Cabinet Refacing Cost: Sarasota Breakdown

The Question I Get Every Single Day

"How much is this gonna cost me?"

I hear it before I even get my tape measure out. I've been painting cabinets and coordinating door replacements in Sarasota for over a decade, and that question hasn't changed. What has changed is my answer. Because I've learned that the real cost of cabinet refacing depends on a lot more than square footage or door count.

Let me break it down the way I explain it to homeowners sitting at their own kitchen islands, coffee in hand, wondering if they're about to make a $5,000 decision or a $15,000 decision.

Cabinet Refacing Cost in Sarasota: The Real Numbers

Most Sarasota homeowners land between $6,000 and $9,000 for a complete cabinet refacing project. HomeAdvisor's 2025 numbers put the national average at $7,230 (range $4,234 to $10,226), and that tracks with what I see locally. Florida labor is reasonable compared to coastal cities up north, and we don't have the supply chain issues that plague more remote areas.

Here's how it typically breaks down based on kitchen size and complexity:

Scope	Typical price	What's included
Condo kitchen refresh	$4,500 – $6,000	20-25 doors, 2K polyurethane spray, new hardware install
Standard family kitchen	$6,000 – $9,000	30-40 doors/drawers, onsite prep, haul-away, touch-up kit
Large or complex layout	$9,000 – $12,000	45+ openings, two-tone finishes, crown/valance removal, specialty hardware

I had a customer in Siesta Key last year who expected to pay $15,000 based on online estimates she'd researched. She'd been putting off the project for two years because the numbers seemed too high. Her actual quote? $7,200 for 34 doors with soft-close hinges. She nearly hugged me. That's the power of working with someone who actually does this work every day, not an algorithm that doesn't know your market.

Understanding What You're Actually Paying for

Cabinet refacing cost breaks down into several components. Understanding each one helps you make sense of quotes and compare options intelligently.

Door and Drawer Front Cost

This is usually 40-50% of your total project cost. You're buying new doors and drawer fronts to replace your existing ones. The boxes stay. The frames stay. Just the visible surfaces change.

Door cost depends on:

• Size: Larger doors cost more than smaller doors. A 36" tall pantry door costs more than a 12" wall cabinet door.
• Style: Simple shaker profiles cost less than elaborate raised panels. We do shaker and chamfer, both clean modern options that work in most kitchens.
• Material: Paint-grade MDF is the most cost-effective for painted finishes. Solid wood costs more and isn't necessary for painted applications.

For a typical 30-door kitchen, door and drawer front cost runs $2,000-$4,000 depending on sizes and options.

Finishing Cost

If you want painted doors, someone has to paint them. Professional spray finishing in a controlled booth environment runs $1,500-$3,000 for a typical kitchen, depending on color complexity and finish quality.

What affects finishing cost:

• Color: Whites and off-whites are standard. Dark colors require more coats and more care to achieve even coverage.
• Sheen: Satin is standard. High-gloss requires more prep and more skill to spray without visible imperfections.
• Two-tone: Island or lower cabinets in a different color than uppers adds layout complexity and booth time.

We use 2K polyurethane, which is the highest-quality option for durability. It costs more than standard lacquer but holds up dramatically better in kitchens where heat, moisture, and daily use take their toll.

Hardware and Hinges

New doors often mean new hinges, and refacing is a natural time to upgrade your hardware.

Hinges: Soft-close, concealed European hinges run $3-5 per hinge, and most doors need two hinges. For 30 doors, that's $180-$300 in hinges. Worth it? I think so. Soft-close is the modern standard, and it's a detail that makes the kitchen feel finished.

Hardware: Pulls and knobs range from $3 to $30+ each. Budget $150-$500 for hardware depending on your taste. This is one of those areas where you can splurge or save without affecting quality, just aesthetics.

Labor

Professional installation for a refacing project runs $1,000-$2,500 depending on kitchen size and complexity. This includes:

• Removing old doors and drawer fronts
• Installing new doors with proper alignment
• Adjusting hinges for even gaps
• Installing new hardware
• Touch-up and cleanup

Labor is where experience matters most. A crew that does refacing projects regularly will finish faster and with better results than general handymen or contractors who do it occasionally.

What Actually Drives Your Price

After hundreds of projects, I've learned what matters and what doesn't when it comes to cost.

What matters:

Door and drawer count: Every opening adds material, spray time, and install labor. A kitchen with 40 doors costs more than a kitchen with 20 doors. Simple math, but it's the biggest driver.

Finish complexity: Solid colors stay on the low end. Two-tones and specialty sheens mean extra booth passes and more time. A navy island with white uppers isn't twice the work, but it's probably 30% more.

Hardware and hinges: Soft-close swaps or concealed European hinges add parts and layout time. Hardware is usually supplied by the homeowner, but if you want us to source it, add that to the budget.

Rush requirements: Emergency 72-hour runs include overtime crews and priority booth slots. That costs more, but sometimes you need it. A last-minute change for a home sale, a rental turnover, a surprise party deadline.

Access and site conditions: High-rises, elevators, and strict HOA scheduling windows add labor staging complexity. A ground-floor house with driveway access is easier than a 12th-floor condo with an elevator reservation system.

What doesn't matter as much as people think:

The age of your cabinets: If the boxes are solid, we can work with them. I've refaced cabinets from the 1970s that were built better than cabinets from 2015. Age tells you less than condition.

Whether you've painted them before: Usually doesn't affect price unless the previous paint job was so thick and poorly done that we need to strip it completely. A coat or two of old paint? Fine. Half an inch of latex over oil over primer over who-knows-what? That's a different conversation.

