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AfterCabinet Installation & Refacing in Tampa, FL
Cabinet installation and refacing in Tampa typically runs $275 – $650 per linear foot for new semi-custom cabinets, or $140 – $320 per linear foot for refacing with new doors, drawer fronts, and veneer. Most Cabinets & Countertops projects are completed in 2 – 4 weeks depending on whether we’re painting, refacing, or doing a full tear-out. At Elmstead Remodeling Tampa, the work begins with a written price and ends with a 365-Day Done Right Promise, which simply means if something isn’t done right, we make it right.
This page covers what’s involved in cabinet installation and refacing, how the process works inside a Tampa home with kids and pets underfoot, what affects pricing here, and when refacing beats a full replacement. If you’re planning a larger project, our Kitchen Remodeling page walks through the full scope, from layout changes to countertop selection. For immediate questions, call us at (850) 779-4017 – a live person answers, 24/7.
Key Takeaways
- Refacing is typically 40 – 60% less than full cabinet replacement when the existing cabinet boxes are structurally sound.
- Written price before work starts – always, on every cabinet project. No estimate that grows after the crew arrives.
- Named-brand materials including KraftMaid and Wellborn cabinets, with manufacturer warranties that travel with your finished kitchen.
- Shoe covers and drop cloths on every visit, plus a photo of the clean-up before the crew leaves – included, not an add-on.
- 365-Day Done Right Promise on every completed project.
When You Need Cabinet Installation & Refacing
You may be surprised how many Tampa kitchens we walk into where the cabinets are the only thing standing between the homeowner and a kitchen they actually enjoy using. Here are the situations we see most often across South Tampa, Carrollwood, Westchase, and Seminole Heights:
- Doors are warped, peeling, or swollen from humidity. Tampa’s summers run hot and wet, and older MDF or laminate doors absorb moisture over time. If the hinges still close true but the door faces look tired, refacing solves it without touching the cabinet boxes.
- The layout works but the finish is dated. Honey-oak cabinets from the 1990s are structurally fine but visually heavy. Refacing with painted shaker doors in a soft white or sage changes the whole room without moving a single wall.
- Shelves are sagging or the boxes have water damage. When the cabinet box itself is compromised – swollen particleboard, broken face frames, or water staining near the sink base – refacing is not an option. Those get replaced, and we’ll tell you that plainly before any work begins.
- You want to change cabinet function, not just looks. Soft-close hinges, pull-out trash bins, drawer organizers, and deeper pot drawers all require new doors and drawer fronts at minimum. We spec these from KraftMaid or Wellborn and install them with the same care as a full cabinet replacement.
- You’re selling soon and want a kitchen that photographs well. Tampa real estate moves fast in neighborhoods like Palma Ceia and Hyde Park. A reface with new hardware often returns more at listing than a full remodel would cost, and it’s done in half the time.
Whatever the reason, the first step is an honest look at what you have. We’ll tell you when refacing makes sense and when it doesn’t. Call (850) 779-4017 and we’ll come look.
Our Cabinet Installation & Refacing Process
We follow the same sequence on every Full Kitchen Remodeling job in Tampa, whether it’s a two-day reface in Westchase or a full custom install in Davis Islands. The steps stay predictable so your family knows exactly what to expect each day the crew is in the house.
- Walk-through and honest assessment. We inspect every cabinet box, hinge, and drawer slide. We measure. We listen to how you actually use the kitchen – pots by the stove, kids’ cups in a lower drawer, a pet feeding corner you don’t want disturbed. Then we give you a written price, not an estimate range that drifts.
- Material selection and door sample review. You choose from named brands – KraftMaid and Wellborn are our primary cabinet lines. We order doors, drawer fronts, hardware, and veneer. Nothing gets fabricated until you’ve seen and approved the samples in your own kitchen’s lighting.
- Site protection. Before any tool comes out, the crew lays drop cloths over the floors, covers adjacent surfaces, and puts on shoe covers at the door. We’ll ask before moving anything. That rule is firm.
