Guide · Cost
How much to replace your kitchen cabinets?
The honest number, by tier and by linear foot - what actually moves the price, when refacing or refinishing beats a full replace, and how sourcing made-to-order, duty-paid, changes it.
Answer first
The number, in one breath.
Replacing every cabinet in a typical US kitchen usually means spending in the low-to-high five figures all-in - but the cabinets are only one line. On a materials basis, US cabinets run $100-300 per linear foot for stock up to $500-1,200 for custom, plus $50-100 per linear foot to install. If you source made-to-order and ship it duty-paid to your door, that cabinet line drops to a fraction of a US custom shop - you then add your own local installer.
The US baseline
What a full replacement costs, by tier.
Materials per linear foot, plus an estimated 20-lf run with installation. Real quotes vary with your market and finish.
| Tier | Materials, /linear foot | ~20 lf run, cabinets + install (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Stock | $100-300 | $3,000 - $8,000 |
| Value RTA | $150-250 | $4,000 - $7,000 |
| Semi-custom | $200-800 | $5,000 - $18,000 |
| Custom | $500-1,200 | $11,000 - $26,000 |
Add new countertops (roughly $1,500 - $8,000+) on top and you reach the total most mid-to-upper US kitchens actually spend on a replace.
What moves the number
The five levers behind the price.
- Tier / box quality. The single biggest lever. The jump from value RTA to custom is often a several-fold difference in the cabinet line alone.
- Linear feet. Cost scales with the length of base run. A bigger or galley kitchen simply has more feet to price.
- Door style + finish. Painted, lacquered or solid-wood doors and premium finishes cost more per door than a standard painted shaker.
- Hardware. Soft-close hinges and drawer glides, plus pulls, add up across every door and drawer.
- Install + demo. Tearing out the old run and fitting the new one is local labour - usually 15-25% of the project.
The decision
Refinish vs reface vs replace.
Not every project needs a full replace. The right choice is about the state of your boxes and what you want to change.
| Option | Typical US cost | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| Refinish / repaint | ~50-75% less than replace | Boxes are sound, you just want a new colour or finish |
| Reface | $4,000 - $9,500 (~$6,750 avg) | Boxes are sound, you want new doors + drawers, same layout |
| Full replace | low-to-high five figures all-in | Boxes are worn, or you want a new layout, appliance sizing or storage |
Rule of thumb: if your boxes are square, dry and solid, refacing gets you 80% of the "new kitchen" look for a fraction of the cost. If the boxes are warped, water-damaged, or the layout no longer works, a full replace is the honest fix - and that is exactly where a made-to-order factory earns its keep.
The import angle
Same run, two price tags.
A semi-custom 20-lf run, compared honestly - including what stays local either way.
| US shop | Adam Cabinet | |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinet cost (20 lf) | $4,000 - $16,000 | from ~$5,000, duty-paid to your door |
| Layout flexibility | Set widths + fillers | Built to the millimeter |
| Finish / door options | Catalogue range | Paint, lacquer, veneer, solid wood |
| Installation | Included or $50-100/lf | You add a local installer ($50-100/lf) |
We do not sell "free install" - we ship finished, made-to-order cabinets duty-paid to your door, and a licensed local installer does the demo, assembly and fitting. That is where the saving comes from: US custom-level flexibility, without the US custom markup on the boxes.
Budgeting
How to budget the project.
Budget three separate lines and the surprise disappears: (1) the cabinets - priced by linear foot and tier; (2) installation + demo - local labour, typically 15-25% of the cabinet cost; and (3) countertops + appliances - usually their own project. Get a fixed, duty-paid number on line one first; that is the line most people overpay on, and the one we can make honest.
FAQ
Replacement cost questions.
How much does it cost to replace all kitchen cabinets?
In the US it typically lands in the low-to-high five figures all-in. On a materials basis it is about $100 to $300 per linear foot for stock, $150 to $250 for value RTA, $200 to $800 for semi-custom and $500 to $1,200 for custom, plus $50 to $100 per linear foot to install.
Is it cheaper to reface, refinish or replace?
Usually, if the boxes are sound. Refinishing saves 50 to 75 percent over replacement, and refacing a typical kitchen runs about $4,000 to $9,500. Replace when the boxes are worn or you want a new layout, appliance sizing or more storage.
What is the most expensive part of replacing cabinets?
The cabinets themselves, and specifically the tier - door style, finish and box quality. Installation is usually 15 to 25 percent of the project, and new countertops and appliances are typically separate line items.
Can I save by importing cabinets from China?
Often yes. Sourcing made-to-order and shipping duty-paid to your door drops the cabinet cost to a fraction of a US custom shop while you keep full layout flexibility. You still add a local installer for assembly and fitting.
What does duty-paid mean, and what stays local?
Duty-paid, or DDP, means duties, freight and delivery to your door are included in one fixed price. What stays local is demolition, assembly and installation, which a licensed installer handles.
How long does a cabinet replacement take?
It depends on production, freight and your installer's schedule. We confirm the production lead time and shipping plan in your exact quote, so you are not guessing.
Pricing at a glance
Your number, worked out on your plan.
Made-to-order is priced by linear foot, tier and finish. We quote per linear foot, duty-paid, against your final drawing - with ocean freight, duty, clearance and delivery inside the number. Your exact, fixed duty-paid (DDP) quote - including what is and is not in that number - is free.
Replacing your kitchen?
Send your wall lengths (or a floor plan) on WhatsApp and we return a fixed, duty-paid (DDP) cabinet quote - plus a refinish / reface / replace recommendation. Free, no obligation.