Cabinets set the layout, the storage and most of the look of a kitchen, and they are usually the biggest single line on a kitchen remodel estimate. Many older Aurora homes still have the original builder-grade cabinets from the 1980s, 90s or early 2000s, and by now the doors sag, the drawer bottoms are giving out, and the finish around the sink has worn through. This guide to kitchen cabinet replacement in Aurora covers what drives the cost, how to choose between your options, and how to plan the job so it doesn’t cause problems with your floors and counters.
Replace, Refinish or Repair?
Not every tired kitchen needs new cabinets. Before you price a full replacement, take a close look at what you have.
- Repair or refinish makes sense when the boxes are solid wood or good plywood, the layout works for you, and the problem is mostly cosmetic: a dated color, worn finish or old hardware.
- Replacement makes sense when the boxes are swollen particleboard (common under sinks and around dishwashers), the layout doesn’t fit how you cook, you want an island or a pantry that isn’t there now, or you’re changing appliances to sizes the old openings can’t take.
A water leak under the sink is the most common thing that tips the decision. Once particleboard swells, it doesn’t go back, and new doors on a damaged box won’t hang right for long.
What Affects the Cost of Kitchen Cabinet Replacement
We can’t give a fair number for a kitchen we haven’t seen, but the same factors show up on every estimate. Knowing them helps you decide where to spend and where to save.
Cabinet grade: stock, semi-custom or custom
Stock cabinets are built ahead of time in standard widths and a set list of finishes. They cost the least and arrive fastest. Semi-custom lines let you change depths, add modifications and choose from more door styles and finishes. Custom cabinets are built to your exact dimensions and cost the most and take the longest. Many Aurora kitchens are a good fit for stock or semi-custom, because tract-home kitchens tend to use standard dimensions.
Box construction and materials
Plywood boxes hold up better to moisture than particleboard and hold screws better over time, and they usually cost more. Look at the drawer boxes too. Dovetailed solid-wood or metal drawer boxes with full-extension, soft-close slides last longer than stapled drawers on side-mount slides.
Door style and finish
A plain slab or simple Shaker door is usually less expensive than a raised panel or a door with detailed profiles. Painted finishes typically cost more than stained ones, and specialty colors or glazes add more.
Size of the kitchen and number of boxes
More linear feet means more cabinets, but specialty pieces add up fastest: tall pantry cabinets, corner units with pull-outs, an island with finished end panels, refrigerator panels and trash pull-outs.
Layout changes
Keeping the sink, range and dishwasher where they are is the biggest way to control cost. Moving them means plumbing, gas or electrical work, and possibly drywall repair. Taking out a wall to open the kitchen adds framing and finishing work on top of that.
What’s under and around the cabinets
Countertops, backsplash, flooring and appliance reinstallation are often priced separately from the cabinets themselves. Old cabinets also have to come out, and walls behind them sometimes need patching before new boxes go up. Out-of-level floors and wavy walls are common, and shimming and scribing take time.
How to Choose Kitchen Cabinets That Last
- Start with how you use the kitchen. Make a list of what frustrates you now: no place for sheet pans, a blind corner nobody can reach, nowhere to put small appliances.
- Favor drawers in base cabinets. Deep drawers for pots and dishes are easier to use than doors with shelves behind them.
- Check the hardware, not just the door. Open and close the drawers on display. The slides and hinges are what wear out first.
- See finishes in person. Cabinet colors look different under kitchen lighting than on a screen. Bring a floor sample or a countertop chip if you already have one.
- Plan the hardware early. Pull length and placement affect how the doors look, and it’s easier to decide before drilling.
Plan Cabinets Around Your Floors and Counters
The order of work matters. In most kitchens the cabinets go in first, then countertops are templated and installed, then the backsplash. Flooring depends on the material and the plan:
- Floating floors like luxury vinyl plank and laminate generally should not be installed under cabinets, because the cabinets pin the floor down and it can’t expand and contract. They usually go in after the cabinets, or run to the toe kick.
- Tile and nail-down hardwood can go under cabinets or stop at them, depending on the plan. If the floor is going under, it has to be in before the cabinets are set.
- Remember appliance heights. If you add a thicker floor in front of the dishwasher opening, the dishwasher still has to slide out for service later.
Getting cabinets and flooring planned by the same team avoids the gaps, mismatched heights and rework that happen when two crews don’t talk to each other. You can see how we handle that on our kitchen cabinet installation page, or look at kitchen remodeling if you’re updating cabinets, counters, backsplash and floors together.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does kitchen cabinet replacement take?
It depends on the cabinet grade and the scope. Stock cabinets are usually available sooner than semi-custom or custom lines, which are built to order. Installation itself is often a matter of days for the cabinets, but countertops have to be templated after the cabinets are set, so the whole kitchen is out of use longer than the cabinet install alone.
Can I keep my countertops and just replace the cabinets?
Sometimes, but it’s risky. Stone countertops can crack when removed, and new cabinets have to match the old footprint exactly for the top to sit right. Many homeowners replacing cabinets plan on new countertops too. We’ll look at your counters during the estimate and tell you plainly whether reusing them is realistic.
Should I replace flooring before or after new cabinets?
For luxury vinyl and laminate, usually after, so the floating floor isn’t pinned under the cabinets. For tile or hardwood that will run under the cabinets, before. If you’re doing both, plan them together so the floor heights work with the dishwasher and range.
Get a Free Estimate for Cabinet Replacement in Aurora
Floor & More installs kitchen cabinets for homeowners in Aurora, Centennial, Parker and across the Denver Metro. We’ll come measure your kitchen, talk through layout, cabinet grades and hardware, and give you a written estimate before anything is ordered. Call 303-993-6479, request a free estimate online, or visit our showroom at 16728 E Smoky Hill Rd, Unit 10-A, Centennial, CO 80015 to see finishes and hardware in person.