Refacing kitchen cabinets

Re: Refacing kitchen cabinets

Henry W

Chuck:

Be sure to shop around.

20 years ago or so, when we first moved into our mid-60's ranch house with site built cabinets, I agreed against my better judgement to have Sears Home Improvement come out and price refacing our cabinets. They did measurements etc and then a looong sales job. They dragged their feet getting to the price, talking up all the benefits, yada yada, yada.... 90 minutes later I finally got sick of it and asked for the price (3rd time!) or asked them to leave. The price quoted (20 years ago) was MORE than what it cost us to have our entire kitchen redone last year! Our redo price included flooring, granite, and re-configuring a few spots in the cabinets (basic layout is the same, just a few tweaks).

I knew at the time that their refacing price was exorbitant, and they started offering discounts etc, but I was sick of them (2 guys to do this sales job!) and just asked them to leave.

Moral - Find a reputable contractor (holds for any work), but refacing may not be any cheaper than new cabinets.

Henry

Re: Refacing kitchen cabinets

Brian Holcombe

Refacing is expensive, there are a ton of variables and you are ultimately left with no improvements in layout or function.

Kitchen cabinets are not especially complicated but they are a lot of work. Take it from me who has been jointing and thicknessing material for drawers for 3-4 days now (by hand).

The going rate for this work, in my area, seems expensive on its face but doing the work provides that it is in fact fairly priced.

I dislike commercial veneers and so saw my own, which adds to the time a bit.

Re: Refacing kitchen cabinets

Barry Irby

A friend of a friend just got a quote of $16,000. I know nothing about his kitchen but I have remodeled several, including all new cabinets for way less than that.

They are providing all new doors and drawer fronts and drawer boxes. You can buy those online form a number of sources.

Re: Refacing kitchen cabinets

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

Chuck, I cannot help on price, but I can give you an estimate of time if you deal with it yourself.

Our kitchen required a similar amount of doors and drawers. The layout and cabinet carcases were retained. The doors were changed to Shaker-style frame-and-panel, all cut from solid wood (in our case, this was Hard Maple), and hand finished in water-based poly (I do not have spray equipment).

My one expenditure (outside wood) was a Domino for joinery. You do need a thicknesser/planer, jointer, bandsaw, table saw.

You can substitute veneered ply for the panels (mine were solid wood). Raised panels would take longer, of course.

In all, I spent 17 weekends building and installing the doors and drawer fronts.

There is a write up here:

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/Kitchen%20Rebuild.html

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/KitchenComplete.html

Regads from Perth

Derek

Re: Refacing kitchen cabinets

Don Stephan

Years ago there was a company in Cincinnati that advertising on television "refacing" kitchen cabinets. They applied new laminate (Formica, Wilsonart, . . .) to the existing surfaces on site. From your post, I'm not sure if you mean new laminate onto the existing surfaces, or simply replacing the existing doors and drawer fronts. Depending on what type of hinges and drawer supports were used, and whether the drawer fronts were separately applied to four sided drawer boxes, you might wish to price both options.

Re: Refacing kitchen cabinets

Chuck Bjorgen

As I stated in my first post I'm no longer able to take on this kind of project myself. About 15 years ago I did build and install lower cabinet full extension units for which my wife has been eternally grateful. I also sold my table saw last year but it's more about being physically unable to launch into this kind of project myself.

I might stop by my local Home Depot or Lowes to see what they offer. Lowes did interior doors for me a few years ago and I was happy with their work and felt the price was fair. Thanks, all, for your comments.

Re: Refacing kitchen cabinets

William Duffield

I sympathize with your problems. We're all getting older, slower, with more aches and pains, and our facilities are slowly failing. A general question, for the community: Have you considered the practicality of finding a young apprentice who will exchange their labor for your expertise, and maybe right of first refusal for your tools and supplies. I know we are not all experts at teaching others, nor do we have exemplary management skills, and some of us just get grumpier as we age.

Re: Refacing kitchen cabinets

Dave Bair

Check your local Yellow Pages under "Cabinet Refinishing" to find any local service that isn't affiliated a big-box store.

Re: Refacing kitchen cabinets

Chuck Bjorgen

Check your local Yellow Pages under "Cabinet Refinishing" to find any local service that isn't affiliated a big-box store.

Probably good advice, Dave.