Cabinet Cost - Explained

OK, we all know we do it, and for good reason. You want to get the best price, and you want to explore your options. As someone that has been painting cabinets for years I have made it my business to explain these options to potential customers when they ask, and they ask a lot. So, without bias I am going to do my level best to explain the options, cost, and pros/cons.

You want to update the look of your kitchen, you basically have 3 options.

Option 1: Buy new cabinets. So, when a company comes out to price your job for new cabinets they are going to measure, typically the "big box" store charge per linear foot. A linear foot is every 12 inches. The typical cost per linear foot for new cabinets can range between $100.00 to $650.00. That's every 12 inches. So, for an average size kitchen (20-25 doors) with in stock cabinets they start at around $6,000.00 This may or may not factor in tear out/disposal cost. PRO- Well, you have new cabinets. CON- It's messy, your old cabinets have to be torn out, new ones installed. May take up to 2 weeks maybe more or less, depending on which sub contractor they use.

Option 2: Refacing. Refacing Kitchen Magic notes that: It costs about 40-50% less than a full kitchen. So an average size full kitchen generally costs $12,000-$20,000 while a refaced kitchen of the same size is usually $7,000-$10,000. So, refacing cost $7,000-$10,000 and this is all done with veneer. PROS: You have newly veneered cabinets, will they adhere?

CONS: The veneer may or may not hang on, it may or may not have been glued properly

Option 3: Painting cabinets. We come in the first day, remove all the hardware, remove the doors and drawer fronts to go back to the shop to get sprayed with a HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) gun, the day that we take the doors and drawers off we will also degrease the bases and prime the bases. We prime with Benjamin Moore Extreme Bond Primer and top coat with Emerald Urethane Enamel. We put 3 coats on the bases and two sprayed on the doors/drawers. In 3 days we bring the doors/drawers back and rehang, put the pulls back on and wallah you have a new kitchen.

We have had folks ask why is it so expensive to paint cabinets, we think it's a bargain given the other options. PROS: It is not intrusive we come in get out job done and get out, from begin to end 4-5 days. It's much less expensive, does not create a big mess. CONS- I can't think of any.

Here is why we charge what we do. On the business side, we have taxes, payroll, our salary, fuel, maintenance on the trucks, equipment upkeep. And then try for a profit per job, it's business 101, we have to maintain business costs and make a profit to offer our services. We are sure our many happy customer will agree that the money paid is well worth the job received.

Thanks for taking the time,
Don and Renae Brabham
Brabhams Cabinet Paintng