Kitchen Tune-Up in Centreville, VA: Stores on washingtonpost.com

Redoing a kitchen can cost a lot -- sometimes tens of thousands of dollars. But if you're looking for a quick fix on a limited budget, companies like Kitchen Tune-Up might be the answer.

The company was started in 1988, when president David Haglund developed an oil designed to clean surface scratches and restore wood finishes to their original look. From a door-to-door operation in Aberdeen, S.D. Kitchen Tune-Up has grown to more than 300 franchises across the country that restore, reface or replace kitchen cabinets.

"You could say we try to give a kitchen solution for any budget," says Dan Tokarski, who with his wife, Mary, has been the Washington area's Kitchen Tune-Up team since 1994.

The former corporate education specialist turned a side job doing home improvements into a full-time endeavor after three of his four daughters were through college.

How to tell if your kitchen is a good candidate for a midlife makeover? "People who call us for help usually say their wood cabinets look dull, lifeless, grimy," Tokarski says. "Or the edges are banged up. In some cases, the finish is pretty much worn away in spots."

Sometimes, what Tokarski hears from a prospective client and what he sees when he gets to the actual kitchen can be quite different. "There are kitchens where the customer says she likes the color and it just needs a little repair. But when we get there, the finish is worn away or badly damaged. Or maybe it wasn't hardwood but just veneer, and it's peeling off. We can't do anything with that as far as restoration goes, and we urge people not to bother."

Water and sunlight cause the most damage to cabinetry, resulting in rot, cracks and deep-down discoloration. Severe damage would require complete replacement. But if the condition is repairable and if a customer wants to keep the color of the existing cabinets, a restoration involving cleaning, surface repairs and conditioning will probably do the job, he says.

"Restoration is not refinishing," Tokarski says. "If they want a fresh look, we'll bring the wood back. But we don't do any stripping -- that would require strippers and sanding." Nor will a restoration turn a dark oak finish into something pale.

Instead, Kitchen Tune-Up works with the existing finish, applying proprietary cleaners, chemicals and the oil that started it all to put the glow back into cabinets and a protective finish against cracking and chipping. "We're repairing the finish that's actually there," Tokarski says. "We're not putting on a new one."

The process usually takes a day from beginning to end. Kitchen Tune-Up removes handles and gives the cabinet exteriors a thorough cleaning. Then technicians evaluate what more is needed, from filling in gouges and scratches to repairing frames and making sure doors hang straight, to applying clear or color-toned lacquer.

Kitchen Tune-Up also will replace doors and hardware. Most handles, knobs and hinges run from $3 to $6, although the firm also offers high-end choices, such as crystal knobs for $43 each. Restoration costs depend on the size of the kitchen and the degree of damage, with the average price running from $500 to $800.

How long the fix-up lasts depends on how the customer treats the kitchen, says Tokarski. When the job is finished, he leaves clients a Kitchen Tune-Up cream polish -- one without silicones -- to apply once a year.

"That's about all most people seem to manage," he says. "I've had people call after six years and ask for another tuneup. They tell me they didn't do any maintenance, and it lasted anyway."

Then there are the customers whose first fix is still going strong years later. "Of course, it will last forever if you never use the kitchen," he jokes. "The main thing with any cabinet is, don't be afraid to wipe off grit and dirt with dishwashing liquid and water. Forget all this stuff about not putting water on wood cabinets. They'll be fine as long as you dry them off thoroughly."

If a customer says the cabinets are too dated and dark, refacing may be better solution.

"I ask two questions," says Tokarski. "The first is, is the cabinet structure in good shape? Are the shelves warped, is it falling apart? If the answer is yes, refacing isn't a good alternative, although we can deal with some warped shelving.

"The second is, are you comfortable with the way the kitchen is laid out? If they want to make a little change, like turning a desk unit into cabinets or taking out a trash compactor and putting in drawers instead, we will do that. But if they want the sink, cooktop or refrigerator moved, or the cabinet height raised, we won't do that. It's not good value for your money."

Kitchen Tune-Up offers hardwood refacing in maple, cherry, oak and hickory, and also works with the white rigid foil facings widely used in all-white kitchens. The company also offers more than 40 styles of door panels, from flat panel and Shaker style to elaborate raised designs.

The company's approach differs from that of many refacing firms that face just the outer surfaces. The tech team wraps the new veneer on both the outside and inside of the cabinet door, covering the interior wood stock for a completely finished look. "You don't want a cherry exterior and an oak interior," Tokarski explains.

A matching quarter-inch-thick plywood is applied to the cabinet structure itself, including all exposed surfaces and cabinet bottoms. Valances are replaced with a solid piece of wood. Shoe moldings and trim are covered with the matching plywood. New doors get concealed hinges.

Most traditionally hung doors won't require new hardware; the inch or so surround allows you to open them with your fingers under the edge. Full-overlay doors, which cover all but 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the frame, work best with knobs and pulls.

Tokarski estimates that an average job includes about 24 drawer and door openings. Based on that standard -- and depending on wood, door style and hardware -- refacing cost ranges from $4,000 for oak in the basic flat panel style to $6,500 for cherry with a raised door style. A typical job takes three to four days.

Kitchen Tune-Up can also replace drawers, add trash bins or roll-out cabinets and install under-cabinet lighting (this ranges from $85 to $100 per light).

The Tokarskis also work with subcontractors to install new countertops, including granite, Silestone (fabricated quartz), Corian and laminates. This can extend the job a day and adds to the cost.

Tokarski has seen trends in cabinet colors and styles come and go.

"Five years ago, if we walked into a 1970s dark Mediterranean kitchen, white doors were what everyone wanted," he says. "Then we began to move away from white, and now it's hardwoods in light shades, like natural maple, which is very light, almost white, and has a very tight grain."

These days, he adds, the grainy, rustic appearance of hickory is particularly popular with people who want a country look. And dark colors are making a comeback. "In the past two years, people have started moving toward dark woods, with a difference. They're choosing natural cherry, wheat-stain maple and natural oak in a 'harvest' finish, with just a little bit of stain."

The big question on many customers' minds, according to Tokarski, is how the makeover will affect resale value. "Often, we get called in when someone is about to sell. You can't help but think, too bad they didn't do it earlier, so they could enjoy it for a while."