You know what makes me cringe… when someone asks me to ballpark what I think their kitchen will cost. Now pre COVID, we felt like this was something that we could do and be “in the ballpark.” Then there was price increases, freight rate hikes and lead times that were unheard of…. I am sure we can all remember a time that we threw out a number and geez, did that set someone up for HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT. Well, I have some information that has helped us and I am hoping that it will help you estimate residential cabinetry.
The below pictures (3) showcase the same footprint of a kitchen. We utilized the same cabinet line, same door style and same finish. The cabinets are mid-grade with soft-close doors and full extension, undermount soft-close glides. Please notice how the design effects the price of the cabinetry. We added in various options for countertops to showcase how the selections impact the pricing.
Cabinet prices range from $14K - $32K.
THE ONLY CHANGES IN CABINETRY ARE DESIGN CHANGES.
Countertop prices range from $3K- $17K. (Varies based on material selection.)
Cabinet pulls range from $340 -$1,720 (Varies based on material selection.)
Total prices range from $21K- $55K
Please review the pictures.
Takeaway- what scope of design is the client looking for? Now… I am going to throw some more information at you- PER BOX PRICING. We are using this to help clients get an idea of what their budget could be based on the scope of the design they want.
The pictures/designs have various cabinet lines with pricing under them- this is what that same design would be in a different cabinet line.
Per Box Cost is the total cabinetry cost divided by the number of boxes. Total cabinetry includes fillers, toe kick, scribe, moldings, touch up kit; all the parts needed to complete the kitchen.
Example of how we use this:
Client shows us an existing space or new build plans > we count the approximate number of cabinets.
Tall cabinets and large vanities count as 2.
Fridge and island panels must be counted.
Let’s say there is 27 cabinets > middle of the road cabinet line $1,000/box
Estimate would be $27,000
If they have said they want some great organization and specialty appliances at $1,400 per box, total could be $37,800
Now you have a budget range for cabinets. This also allows flexibility for pricing variances in painted vs stained; door style price differences and finish upgrades.
Kitchen 1 - $21,388
30” uppers, no crown, single drawer base
Bellmont 1300 $8,105.98 Per Box Cost $427
RTA Cabinet Line (assembled) $7,529.19 Per Box Cost $397
Bellmont 1600 (shown above) $14,012 Per Box Cost $737
Install includes setting the laminate tops.
Kitchen 2 - $33,899
42” uppers, double stack crown, 30” fridge panels with 24” cabinet over the fridge, waste basket pullout, base cabinets with rollouts
RTA Cabinet Line (assembled) $12,737 Per Box Cost $707.61
Bellmont 1600 (shown above) $20,064 Per Box Cost $1,040
Woodland Cabinetry $29,964 Per Box Cost $1,664.67
Install does not include tops as that is through the quartz supplier.
Kitchen 3 -$55,351
Specialty appliance cabinets, wall cabinets with transoms, waste basket pullout, spice pullout, knife utensil pullout, 30” fridge panels, furniture style island
Bellmont 1600 (shown above) $31,860 Per Box Cost $1,448.18
Crystal Keyline $38,547.66 Per Box Cost $1,752.00
Woodland Cabinetry $40,369.94 Per Box Cost $1,804.47
Keep in mind that the costs listed are for those items only. This does not include any demo, flooring, electrical, plumbing, appliances, painting, etc.
Each project is unique. The above information is intended to help architects, contractors and clients get a better understanding of per box pricing and how much design and selections can change the budget.
This is not meant to be an all encompassing, bullseye guide to pricing. More of a loose guideline to help us talk with clients about BUDGET.
There are lots of ways to finesse a budget, for instance:
Put the WOW in the kitchen and keep the design simpler in other rooms; for instance shorter wall cabinets or less molding.
Specialty appliances will ALWAYS drive the price of the cabinetry higher.
Utilize less drawers bases- this is not my favorite because drawers have THE MOST FUNCTION BUT they are priced higher than a standard base cabinet.
Keep organization accessories to a minimum.
Pick a custom line for the kitchen but do the bathrooms and laundry in semi-custom line.
Door styles will impact the pricing, ask the designer for the best VALUE.
Quartz countertops- there is roughly 25% difference in the Cambria Signature Series vs the Grandeur series.
TAKEAWAY – CLIENT SELECTIONS & DESIGN DICTATE THE PRICE. IF WE KNOW THE BUDGET UP FRONT, WE CAN HELP GUIDE THE CLIENT WITH SELECTIONS THAT WORK WITH THAT BUDGET.
This was a lot of information so PLEASE reach out to me or one of our designers if have any questions or would like to have help understanding this better, setting an allowance or maybe getting a budget idea for your kitchen.