Cabinet decision guides

Cabinet showrooms sell against the highest tier your budget will bear. That is not malice, it is how the business is compensated. The defense is deciding the tier before you walk in.

The condition test. Empty a base cabinet and look inside. Is the box square, dry, and free of swelling at the toe kick and under the sink? Do the doors close flush? Is the face frame solid? If yes to all, your boxes have life left and you should not be paying to throw them away.

The layout test. Where does the kitchen actually frustrate you? If the answer is "it looks dated," that is a finish problem. If the answer is "there is nowhere to put a pot," "the fridge blocks the aisle," or "there is a dead corner," that is a layout problem and refacing will not solve it. Paying $6,750 to reface a layout you hate is the most common expensive mistake in this category.

The tier test for replacement. Standard rectangular kitchen with normal ceiling height? Stock or semi-custom, $80-$300 per linear foot. Sloped ceilings, odd angles, a specific millwork detail, or unusual dimensions? That is where custom at $500-$800 per foot earns its price. Custom for a normal room is a preference you are entitled to, not a requirement.

How to choose

Decide the tier before the showroom

Write your ceiling number and your tier down and take it with you.

Name the actual frustration

Cosmetic complaints get solved by finish. Functional complaints need layout. They have very different prices.

Never reface a layout you dislike

You will spend thousands and still be annoyed every day.

Price both paths from the same firm

Ask a single company to quote reface and replace. It exposes the real cost of the upgrade.

Sleep on the design presentation

3D renderings are persuasive by design. Take it home before you sign.

Budget 10-15% you do not spend

Wall repair behind old cabinets and out-of-level floors are discovered after demolition, not before.