Kitchen cabinets or joinery is probably one of the most used items in the house. They contain cookware, spices, cooking tools, ingredients, food stocks and other things needed for cooking meals.
Imagine the hundreds or probably thousands of times you opened the doors and drawers of the kitchen cabinets. After years of usage expect these cabinets to be chipped, worn outdated and broken. The house owner will have two options to replace the kitchen cabinets or refurbish the cabinets to look new.
Refinish or Replace Kitchen Cabinets?
Choosing between refinishing or replacing kitchen cabinets is critical to finding the most cost-effective solution in the kitchen’s renovation. Replacing cabinets less than ten years old may not be necessary, mainly if they were made from maple, cherry, oak, or other high-quality hardwood. These materials are made to last, and refinishing them will save the homeowner a lot of money, especially if your kitchen’s present set-up is still functional and need a little updating.
If your cabinets had already incurred significant wear and tear, then the owner will have no choice but to replace them. Cabinets are often subjected to a lot of damage and warping due to moistures, water damage, heat, moulds and repeated opening and closing. Safety is the priority, especially with moulds that may affect the air quality and contaminate the food, especially during the cooking and preparation of the food.
How much does it cost to replace or refinish kitchen cabinets?
When choosing new cabinets, make sure you select a kitchen cabinet with materials that can last for at least a decade. Do not assume that a more expensive cabinet will last longer than a cheaper version. Always consider the quality of the construction and materials used. The primary reason you have a cabinet is storage and not as decoration in the kitchen. So you have to make sure there is enough space in the kitchen cabinet, or you will end up with stuff all over the kitchen due to lack of storage.
Consider your options; stock cabinets are factory-made with standard sizes and are cheaper, but they might not fit your kitchen’s size. On the other hand, custom cabinets are a lot more expensive, but you can design them to match your kitchen, your exact needs and specifications.
Semi-custom cabinets can be another option since their in the middle-priced range. They are stock cabinets that can be customized with added details such as glass or trims.
Installing the new kitchen cabinet will also add to the cost of the project. Improper installation of cabinets like wrong alignment and drill holes might affect the cabinet’s quality and lifespan. It can also be dangerous since the cabinet might fall or parts of it detached and hitting people. So it’s better to get a professional cabinet maker to install the cabinet.
The stock off the shelf cabinets can cost between $80 – $100 per cabinet, while semi stock cabinets like IKEA or Bunnings can be around $150 – $1,000 per cabinet. A custom cabinet will cost between $500 – $1500, and on average, a kitchen needs three to four cabinets. So a mid-range cabinet renovation can cost around an average of $4,000 -$8,000 excluding installation. A fully custom made cabinet can cost between $16,000 -$ 20,000.
The average installation cost for a mid-range cabinet is between $200-$300 per cabinet. Refinishing and repairing an old kitchen can take between 60 to 130 hours of work, but they are far less expensive than buying a new Kitchen cabinet.
With the cabinets all done, next, you need to update the floors. Concreting Canberra will help you install concrete floors that will last for years and will be the perfect finish for your kitchen.