Cost guide
New kitchen cabinet cost: stock, semi-custom and custom
Cabinets are usually the biggest line in a kitchen budget. Here's what each grade typically costs, what you actually get for the money, and how to choose boxes and finishes that hold up in desert heat.
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Quick answer
Fixr's national figures put a typical kitchen at $4,000 to $14,000, with an average of $7,000. By grade, stock runs about $100 to $300 per linear foot, semi-custom $150 to $650 and custom $500 to $1,200. A typical kitchen of 25 to 30 linear feet lands between $2,500 for basic stock and $36,000 for custom.
Who to call: Coachella Valley Remodeling connects you with our licensed partner contractor, who visits and gives you a written price. Free to you. Open the cost calculator or call (760) 766-2218.
New cabinets change more than the look of a kitchen. They decide how much you can store, where the trash goes, whether the drawers still glide in fifteen years, and whether the sink base survives the next slow leak. They're also usually the biggest single line in a kitchen budget.
Locals in the valley search for cabinets more than for “kitchen remodel”, and they shop the showrooms in Palm Desert and Indio by name. This guide helps you compare what those showrooms and the contractors you meet are actually quoting.
The short answer
Fixr's cabinet installation guide puts new cabinets for a typical kitchen at:
- National average: about $7,000 installed
- Typical range: $4,000 to $14,000
- Labor share: about 30 to 50 percent of the total
The range is wide because grade and material matter more than anything else.
Cost by grade
| Grade | Per linear foot | Typical kitchen | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | $100 to $300 | $2,500 to $9,000 | Fixed sizes and styles; often available quickly |
| Semi-custom | $150 to $650 | $3,750 to $19,500 | Standard sizes with options: depths, finishes, organizers |
| Custom | $500 to $1,200 | $12,500 to $36,000 | Built to your measurements in any material and finish |
Source: Fixr, national figures. Fixr's “typical kitchen” works out to about 25 to 30 linear feet.
What the grades mean in practice:
- Stock works well in a straightforward layout: a 1990s tract kitchen in Indio, a rental, a condo where the footprint stays. Filler strips cover gaps where standard widths don't fit.
- Semi-custom is where most full remodels land. You get better drawer hardware, more finish choices, and sizes that fit the room without wide fillers.
- Custom makes sense for odd rooms, mid-century restorations where you want to match the period, tall ceilings, and club estates where the cabinetry is the centerpiece.
Cost by material
| Material | Per linear foot |
|---|---|
| MDF | $50 to $250 |
| Laminate | $60 to $250 |
| Wood veneer | $60 to $300 |
| Plywood | $100 to $500 |
| Solid wood | $150 to $700 |
| Acrylic | $300 to $800 |
| Stainless steel | $450 to $1,200 |
Source: Fixr. These overlap with the grade table because most cabinets mix materials: a plywood box with an MDF painted door, for example.
Kitchen & cabinet cost estimator
Typical installed range Estimate
$5,600 – $8,400
Anchored to kitchen cabinets costs from Fixr, cost to install kitchen cabinets (national). Size and finish adjustments are our rough rules of thumb, not a quote. Only a contractor's written, itemized bid after a site visit is a real price.
What you're really paying for
Two cabinets with the same door can be very different products. Ask about each of these:
- Box material. Particleboard, MDF or plywood, and how thick. The sink base is where it matters most.
- Construction. Framed (a face frame around the opening) or frameless (full-access, European style). Neither is better; they look and store differently.
- Drawer boxes. Dovetailed solid wood or plywood lasts longer than stapled particleboard.
- Slides and hinges. Full-extension, soft-close slides and hinges are standard in most semi-custom lines. In stock lines, check.
- Finish. Factory-applied paint or stain, thermofoil, or laminate, and the warranty that covers it.
- Organizers. Roll-outs, trash pull-outs, spice pull-outs and drawer dividers are often priced as extras.
A bid that says “white shaker cabinets” and nothing else isn't a bid. It's a guess. Our guide to reading a remodel estimate shows how to line up bids that don't match.
