If remodeling your kitchen is on your priority list of home improvements, you won’t be surprised to know a large chunk of money will be the cost of the cabinets and their installation. Think of kitchen base and wall cabinets as built-in furniture that must be designed to fit along the walls throughout the space and around appliances.
No matter what your price range is, you’ll find a dazzling selection of styles, materials and finishes from modest unfinished, ready-to-assemble units to fine handcrafted cabinetry. Take your time deciding on a new layout and peruse the shelter magazines for ideas. And visit kitchen design showrooms and home centers to get a feel for the type of cabinets you want.
Part of the remodeling job begins with removing the existing cabinets, so include that takedown and disposal costs in your budget. A contractor will charge $4,810 to remove and dispose of old cabinets and replace them with 10 feet of moderately priced, prefinished wooden base and wall cabinets with doors, drawers and shelves and post-formed laminate countertop. That cost includes labor and material. It also assumes the new cabinets are a direct replacement for the old ones and no new or custom carpentry work is needed.
This is a major league job to do by yourself, because it takes time, precision work and carpentry tools and skills. If you have carpentry experience, you can do the job for $3,000, the cost of the material, and save 38 percent. You’ll need an electric drill, a stud finder and a carpenter’s level. When hanging the wall cabinets, it’s handy to have a helper on a ladder to hold them in place while you install them.
When the cabinets are delivered, open the cabinet boxes to make sure they are the correct size, style and finish, and to see that they are not damaged. Since the kitchen will be torn up while the job is being done, stock up on take out menus and plan to eat out while your kitchen is a work zone.
To find more DIY project costs and to post comments and questions, visit www.diyornot.com and m.diyornot.com on smartphones.
Pro Cost—DIY Cost—Pro time—DIY Time—DIY Savings—Percent Saved
$4,810—$3,000—20—40—$1,810—38 percent
