One of the first questions homeowners ask us is, “How much will it cost to paint my kitchen cabinets?”
The answer depends on more than the size of the kitchen. Cabinet painting and refinishing projects are highly customized, and the final price is based on the amount of preparation, labor, materials, and finishing work required.
At Granite State Painters, we use a straightforward pricing system that accounts for the setup involved and the number and type of cabinet doors and drawers in your kitchen.
Typical Cabinet Painting Prices
Most cabinet refinishing projects include two primary pricing components:
-
A project setup fee of approximately $1,000 to $2,000
-
A charge of approximately $100 to $150 per cabinet door or drawer
Additional charges may apply for two-color designs or cabinet hardware modifications.
These price ranges are intended to help homeowners understand how estimates are developed. Every kitchen is different, and the best way to determine the cost of your project is with an in-home estimate. Your final quote will depend on your kitchen, cabinet style, color selections, hardware changes, and overall project scope.
Every Cabinet Painting Project Starts With a Setup Fee
The exact fee depends on the size and complexity of the kitchen, but this portion of the project covers much more than simply arriving with paint and brushes.
The setup fee may include:
-
Setting up and preparing the jobsite
-
Removing and labeling cabinet doors and drawers
-
Transporting doors and drawers for finishing
-
Masking and protecting the kitchen
-
Preparing the shop and spray booth
-
Reinstalling doors and drawers
-
Completing final adjustments
Much of this work is required regardless of whether a kitchen has 15 cabinet doors or 30. That is why the setup portion of the estimate remains relatively consistent from one project to another.
Cabinet Doors and Drawers Are Priced Individually
-
After the setup fee, we price the project based on the number and type of cabinet doors and drawers.
-
The individual price may vary based on:
-
Door or drawer size
-
Cabinet-door style
-
Flat-panel versus raised-panel construction
-
Detail and complexity
-
Preparation requirements
-
The labor required to achieve a smooth, factory-quality finish
-
A simple, flat cabinet door may require less time to prepare and finish than a large raised-panel door with detailed edges and profiles. Pricing each component individually allows us to account for the actual work involved.
Sample Cabinet Painting Cost
Consider a kitchen with:
-
30 cabinet doors and drawers
-
A $1,500 setup fee
-
A per-piece price of $125
The estimated project price would be:
30 doors and drawers × $125 = $3,750
$3,750 + $1,500 setup fee = $5,250 estimated project total
This is only an example. The actual cost may be higher or lower depending on the number of cabinet components, door style, kitchen complexity, color selection, and requested modifications.
Why Don’t We Price Cabinets by Linear Foot?
Pricing cabinets by linear foot does not always reflect the amount of work required.
Two kitchens could have the exact same footprint, but one might have 18 cabinet doors while another has 34. The kitchen with 34 doors requires substantially more removal, labeling, preparation, spraying, handling, and reinstallation.
Pricing by the number of doors and drawers gives homeowners a more accurate and fair estimate based on the actual labor involved.
How Much Does a Two-Color Kitchen Cost?
Using two cabinet colors generally adds $500 to the project.
For example, a homeowner may choose white upper cabinets and navy blue lower cabinets, or use a contrasting color for the kitchen island.
The additional charge accounts for:
-
Additional paint and materials
-
Extra preparation and labor
-
Cleaning spray equipment between colors
-
Additional spray-booth setup time
A two-color design can create a distinctive look, but it requires a more involved production process than finishing every cabinet in one color.
Is There an Extra Charge to Install New Cabinet Hardware?
When new cabinet hardware fits the existing holes, there is generally no additional labor charge for installation.
This often applies when homeowners replace old knobs or pulls with new hardware that uses the same hole placement and spacing.
Additional work is required when a homeowner wants to:
-
Replace knobs with pulls
-
Replace pulls with knobs
-
Change the spacing between hardware holes
-
Move the location of the hardware
In these situations, the additional charge is generally $25 per door.
This fee covers filling the old holes, preparing the repaired surface, and accurately drilling new holes for the replacement hardware.
What Determines the Final Cabinet Refinishing Price?
The final investment depends on several factors, including:
-
The size of the kitchen
-
The number of cabinet doors and drawers
-
The size and style of each door
-
The level of detail or complexity
-
The selected cabinet color or colors
-
Hardware modifications
-
Preparation requirements
-
The overall project scope
Rather than focusing on a single price per kitchen, it is more helpful to consider the specific work required to properly prepare, finish, and reinstall each cabinet component.
What Are You Paying For?
Professional cabinet refinishing is a detailed, multi-step service.
A properly priced project accounts for the time required to protect your home, organize each cabinet component, prepare the surfaces, create a controlled finishing environment, apply the finish, and carefully reinstall everything.
At Granite State Painters, cabinet doors and drawers are professionally sprayed in our dedicated spray shop to achieve the smooth, factory-quality finish our customers have come to expect.
You are not only paying for paint. You are paying for the preparation, labor, equipment, organization, finishing process, and attention to detail required to transform your cabinets.
Request a Cabinet Painting Estimate with Granite State Painters
Every kitchen is different, which is why Granite State Painters provides estimates based on the actual cabinets and project requirements.
Whether you're looking to refresh the cabinets you already have or completely transform the look of your kitchen, we're happy to walk you through your options and provide a customized estimate based on your home's unique needs.
Contact Granite State Painters to schedule an estimate and receive a customized price for your New Hampshire cabinet painting or refinishing project.