How Much Does Installing Kitchen Cabinets Cost?
Typical Range:
$2,008 - $10,558
Typical Range:
$2,008 - $10,558
Cost data is based on actual project costs as reported by 6,945 HomeAdvisor members. Embed this data
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Updated September 30, 2022
Reviewed by Robert Tschudi, Expert Home Building and Remodeling Contributor.The cost to install kitchen cabinets ranges between $2,008 and $10,558, with an average cabinet installation cost of $6,032. Installing a single cabinet can cost as little as $240, while a large kitchen with fully custom, high-quality cabinets can run as high as $20,000 or more.
The most significant factor affecting the cost to replace kitchen cabinets is the type of cabinet you choose: stock, semi-custom, or fully custom. Additional factors can impact your cabinet replacement cost, including the style of the cabinets and the size of your kitchen.
2022 Notice: Material Prices Are Surging
Demand for siding and other building materials has grown over the past year. And as a result, manufacturers are increasing materials prices. Prices have gone up 5% to 10% this year, and many parts of the country are experiencing long delivery times. If you're planning a building project, we recommend starting as early as possible in the season, preparing for potential price fluctuations, and allowing extra time to order materials.
Let's calculate cost data for you. Where are you located?
Where are you located?
National Average | $6,032 |
Typical Range | $2,008 - $10,558 |
Low End - High End | $225 - $28,000 |
Cost data is based on actual project costs as reported by 6,945 HomeAdvisor members.
How much is it to install kitchen cabinets? While local kitchen designers don’t calculate the cost to install kitchen cabinets by the square footage of your kitchen, it can be a good starting place if you’re looking for a rough estimate before getting quotes.
The table below assumes stock or semi-custom cabinets with average prices. Custom cabinets would increase these costs by 50% to 100%.
Kitchen Size | Total Sq. Ft. | Total Cost Range for Cabinet Installation |
---|---|---|
Small | 70 | $1,700 - $11,000+ |
Average | 120 | $2,200 - $14,000+ |
Large | 200+ | $4,000 - $26,000+ |
A more accurate way of estimating how much installing kitchen cabinets costs is by the linear foot, generally anywhere from $100 to $1,200 per linear foot. Costs will vary by the cabinet depth, material, and style, but knowing the general linear length can help your pro give you a ballpark estimate, especially once you settle on a design.
The average kitchen has anywhere from 15 to 25 linear feet of cabinets, which could yield a cabinet installation cost of around $1,500 to $30,000, depending on the level of customization, material, and style.
Cabinet material costs make up 50% or more of project pricing; material and labor costs vary depending on the type of cabinets and installation complexity. To simplify cabinet cost estimates, we can break down cabinets into three types: stock, semi-custom, and custom.
Stock materials: $50–$200 per lin. ft. or $100–$650 per unit
Semi-custom materials: $75–$400 per lin. ft. with a single unit ranging from $150–$800+
Custom materials: $300–$750 per lin. ft. for materials with single units starting at $600
The materials you choose can be an even bigger factor than your level of customization. Wood cabinets are the most common and have a huge range, from pine and red oak to white oak or cherry. If you want to go the less costly route, you might consider laminate or thermofoil. These non-wood alternatives often mimic wood, and they're usually durable. But they're difficult to repair when damaged (meaning higher cabinet repair costs) and usually lack the richness and authenticity of real wood.
But materials only make up one-half of the equation. The table below breaks down the full cost to install kitchen cabinets by each type, including materials and labor.
Project Breakdown | Stock Cabinet per Lin. Ft. | Semi-Custom Cabinet per Lin. Ft. | Custom Cabinet per Lin. Ft. |
---|---|---|---|
Materials & Hardware | $50 - $200 | $75 - $400 | $300 - $750 |
Labor | $50 - $100 | $75 - $250 | $200 - $450 |
Total | $100 - $300 | $150 - $650 | $500 - $1,200 |
Stock cabinets run around $50 to $200 per linear foot or $100 to $650 per unit for materials alone. Fully installed, they’ll cost approximately $100 to $300 per linear foot.
You may have a few choices of different colors or trim styles within the stock category. Prices are low because the cabinets are manufactured in large quantities.
Semi-custom cabinets run around $75 to $400 per linear foot or $150 to $800 per unit. With labor factored in, expect to spend between $150 and $650 per linear foot.
Semi-custom cabinets can serve as an excellent compromise between stock and custom for price and flexibility, including the following:
More flexibility than stock options
Usually offered in a few popular traditional and contemporary styles with limited finishes
Ability to choose from different sizes with semi-custom options within standard dimensions
Custom cabinets cost anywhere from $300 to $750 per linear foot or $600 and up per unit. Once you factor in labor, you might spend as much as $1,200 per linear foot for custom cabinets. As the name suggests, these take you far from cookie-cutter territory and let you truly customize your kitchen.
You can get cabinets that fit odd-shaped rooms and appeal to the most eccentric tastes, but such cabinets tend to be more expensive. With custom cabinets, you're buying a one-of-a-kind piece. Local cabinetmakers may regard their work more as art than furniture.
The type of cabinets you choose may have the largest impact on the overall cabinet installation cost, but additional factors like labor rates, the number of cabinets, and special design details can also impact your final project estimate.
