Refacing, Not Replacing, Kitchen Cabinets

by Miriam Kasdan
Face Your Kitchen Columnist

Now that you've decided to reface your kitchen cabinets, you've made the decision to add value to your home without incurring a lot of cost. It is common knowledge that refacing instead of replacing kitchen cabinets can be more cost-efficient and achieve great results. In fact, refacing your kitchen cabinets costs about one-third as much as replacing them. Professionals can make the process fast and easy. Using the kitchen's existing layout, they remove and discard old cabinet doors and drawer fronts, reface the exposed frames, and then install custom-made doors, drawer fronts, and hardware. They can even add new countertops and build extra cabinets. Free estimates are usually available.

Why Use a Professional?

Unless you're a do-it-yourselfer with lots of experience in this area, you're taking on a huge task, no matter how simple you think it may be at the outset. There are a million details to consider and choices to make, and a kitchen cabinet expert can help you choose materials that fit your budget and match the d?cor you want. Even a step-by-step illustration of the job, regardless of how easy it may seem in a photograph, will not exactly match the task at hand. You could start out doing it yourself and have to call in a professional to fix your mistakes, which could cost you more in the end.

About the Author
Miriam Kasdan has been writing and editing marketing and technical materials for almost 20 years, and specializes in home improvement features. Miriam earned a B.A. in Sociology from the University of California at Berkeley.