Frequently Asked Questions

A modern kitchen with stainless steel hood and glass doors.
How Much Do Kitchen Cabinets Cost?

For a typical kitchen remodel in the U.S., kitchen cabinets alone can range roughly from $5,000 to $30,000+, depending heavily on the size of the kitchen, cabinet construction, materials, and customization. Our typical ticket over the last 5 years has been just over $14,000. 

Kitchen cabinet lead times vary depending on the manufacturer, cabinet line, finish, customization, and current production schedules.

Stock and ready-to-assemble cabinets can sometimes be available within days, while semi-custom and custom cabinetry commonly takes several weeks. Some specialty finishes or highly customized orders may take longer.

It’s important to ask about the current lead time before placing your order, because estimated production times can change.

At Exclusively Cabinets, your designer can help you select a cabinet line that fits both your design and your project timeline.

Semi-custom cabinetry offers more flexibility than standard stock cabinets while generally costing less than fully custom cabinetry.

Depending on the manufacturer, you may be able to choose from different:

  • Cabinet sizes
  • Door styles
  • Wood species
  • Paint colors and stains
  • Finishes
  • Storage options
  • Decorative details
  • Interior accessories

Semi-custom cabinetry is often a great middle ground for homeowners who want a personalized kitchen without the price of fully custom cabinets.

For many homeowners, semi-custom provides the best balance of price, quality and design flexibility.

Full overlay refers to how the cabinet doors and drawer fronts sit over the cabinet frame.

With full overlay cabinets, the doors cover most of the visible cabinet frame, creating a clean, contemporary appearance with relatively small gaps between doors and drawers.

Full overlay is particularly popular in:

  • Modern kitchens
  • Contemporary kitchens
  • Transitional kitchens

It provides a more streamlined appearance than traditional partial-overlay construction.

Inset cabinetry is designed so that the doors and drawer fronts sit inside the cabinet frame, rather than on top of it.

This creates a very clean, furniture-like appearance.

Inset cabinets are particularly popular in:

  • Traditional kitchens
  • Transitional kitchens
  • High-end kitchens
  • Furniture-inspired designs

Because inset cabinetry requires extremely precise construction and installation, it can cost more than standard overlay cabinetry.

One thing to consider is that inset cabinets can also provide slightly less usable interior space than overlay cabinets because the doors occupy space within the cabinet opening.

Neither material is automatically “better.” The right choice depends on where the material is being used and what you’re looking for in your cabinets.

Plywood is a layered wood product known for strength, durability and resistance to changes in temperature and humidity. It is commonly used for cabinet boxes and structural components.

MDF (medium-density fiberboard) is made from compressed wood fibers. It has a very smooth, consistent surface and is particularly well suited for painted cabinet doors because it doesn’t have a natural wood grain that can show through the finish.

A quality cabinet can incorporate both plywood and MDF strategically.

When comparing cabinets, don’t simply ask whether they’re “plywood” or “MDF.” Ask about the entire construction of the cabinet, including the box, doors, drawer components, hardware and finish.

There isn’t one wood species that’s best for every kitchen.

Common choices include:

  • Maple – smooth, consistent grain and excellent for painted or stained cabinets
  • Oak – strong and distinctive grain
  • Cherry – naturally warm with a rich appearance that changes over time
  • Walnut – premium appearance with a dark, sophisticated grain
  • Alder – softer wood with a more rustic character
  • Birch – relatively consistent grain and often a value-oriented option

The best choice depends on the look you’re trying to achieve, your budget and how you want the cabinets to age.

For painted cabinetry, the construction and finishing process can be just as important as the wood species.

The “best” finish depends on your style, lifestyle and budget.

Popular options include:

Painted finishes
Great for clean, timeless and contemporary kitchens. White, cream, gray, green and blue remain popular choices.

Natural wood finishes
Show the natural grain and character of the wood.

Stained finishes
Add color while allowing the natural wood grain to remain visible.

Glazed finishes
Add another layer of color and can emphasize cabinet details.

Specialty finishes
Distressed, textured, matte and other specialty finishes can create a more distinctive appearance.

When selecting a finish, consider more than color. Look at durability, cleaning requirements, lighting and how the finish will work with your countertops, flooring and backsplash.

There’s no standard number of cabinets for a kitchen.

The number depends on:

  • Kitchen size
  • Wall length
  • Island size
  • Appliance locations
  • Sink location
  • Pantry requirements
  • Storage needs
  • Cabinet sizes
  • Architectural features
  • Desired amount of countertop space

Two kitchens of the same size can require very different cabinet layouts.

That’s why professional kitchen design is valuable. A designer can maximize storage while making sure the cabinets work with appliances, doors, windows, plumbing and traffic flow.

