If your kitchen layout works but the cabinets look dated, you have two main options: reface the cabinets you have or replace them. Here’s how we help Palm Beach County homeowners decide.
| Refacing | Replacing | |
|---|---|---|
| What changes | New doors, drawer fronts and veneer on existing boxes | Entirely new cabinet boxes, doors and drawers |
| Layout | Stays the same | Can change completely |
| Countertops | Can often stay | Usually replaced |
| Disruption | Lower; kitchen often usable | Higher; full tear-out |
| Best when | Boxes are solid plywood and dry | Boxes are particleboard, damaged, or layout must change |
A kitchen refresh, with counters, backsplash, sink and fixtures, typically runs $16,500 to $30,000. A mid-range remodel with new cabinets in the same layout typically runs $27,000 to $47,500. High-end remodels with layout changes run $75,000 to $150,000+. Use the cost calculator for your kitchen.
If the boxes are sound and the layout works, refacing is good value. If you’re going to live with the kitchen for 10 or more years, or the boxes show any moisture damage, replacement usually pays off. See framed vs. frameless cabinets, custom cabinets and kitchen remodeling.
Usually, because the cabinet boxes and often the countertops stay. The savings shrink if you are replacing countertops anyway.
It is possible, but in Florida humidity particleboard boxes often swell, so we usually recommend replacement if they show any moisture damage.
No. Refacing keeps the existing boxes and layout. Layout changes require new cabinets.
Written by the North2South Renovations team, led by Colby Matheny, Florida Certified Building Contractor CBC1269429, based in Delray Beach. Questions about your project? Call (561) 664-3256 or request a free estimate.