Cost to Replace Kitchen Cabinets: Full 2026 Breakdown

The short answer: a full kitchen cabinet replacement typically costs $4,500–$15,000 installed, with the boxes themselves the biggest line and demolition, disposal, and labor stacked on top. Countertops are usually a separate but linked budget line. Every figure below is a third-party US range, not our pricing — use them to read quotes critically, line by line.

What does a full cabinet replacement include?

Full replacement means the old kitchen comes out and a new one goes in: disconnect utilities, remove old boxes, haul away debris, repair walls and floors as needed, set and level new cabinets, then handle everything the new boxes touch — hardware, moldings, and usually countertops templated to the new layout. That is why replacement quotes have more lines than any other cabinet project, and why comparing two quotes means comparing the same lines, not just the bottom numbers. Our cabinet cost guide covers box pricing in depth; this guide covers the whole project.

How much do replacement cabinets cost by tier?

The boxes are the single largest cost driver in most kitchen remodels — cabinetry runs $2,000–$28,000 and can account for 30–40% of a total remodel budget (Angi 2026 remodel data, based on 13,100 verified projects). Where you land depends on the tier:

• Stock boxes: roughly $100–$300 per linear foot, or $2,000–$6,000 for a standard 10×10 kitchen (2026 trade cost data, via DrCabinet 2026 update). Ready-made and fastest to install.
• Semi-custom boxes: roughly $250–$650 per linear foot, or $5,000–$13,000 for a 10×10 kitchen (same source). Adjustable sizes and finishes — the middle most replacement kitchens land in.
• Custom boxes: roughly $500–$1,200+ per linear foot, or $10,000–$24,000+ for a 10×10 (same source). Fully bespoke, longest waits — 6 to 8 weeks to build is typical (Angi).
• By kitchen size, all-in: small kitchens (8×10) around $3,000–$8,000; medium (10×12) around $4,500–$15,000; large (12×16+) from $10,000 past $25,000 (2026 trade cost data). Expect regional lift — on the order of 10–20% on the coasts.

What do demolition and disposal add?

Tear-out is the forgotten line — nothing new goes in before the old comes out, and the old leaves in a truck you pay for. These are third-party US ranges:

• Cabinet removal: about $500 on average — $180–$400 for a small kitchen, $600–$1,000 for a large one, typically $15–$20 per linear foot (Angi cabinet removal guide). Disconnecting plumbing and electrical adds plumber/electrician hourly rates on top.
• Full kitchen demo: roughly $300–$3,000 depending on scope, averaging around $800 (Angi 2026 data) — higher when walls, flooring, or tile come out with the boxes.
• Disposal: dumpster rental or haul-away fees ride with demo; contractors often bundle them, so ask whether a quote's demo line includes disposal or bills it separately.

How much does installation labor cost?

Setting and leveling the new boxes is skilled work, and it is priced accordingly: pros typically charge $50–$150 per hour, with full-kitchen installs commonly landing between $2,000 and $12,000 depending on kitchen size and layout complexity (2026 trade data). Angi's related-project figures put installing kitchen cabinets at $2,000–$10,600. Layout changes, unlevel walls, and tall pantry units that need scribing all push labor up — which is exactly why keeping the existing footprint is the cheapest decision a replacement can include. The full labor picture, including per-box pricing and DIY math, is in our installation cost guide.

Do you have to replace the countertops too?

Almost always, yes — and this is the line that surprises replacement budgets most. Counters are templated to the exact boxes beneath them, so new boxes in any new position mean new counters. Budget it as its own project inside the project:

• Installed countertops: about $1,800–$4,400 on average, with premium stone pushing past $10,000 (Angi 2026 data).
• By material, per square foot: laminate roughly $8–$35, quartz roughly $15–$70, granite roughly $10–$140 (Angi) — the material choice alone can swing this line by thousands.
• Templating lag: counters get measured only after the new boxes are set and level, then fabricated off-site — so plan for days of a counterless kitchen between install and templated top. A sink base cabinet also means a new sink cut and usually a plumber visit; add the sink ($210–$2,000, Angi) to the same line.

What hidden costs catch homeowners off guard?

• Electrical moves: roughly $500–$2,000 when outlets, under-cabinet lighting, or appliance circuits shift with the new layout (2026 trade data). Electricians run $50–$100+ per hour (Angi).
• Plumbing moves: starting around $1,000 when the sink or dishwasher changes position — repiping work averages far higher, so keep water where it is if the budget is tight (Angi).
• Permits: roughly $460–$2,770 for the Lax of permits most remodels need — electrical, plumbing, demolition, construction (Angi).
• Backsplash and paint: a new backsplash runs $500–$1,500 installed ($15–$40 per square foot, Angi), and repainting the opened-up walls follows the demo crew, not the cabinet crew.
• The buffer: pad the total 10–15% for what walls hide — unlevel framing, old water damage, and outdated wiring surface exactly once, during tear-out.

How long does a full replacement take?

Expect weeks, not days. Ordering and the wait for boxes come first — stock boxes ship fastest while custom builds take 6–8 weeks (Angi) — then demolition runs days, cabinet install runs 2–5 days with a pro crew, and countertop templating plus fabrication adds its own wait after the boxes are set. Before ordering a single box, measure carefully with our measuring guide — one bad measurement Jose the whole sequence, and fixes get expensive once demo has started.

Questions homeowners actually ask

How much does a 10x10 kitchen cost to replace?

For the standard 10×10 benchmark (about 20 linear feet): roughly $2,000–$6,000 in stock boxes, $5,000–$13,000 semi-custom, $10,000–$24,000+ custom (2026 trade data) — then add roughly $400–$600 for removal, $2,000+ for install labor, and the countertop line. Most full 10×10 replacements land in the $4,500–$15,000 all-in band. See what affects a cabinet quote for why two same-size kitchens price differently.

Can I keep my countertops when replacing cabinets?

In practice, no — counters are cut and templated to the old boxes, and removal usually damages them coming off. Budget new counters into every replacement; keeping the old footprint at least avoids moving plumbing and electrical at the same time.

How much does it cost just to remove old cabinets?

About $500 on average nationally — $180–$400 for a small kitchen, $600–$1,000 for a large one, at roughly $15–$20 per linear foot (Angi). Utility disconnects, wall repair, and disposal can sit outside that number, so confirm what a removal quote includes.

Does replacing cabinets increase home value?

Cabinetry is the visual and functional core buyers inspect first — new boxes photograph well and pass the open-the-doors test that decides kitchen impressions. Treat ROI as market-dependent rather than a fixed percentage: price the boxes against comparable homes in your area, not against national averages.

How can I keep replacement costs down?

Keep the layout so plumbing, electrical, and counters move minimally; choose stock sizes over custom widths; order accurately once instead of reordering twice; and collect at least three itemized quotes so every line — boxes, demo, install, counters — competes separately. Price the box line first in the cabinet catalog, compare finishes with samples in your own light, and put the savings toward the 10–15% buffer.

Pricing the box line? The cabinet catalog lists all-plywood construction across every size — start with high-volume pieces like the 30-inch Shaker base cabinet and 24-inch Shaker wall cabinet to anchor the math, then build out from there. Cabinetry plus installation runs about a third of a full kitchen budget (industry budget guidelines), so the box decision sets the ceiling everything else fits under.

Every replacement starts with the box number — request a free quote on new all-plywood cabinets and build the rest of the budget around a real figure instead of a guess.