You’ll spend between $50 and $450 per linear foot on labor for hanging cabinets, depending on the type of cabinet you choose:
Labor for stock cabinets: $50–$100
Labor for semi-custom cabinets: $75–$250
Labor for fully custom cabinets: $200–$450
Cabinetry hardware, including pulls and handles, runs anywhere from $2 to $50 or more. Stock cabinets include hinges, which should appear as a line item in quotes. In fact, when you hire a remodeling contractor, they’ll usually include all hardware in their project costs. You can ask them to point these costs out to you in their estimate if you’re unsure.
Removing old cabinets generally runs from $300 to $500 for demolition and disposal, on top of the other cabinet installation costs already discussed. This means the average cabinet replacement cost is around $300 to $500 more than the cost to install kitchen cabinets in a new kitchen.
Here’s how that breaks down:
Kitchen Cabinet Cost Factor | Average Cost Range |
---|---|
Removal & Disposal | $300 – $500 total |
New cabinets (material) | $50 – $750 per lin. ft. |
Labor | $50 – $450 per lin. ft. |
Larger kitchens may result in more cabinets, increasing the project's material and labor costs. But your total costs could be lower if you're going for a minimalist look with fewer cabinets and more open shelving. Make sure you have adequate pantry storage to make up for this approach. Building a pantry costs around $500 to $5,000.
Basic stock cabinets don't offer many diverse design elements, but if you consider semi-custom and fully custom cabinets, you can enhance their design with trim and molding. These finer details can add high labor costs to the project.
Under-cabinet lighting is another way to improve the aesthetic and functionality of your kitchen. If you’re interested, under-cabinet lighting costs between $230 and $300 per light.
Moving kitchen cabinets around doesn’t increase installation or material costs. But you’ll have to consider costs associated with moving electrical outlets, plumbing, redoing drywall, and painting.
Moving electrical costs around $550+, depending on the project complexity.
Drywall patching costs about $580. Opening walls to move plumbing or electrical generally requires this type of wall repair.
Plumbing pricing runs around $650–$800 to reroute a single line.
Painting a wall costs at least $100 but may go as high as $500 if your painter has a minimum charge.
IKEA, Home Depot, and Lowe’s offer a range of cabinets, from stock to semi-custom to custom. Thus, their cabinet prices can vary significantly, though their off-the-shelf prices will be the lowest. For instance, Home Depot’s off-the-shelf cabinets start as low as $69 per linear foot.
Depending on the store and type of cabinet, you can usually roll installation into the cost. For example, IKEA charges $99 per cabinet for assembly and installation. Because prices can vary by the local labor market and the cabinet type, the easiest way to estimate the project is to visit the stores in person.
Refacing cabinets costs around $150 to $450 per linear foot. Refacing cabinets instead of installing new ones could significantly reduce project costs while still giving your kitchen an updated look. To reface cabinets, you'll remove the doors and drawers, install a wood veneer or laminate over the existing cabinet (sometimes called a "skin"), and install new doors and fronts to match. You might also add new fixtures and hinges to elevate the design.
Another option is to skip the reskinning and replace the doors and hardware. Whether replacing specific elements or refacing the entire cabinet, it's an environmentally friendly choice that reduces the waste involved with installing entirely new cabinets each time you update your kitchen.
Refinishing cabinets costs an average of $2,980 for an entire kitchen. Refinishing cabinets is a more economical way to update the look and feel of your kitchen without waste. However, refinishing doesn't last as long as refacing or replacing.
DIY cabinet installations are possible with the right equipment and experience, but the work is incredibly detail-oriented. Local kitchen remodelers have experience with a wide range of cabinetry products and can make recommendations for your style and budget. For the proper fit and finish and a stress-free kitchen remodel, hire a cabinet installer for this job.
Hanging cabinets in your bathroom will carry a similar cost as kitchen cabinets, from around $100 to $1,200 per linear foot, fully installed. If you’re looking for additional storage space in the bathroom but don’t have the wall space for cabinets, you can install a mirror with built-in storage or find a bathroom vanity that offers under-sink storage.
Installing a single kitchen cabinet takes about 1.25 hours for a pro, with an average kitchen usually requiring about 25 to 35 hours of labor to fully install cabinets. Custom work can easily take two or three times as long. If you’re attempting to DIY your kitchen cabinet installation, expect it to take at least twice as long as it would take a local handyperson or professional cabinet installer.
Local cabinet installers who specialize in home remodel finishing work typically install cabinets. You can hire a general handyperson to install your cabinets to save money. But when you’re working with custom cabinets, going with a professional with specialized training and experience is a safer bet. If you order your cabinets through a big-box retailer, they will often supply the labor as part of the project cost.
The cost of kitting out the average kitchen runs anywhere from $13,40 to $38,400. “Kitting” means to package everything together and is another way to refer to full kitchen remodel costs. In terms of a kitchen, this means doing all the remodeling at the same time—cabinets, floors, countertops, appliances, and fixtures.
You should always hang the upper cabinets before installing the lower cabinets. If you install the lower kitchen cabinets first, it can be challenging to work around them as you hang the upper counters. Plus, if you drop tools or materials while hanging the upper cabinets, you risk damaging the cabinets already installed beneath them.
Yes, base cabinets for kitchen islands and breakfast bars are attached to the floor (all the way down to the underlayment and subfloor). This keeps them from shifting as you lean on them. The cabinet installer will use basic wood screws to secure these cabinets to the floor. However, you don't need to fasten cabinets that run along a wall. Instead, the contractor will secure them to studs in the wall.