Labor and installation
Fixr puts installation labor at about $50 to $200 per linear foot, or $40 to $100 per hour. Beyond hanging boxes, a complete installation includes:
- removing and hauling away the old cabinets
- disconnecting and reconnecting the sink, dishwasher and disposal
- leveling and shimming, since older slab floors and walls are rarely flat
- fillers, scribe molding, toe-kicks and end panels
- crown molding and light rail, if part of the design
- adjusting doors and drawers after the countertops are installed
New cabinets almost always mean new countertops, because old stone rarely survives removal and new boxes don't match old footprints exactly. Budget for both. Our countertop cost guide has the numbers.
Choosing cabinets for a desert kitchen
The valley is hard on some materials:
- Heat. Thermofoil is a vinyl film over MDF, and it can lift when it gets very hot: beside an oven or range, near a west window, or in a house closed up from June to October. If you choose it, keep it away from heat sources and get the warranty terms on heat in writing. More on this in our guide to kitchen materials that survive the desert.
- Sun. Dark stains and painted colors near big windows fade unevenly. UV-resistant finishes and window film help.
- Water at the sink. Hard water and slow leaks are hard on particleboard. Plywood sink bases, a waterproof mat and a leak sensor are cheap insurance.
- Hidden termite damage. Desert subterranean termites are common here (UC IPM Pest Note 7415). Old sink bases and walls behind them are where tear-out finds problems, so a good bid says how that will be priced.
- Storage in a summer-closed house. Have the cabinets delivered close to installation, not stored for weeks in a hot garage, and inspect every box when it arrives.
Lead times and sequencing
Stock lines can be quick; semi-custom and custom cabinets take weeks to build. The schedule you should insist on:
- Final measurements and drawings you approve and sign
- Order placed, with the lead time stated in writing
- Cabinets delivered and inspected for damage, color and size
- Only then demolition of the old kitchen
- Install, then countertop templating, then counters
- Plumbing reconnect, door adjustments, punch list and walkthrough
Starting demolition before the cabinets arrive is the most common reason families end up washing dishes in the bathtub for months.
Permits, licenses and deposits
- Permits. A like-for-like cabinet swap that doesn't change walls, plumbing, gas or electrical is exempt from permits in unincorporated Riverside County. Moving the sink, adding circuits or opening a wall needs one. The nine incorporated cities run their own building departments; see our permits guide.
- License. Cabinet installation is typically done under a C-6 cabinet, millwork and finish carpentry license or a B general building license. Check at cslb.ca.gov.
- Deposit. California caps the down payment on a home improvement contract at 10 percent or $1,000, whichever is less, even when the cabinets are custom. After that, payments can't get ahead of the work done and materials delivered.
- HOA. Many associations require contractors on the gate list and set work hours and dumpster rules, even for interior work.
Should you replace, reface or paint?
Replacing makes sense when the boxes are damaged, the layout doesn't work, or you want storage the old cabinets can't give you. If the boxes are solid and the layout works, refacing or painting costs much less. A good contractor will price more than one option. Our refacing vs replacing guide helps you decide.
What we require
We read about 1,600 public complaints about kitchen, cabinet and small-job work before writing our standard. For cabinet work, our partner agreement requires:
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No sign-tonight pricing
“Thirty percent off, but only if we sign tonight.” · 12% of cabinet complaints
Our standard: Nobody we refer will pressure you to sign the same day. Estimates stay valid for at least seven days.
Our partner agreement rules out same-day-only pricing and requires honoring the 3-day right to cancel (5 days for 65+). We flag financing that pays the company before the work is done.
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Honest reface, paint or replace advice
“We paid replacement prices for refacing.” · Recurring in refacing complaints
Our standard: We'll tell you honestly whether painting, refacing or replacing fits your cabinets and budget.
Before any introduction, we ask about the cabinet boxes' condition and your goals, and our partner contractor can price painting, refacing and replacing, each in writing.
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Construction spelled out
“Sold as solid wood, delivered as particleboard.” · 21% of cabinet complaints (defects)
Our standard: Your contract names the box material, door construction and finish.