The brand of your original cabinets: Doesn't matter. Merillat, Kraftmaid, builder-grade, doesn't matter. What matters is whether the boxes are structurally sound and the face frames are in good shape.

Current color: Going from oak to white is the same as going from white to navy. The new door covers the old. Current color only matters if you're not changing the face frames and want them to match.

The Real Cost Comparison: Refacing vs Everything Else

I get this question from about half my customers. Here's the honest answer based on what I see:

Option	Avg. cost	Timeline	When it makes sense
Dumpster Fire Doors refacing	$6k – $9k	5-7 days	You want a modern kitchen fast without demo chaos
Big box refacing service	$8k – $15k	2-4 weeks	You want warranty and don't mind premium pricing
Full cabinet replacement	$15k – $30k	2-4 weeks	Your boxes are damaged or you're changing layout
Full remodel	$25k – $50k+	8-12 weeks	You need layout changes, moving walls, or have gut-level damage
DIY cabinet door kit	$2k – $4k	Weekends for 4-6 weeks	You're handy, patient, and okay with finish imperfections

The sweet spot for refacing is when your cabinet boxes are solid but your doors are dated, damaged, or just ugly. If the boxes are falling apart, refacing doesn't make sense. If you want to move the refrigerator or add an island, that's a remodel, not a reface.

I've seen homeowners try the DIY route and end up calling me anyway. Not because they couldn't do it, because they absolutely could. Because life got in the way. Between work and kids, a weekend project turns into a three-month project with your kitchen torn apart. Ask me how I know. I'm a single dad, and I don't have time for projects that drag on either.

Hidden Costs to Watch for

Some refacing quotes leave things out that you'll end up paying for anyway. Watch for these:

Interior cabinet work: If you want the insides of your cabinets painted or refinished, that's usually extra. Most refacing projects don't touch the interiors because you don't see them with doors closed.

Face frame refinishing: Changing door color usually means the face frames need to match. Some quotes assume you'll live with mismatched frames. Others include frame refinishing. Make sure you know what you're getting.

Crown and trim: Existing crown molding and trim may need to be removed for door installation and reinstalled after. Some quotes include this, others charge separately.

Appliance gaps: New full-overlay doors may not line up with existing appliance openings the same way your old doors did. Minor adjustments are usually included. Major modifications may not be.

Disposal: Hauling away your old doors costs time and dump fees. Most professional quotes include this. Some don't. Ask.

Questions to Ask Before Signing

Before you commit to a refacing project with anyone, ask:

1. What's included in the price? Get a line-item breakdown, not just a lump sum.
2. What's not included? Specifically ask about face frames, interiors, crown, hardware, and disposal.
3. What's the warranty? On doors, on finish, on labor.
4. What's the timeline? Start to finish, including any delays you should expect.
5. What if something goes wrong? How do they handle remakes, damage, or dissatisfaction?
6. Can I see recent work? Photos are good. Addresses to drive by are better.

A professional will answer these questions without hesitation. Someone who dodges or gets defensive is telling you something.

Why Refacing Makes Sense in Sarasota

Sarasota's housing stock is perfect for refacing projects. We have:

Quality builder-grade cabinets: Most homes here were built with solid cabinet boxes, even if the doors and finishes were basic. The bones are good.

Dated aesthetics: Oak cathedral doors and brass hardware were everywhere in the 90s and 2000s. The structures are fine; they just look tired.

Active real estate market: Sellers need fast updates that show well. Buyers want move-in-ready. Refacing delivers the update without the construction timeline.

Rental properties: Property managers and landlords need durable updates between tenants. Refacing gives them a fresh look without the cost of full replacement.

If your cabinets are structurally sound, refacing is almost always the better value proposition than replacement. You get a new-looking kitchen at 25-40% of the cost of new cabinets, with a fraction of the disruption.

Related Resources

Still weighing your options? Check out our Cabinet Refacing in Sarasota guide to see the exact process. If you're considering doing the door replacement yourself, read how to measure cabinet doors first. Measuring wrong is the most expensive mistake you can make.

Get a Real Quote in 10 Minutes

Here's what I tell everyone: send me photos and your door count. I'll send back a written quote with line items, not a range. No surprises, no hidden fees.

Upload pictures and measurements in the order portal or text them to 941-417-0202. I reply with a quote, proof options, and schedule windows so you can greenlight within the hour.

I've lived in Sarasota my whole life. These aren't just projects to me. These are my neighbors' kitchens. My son's friends' houses. The restaurants I eat at. And I treat them that way.

FAQ

Why does my quote differ from the averages above?

Door count, finish choice, and hardware swaps shift the materials and time. I spell out every line item so you can see exactly where the spend goes. No mystery numbers.

Do you offer financing or staged payments?

Yes. Most homeowners split 50/30/20 across booking, production, and completion. If you need different terms, ask during the consult.

Is the 96-hour sprint really mess-free?

We spray doors offsite in our 2K booth and mask bases with extraction fans. Your kitchen stays usable each night with minimal dust. I've done this process hundreds of times. It works.

What if I'm not sure refacing is right for me?

Call me. Seriously. I'd rather spend 10 minutes on the phone and tell you refacing isn't the right fit than have you spend money on the wrong solution. That's not how I do business.

How long do refaced cabinets last?

With 2K polyurethane finish, decades. The finish is more durable than what came on your original cabinets. Most of our customers never reface again because it lasts that long.