The costs associated with cabinets in both the kitchen or bathroom of your home can vary greatly. Your individual needs really define the costs associated with cabinet work more than anything else. Certain situations sometimes arise that calls for more expense than usual, but being completely informed about your options in both rooms is the first step in budgeting bathroom and kitchen cabinet costs.

Repair Cabinets

If your existing cabinets have become worn down, scratched or damaged, there could be very many things to consider before making any decisions that may not be cost-efficient. The replacement of cabinets can be a very costly venture, and there are even more costs to consider in this case. To budget a full replacement of kitchen or bathroom cabinets, you must first consider the cost of labor. If you are planning on hiring a contractor, the entirety of the job may not be apparent. On an average-sized kitchen, the demolition itself may take more than one full day. The installation can take another day or two, and then there's another day or two for the finishing work. The best-case scenario involves paying a contractor for three to four days of labor, not including the cost of the new cabinets. Kitchen cabinet costs can start in the range of $1,200-$2,000 close to the amount you will be paying for labor.

Fortunately, there are much more inexpensive options for bathroom or kitchen cabinets. Having the cabinets professionally refinished is often a more practical and cost-effective method to achieve the same goal. In this case, the contractor will remove all doors and hinges from the cabinets themselves and treat them all as separate pieces. If your cabinets are not badly damaged, the doors will be individually sanded in addition to the frame before a new stain is applied. This can not only be useful for refinishing cabinets but also for changing their color. When painting or doing renovations on a kitchen and bathroom, choosing this method for a color change is easily the most efficient if you are hiring someone to do your work.

As an even more inexpensive option for changing the color of your cabinets, companies now provide a do-it-yourself kit for anyone so inclined. Costing anywhere from $50-80 at any major hardware store, these kits boast a professional-grade finish with no sanding or fumes from traditional stain. Naturally, this should only be attempted by an experienced do-it-yourselfer as you run the risk of causing damage that will be very costly to repair in the long term.

For more damaged bathroom or kitchen cabinets, having them refaced is often the best possible option. Although this will be the most expensive short of full replacement, it will certainly show through in the finished product. Many contractors offer services for refacing that include ozone treatments, more extensive sanding, filling cracks as well as using multiple coats of stain. Ozone treatments are the cutting edge in wood treatments, and they can remove impurities from the wood even something as prolific as smoke damage. The refacing process will probably cost around $800, depending on the area involved as well as the damage, but it can truly be worth it. A good contractor can fix flood or fire damaged cabinets using their expert knowledge in carpentry. Most reputable places will take your cabinet doors back to their shop for refacing while working on the frame in the house. This extra time taken ensures your final product will be nothing less than perfect.