The itemized scope lists the cabinet line, box material, door style and construction, finish type, and hinges and slides. Our partner agreement requires deliveries to be photographed and inspected before installation.
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Drawings you approve
“The microwave didn't fit the cabinet built for it.” · 19% of cabinet complaints
Our standard: Cabinets aren't ordered until you've approved drawings based on on-site measurements and your appliance specs.
Our partner agreement requires field measurements, your appliance spec sheets, and a layout and elevations you sign before anything is ordered.
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Realistic lead times
“Cabinets quoted at five weeks took five months.” · 31% of cabinet complaints
Our standard: You'll get a realistic lead time in writing, and demo waits until the cabinets are here.
Our partner agreement requires manufacturer lead times in writing, cabinets inspected on delivery, and no tear-out until they've arrived. You get updates whenever a date changes.
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Warranty you can use
“The door peeled and the company was already closed.” · 24% of cabinet complaints
Our standard: You get the manufacturer's warranty and a written workmanship warranty, and we keep copies.
Our partner agreement requires at least a one-year written workmanship warranty and manufacturer warranties registered in your name. We keep your documents on file.
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Inspected before installed
“Every replacement door arrived damaged too.” · Recurring in retail and RTA complaints
Our standard: Every box is inspected on delivery, so damage is caught before installation, not after.
Our partner agreement requires deliveries to be opened, checked and photographed. Damaged pieces are reordered right away, and your schedule is updated in writing.
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One point person
“I was passed between five reps for one drawer.” · 42% of cabinet complaints (communication)
Our standard: One person handles your cabinet project from measure to final walkthrough.
Each job has one named contact at the contractor and one at our office. Our partner agreement requires messages returned within one business day.
From about 1,600 public complaints (BBB, Yelp, CSLB) about kitchen and cabinet work that we read in 2026. How we counted
Next step
Get a range for your kitchen with the calculator, then get a written, itemized bid from a licensed local contractor. We refer you to our licensed partner contractor. You decide, and you sign with and pay the contractor directly. See kitchen cabinets in the Coachella Valley, or start with your city, such as Indio, Palm Desert or Cathedral City.
Common questions
How much do new kitchen cabinets cost installed?
Fixr's national figures put a typical kitchen at $4,000 to $14,000, with an average of $7,000. By grade, stock runs about $100 to $300 per linear foot, semi-custom $150 to $650 and custom $500 to $1,200. A typical kitchen of 25 to 30 linear feet lands between $2,500 for basic stock and $36,000 for custom.
What's the difference between stock, semi-custom and custom cabinets?
Stock cabinets come in fixed sizes and a short list of styles and finishes. Semi-custom start from standard sizes but let you change depths, finishes and details. Custom cabinets are built to your exact measurements, in any material and finish. Price follows flexibility.
Are plywood boxes worth it?
At the sink base and next to the dishwasher, often yes, because plywood tolerates the occasional leak better than particleboard. Elsewhere, good furniture-grade particleboard or MDF performs fine. Ask what each part of the box is made of, not just the doors.
Which cabinet finishes hold up best in desert heat?
Painted or stained solid wood and wood veneer with a quality factory finish generally hold up well. Thermofoil can lift near ovens, west windows and in houses closed up all summer. Whatever you choose, ask what temperature the finish and adhesives are rated for.
Do I need a permit to replace kitchen cabinets?
Not if you're swapping cabinets in the same footprint without changing walls, plumbing, gas or electrical. Riverside County's exempt-work handout lists cabinets and countertops as exempt in that case. Moving the sink, adding circuits or opening a wall needs a permit. Valley cities run their own building departments, so your contractor should confirm.
Who installs new cabinets?
A licensed contractor, typically with a C-6 cabinet, millwork and finish carpentry license or a B general building license. Some cabinet shops install their own product; others subcontract. Ask who is on site and who is responsible if something doesn't fit.
Last reviewed . Prices and rules change; confirm details with your contractor and your city or county building department.