Pricing for cabinet refacing can be done in a variety of methods. I choose the one I think is most easy to understand and explain. My method and that used by most cabinet refacing companies I deal with is to charge by the linear foot of cabinet. That means you only have to measure the total length of your bottom cabinets and add this to the total length of your top cabinets and you will have your total linear feet of cabinet space. It is only necessary to measure the cabinet where there are doors and drawers. For example, it is not necessary to add all four sides on a kitchen island when you only have doors and drawers on one side.
Most normal 10×10 kitchens would have around 20 to 25 linear feet of cabinets. The method is to price the job by the linear foot. For simple replacement of the doors and drawers with a hardwood ply with the upgraded euro-style hinges and hand-rubbed finish would run about 0 per linear foot. If you choose solid wood doors and doors in the frame and panel style, the price increases to 0 to 0 per linear foot depending on the type of wood and how much surface veneering is necessary. The cost of a "new" kitchen can be as low as 00 for a great-looking panel style kitchen in oak, maple, cherry, mahogany or walnut. The price for other cabinets in the bathroom or office are also done by the linear foot, so it makes it easy to stay within a budget and get the look you want throughout your house. 0 to 0 per linear foot is a good estimate to use for many customers wanting more than just the basic refacing package. When comparing to new cabinets with tear-out and installation, you may spend around ,000 to ,000 for the same look you could get with refacing. In addition, the zero-reveal, modern cabinets are currently only available through high-end custom cabinet makers and are prohibitively expensive. And for those cabinets readily available at retail stores, hardwoods such as mahogany, cherry, and walnut will cost substantially more. Refacing customers can get those same hardwoods in the ,500 to ,000 range for a 20-linear-foot kitchen.
Refacing is different from refinishing. Refinishing uses existing doors and drawers. The finish is removed or painted over to provide a different look. These options usually cost below ,000 for a 10×10 kitchen, depending on the finish and current state of the cabinets. Many times the styles of the current doors and drawer fronts are a big part of what is dating the kitchen. A new finish can be better, but it might not allow you to get out of that country-style '80's kitchen. We are seeing many new painting techniques that achieve a big change in looks which can work well for those on the tightest budgets.
In conclusion, your options from lowest to highest costs are repainting, refacing, and replacing. 0 to 0 per linear foot is a good estimate for what refacing will cost you. For those desiring a very cutting-edge, modern look seen in today's kitchen, bath, and office furniture trends magazines, refacing creates the best look for the lowest price.
