01 / Refinish
A fresh finish for cabinets worth keeping.
Keep the cabinets. Change the finish.
Ask Dani about refinish →Illustrative concept, not a completed customer project.
Who it fits
Is this your
kind of change?
Your cabinet boxes and doors are sound, the layout works, and what bothers you most is the worn or dated finish.
What stays. What changes.
We retain suitable boxes, doors and the existing layout. The work focuses on preparation and a compatible finish. Repairs, hardware and drawer fronts are discussed and listed separately.
Why choose it?
Put your budget into preparation and finish rather than buying cabinetry you do not need. Refinishing changes appearance, not the cabinet layout or door profile.
A clear process
From first look
to a defined plan.
- 01
Review photos, cabinet condition and existing coatings before any work begins.
- 02
Confirm the surfaces, color, finish expectations and repairs in the written scope.
- 03
Prepare the agreed surfaces and apply the selected coating system. Door removal, shop work and on-site work are defined for your project.
- 04
Review handling, cure time and any reinstallation responsibilities before the kitchen returns to use.
The tradeoffs to understand
Visible grain, existing damage and coating compatibility can affect the result. A finish refresh cannot solve failing boxes or a layout that does not work.
No surprises in the scope
Materials, preparation, repairs, protection, disposal and installation responsibilities are agreed in writing. Related structural, plumbing, electrical and countertop work is a separate scope decision unless expressly included.
Older or unknown coatings need review before disturbance. Cleaning alone does not guarantee adhesion. We do not refinish or repaint lead-positive cabinets. Read our cabinet lead policy.
Want to keep the natural wood appearance? Explore cabinet restoration, or compare all five cabinet processes.
Before you decide
Five questions.
Straight answers.
How much of my kitchen stays?
Suitable boxes, doors and the layout stay. We change the finish rather than tear out the cabinetry. Repairs, drawer fronts and hardware are identified separately.
Where does the work happen?
Doors can be prepared and sprayed in the shop. The boxes stay at your house and need on-site preparation, masking and coating. Removal, transport and reinstallation are confirmed in your scope.
Will I have full use of the kitchen?
Do not plan on unrestricted access throughout the work. Masking, preparation and coating can affect which areas you can use. We explain the work sequence before starting.
Is refinishing a clean, no-mess job?
Preparation is real work. Surfaces need protection, and the existing finish may need more attention than photos reveal. We plan the containment and cleanup rather than promise there will be no disruption.
When is it worth keeping the old cabinets?
When the boxes and doors are sound, you like the layout, and the finish is the main problem. New paint will not change the door profile, create storage or repair failing cabinetry.
Compared with a full kitchen gut
Cabinet replacement does not automatically mean a full kitchen gut. A full gut is a broader scope that can involve countertops, flooring, walls, utilities and other trades. Keeping suitable cabinets can limit demolition, but preparation, dust control, protection and kitchen access still need a plan. Your written scope should explain what stays, what comes out and what you can use while the work is underway.
Possible project budgets
$3,500–$5,500 for this cabinet option.
Preparation and a new finish on suitable existing cabinets, keeping the layout. The written scope confirms the doors, drawer fronts, cabinet-box surfaces, repairs and handling included.
The example: a compact 10-by-10-foot kitchen with roughly 14 doors and 6 drawer fronts, no island, keeping the layout. That cabinet count is our example, not a universal 10-by-10 standard.
How does that compare with a full remodel?
A possible full-kitchen remodel budget for this example is $30,000–$50,000+, allowing for new cabinets, counters, standard appliances, flooring, backsplash and ordinary related trade work. It is a much broader project, with more coordination and potentially more time without normal kitchen access. Cabinet replacement alone does not automatically mean a full gut.
These are proposed planning allowances, not local statistical averages or guaranteed quotes. Cabinet quantities, materials, finish condition, repairs and site access affect the price. Tax, shipping, unusual repairs and exactly what is included must be confirmed in the written quote. Photos start the conversation; measurements, condition and scope determine your project price.
Start simple
A few photos.
A useful conversation.
Start with your town, kitchen goals and a few overall and close-up photos. Talk to Dani first or email photos directly. Carl can review them with you by phone and discuss a preliminary price range where the information allows. Site conditions, measurements and a written scope must be confirmed before a final quote. No instant price or booked date is promised.
Only share what is relevant to the project. Keep people, personal documents and other private details out of photos.
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