets

• Design elements like radius cabinets, pilaster legs, corbels, and custom carvings

• Large islands and luxury appliances

FAQ: Kitchen Cabinet Replacement