Start by creating a basic drawing of your kitchen.

Measure:

  1. Overall wall lengths
  2. Ceiling height
  3. Door and window locations
  4. Window dimensions
  5. Door openings
  6. Existing appliances
  7. Plumbing locations
  8. Electrical outlets and switches
  9. Vents and HVAC openings
  10. Any unusual architectural features

Record measurements in inches and measure each wall individually rather than assuming walls are perfectly square.

However, cabinet measurements are extremely important and small errors can become expensive mistakes.

For that reason, many homeowners choose to have a professional designer verify measurements before ordering cabinets.

For most homeowners, yes—especially for a full kitchen remodel.

A professional designer can help with much more than choosing colors.

They can help determine:

  • Cabinet layout
  • Storage solutions
  • Cabinet sizes
  • Appliance placement
  • Island dimensions
  • Work zones
  • Door styles
  • Finishes
  • Hardware
  • Lighting considerations
  • Functionality
  • Budget allocation

A good kitchen designer can also identify problems before cabinets are ordered.

If professional design services are included at no additional cost, there is even more reason to take advantage of them.

Exclusively Cabinets provides professional kitchen design services to help homeowners turn their ideas and measurements into a functional cabinet plan.

Cabinet prices vary dramatically based on the size of the kitchen, cabinet construction, manufacturer, materials, finish and customization.

As a very general starting point, homeowners may encounter cabinetry projects ranging from several thousand dollars to $30,000 or more for cabinetry alone.

A mid-range kitchen frequently falls somewhere around $10,000–$20,000 for cabinets, although smaller kitchens can be considerably less and larger or highly customized kitchens can be considerably more.

Remember that a kitchen remodel may also include:

  • Installation
  • Countertops
  • Appliances
  • Plumbing
  • Electrical
  • Flooring
  • Backsplash
  • Demolition
  • Painting

When comparing cabinet prices, make sure you’re comparing similar cabinet construction and specifications, not just the headline price.

They can be—but custom isn’t automatically better for every kitchen.

Custom cabinetry can be particularly valuable when you have:

  • Unusual wall dimensions
  • Difficult corners
  • Unique architectural features
  • Specialized storage requirements
  • Very specific design requirements
  • A willingness to pay for maximum customization

However, semi-custom cabinets can accomplish many of the same design goals at a lower price.

Not necessarily.

Big box stores can offer competitive pricing, particularly on stock cabinets and promotional products. However, comparing cabinet prices isn’t always an apples-to-apples comparison.

Two cabinets may look similar but differ in:

  • Construction
  • Materials
  • Hardware
  • Finish
  • Warranty
  • Storage features
  • Customization
  • Manufacturer
  • Design services

You should compare the complete project, not just the price of an individual cabinet.

Independent cabinet showrooms can also offer access to multiple manufacturers, professional design services and a wider range of options.

At Exclusively Cabinets, customers can compare cabinetry from multiple manufacturers based on their specific kitchen design and budget.

There isn’t one cabinet brand that’s universally the best.

The best manufacturer depends on your:

Budget + design + construction preferences + customization needs + timeline.

A homeowner looking for an affordable kitchen may have a very different “best” option than someone designing a high-end custom kitchen.

When evaluating a cabinet manufacturer, look at:

  • Cabinet construction
  • Materials
  • Door styles
  • Finish quality
  • Available sizes
  • Customization
  • Warranty
  • Lead time
  • Price
  • Reputation

One advantage of working with a multi-manufacturer cabinet showroom is that you don’t have to force every project into the same cabinet line.

Exclusively Cabinets works with multiple cabinet manufacturers, allowing its designers to help customers find cabinetry that fits their specific project rather than recommending the same product for everyone. We feel that all of our cabinet lines provide a tremendous amount of value to our customers. Covered Bridge Cabinetry, North American Cabinetry, Procraft Cabinetry, Pioneer Cabinetry, 10 Percent Cabinetry and Showplace Cabinetry all do a fantastic job of giving customers “bang for their buck”!

You don’t need to have everything figured out before meeting with a cabinet designer.

Helpful things to bring include:

Measurements

Bring any measurements, drawings or floor plans you have.

Inspiration

Bring pictures of kitchens you like. Pinterest, Instagram, Houzz and saved photos can be extremely helpful.

Budget

Having a general budget range helps your designer recommend appropriate cabinet options.

Appliance information

Bring dimensions and specifications for appliances you’ve already purchased or selected.

Style ideas

Think about whether you prefer:

  • Modern
  • Contemporary
  • Traditional
  • Transitional
  • Farmhouse
  • Rustic
  • Minimalist

Must-haves

Make a list of things that are important to you—such as a large island, pantry storage, trash pullout, spice storage, deep drawers or appliance garages.