- Demolition or door removal. For refacing, we remove doors and drawer fronts, label them, and set them aside for disposal or donation if they’re usable. For full installation, we carefully remove the old boxes, cutting fasteners rather than prying to protect the drywall behind them.
- Installation and adjustment. New cabinets go in, leveled and shimmed so doors align. Refaced cabinets get new veneer applied to the face frames, then new doors, drawer fronts, and hardware. Every hinge gets adjusted until the close is right.
- Clean-up and photo proof. We vacuum, wipe down surfaces, remove debris, and take a photo of the clean job site before the crew leaves. That photo is part of the job record, and you get a copy. Then we walk the kitchen with you, door by door.
Cabinet Installation & Refacing Pricing in Tampa
Cabinet installation and refacing in Tampa varies more by material and door count than by neighborhood, but here are honest ranges based on the projects we’ve completed across Hillsborough County:
| Project Type | Typical Range | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| Full refacing (medium kitchen, ~20 doors/drawers) | $8,000 – $14,000 | New doors, drawer fronts, veneer on face frames, hardware, hinges, install |
| Full cabinet replacement (medium kitchen, semi-custom) | $18,000 – $35,000 | Tear-out, new KraftMaid or Wellborn boxes, doors, drawers, hardware, install |
| Partial refacing (island only, or uppers only) | $3,500 – $7,000 | New doors and drawer fronts on selected sections, veneer, hardware |
| Custom cabinet install (large kitchen, full-custom) | $35,000 – $60,000+ | Full-custom boxes, specialty finishes, dividers, rollout systems, install |
What moves the price: door style and wood species, whether you choose painted or stained finish, how many drawers versus doors, soft-close hardware upgrades, and whether the existing boxes need any structural work. Also, if your Tampa home was built before 1980, we may need to address lead paint protocol during removal, which adds a line item we’ll explain before you commit.
Every project gets a written price before any work starts. That’s not a perk. It’s how we operate. Call (850) 779-4017 for a free, no-pressure cabinet consultation. We’ll give you a real number, not a ballpark.
Why Families in Tampa Choose Elmstead Remodeling for Cabinet Work
Cabinet work is intrusive. Your kitchen is closed down. Your family’s routine gets rearranged. The difference between a good cabinet contractor and a frustrating one comes down to how the crew behaves while the work is underway. That’s why our Cedarwell Care Promise is specific about what happens inside your home, and why families with young kids and pets keep calling us back in neighborhoods like New Tampa, Seminole Heights, and South Tampa.
Our technicians are background-checked and uniformed, so you know exactly who’s walking through your door each morning. We ask before moving anything – a pet gate, a stroller parked in the corner, a child’s step stool. We use quiet tools where possible during nap and school hours. We choose pet-safe products when there’s a choice. And we photograph the clean-up before we leave, every single visit, so you have proof the kitchen corner was left the way you’d want it if it were your own house on a busy Tuesday.
This work is led by Graham Stein, who has built Elmstead Remodeling Tampa around the idea that the job includes how the house looks when the crew pulls away. That principle isn’t on a poster. It’s in the drop cloths, the shoe covers, and the written price you got before the first hinge was ordered.
Cabinet Refacing vs. Replacement: What’s the Right Call in Tampa?
This is the single most common question we hear, and the answer depends on the cabinet boxes. If the boxes are level, square, dry, and the face frames are solid – meaning no swollen particleboard, no water staining, no separating joints – refacing will save you real money and deliver a fresh kitchen. If the boxes are compromised, refacing is just putting a new door on a failing structure, and we won’t do that.
Here’s a practical way to think about it for Tampa specifically: our humidity is hard on cabinet materials. Particleboard boxes that have been through 15 or 20 Tampa summers often show it. If you see bubbled surfaces near the sink, musty smells in the corner cabinets, or drawers that bind in August, the boxes may be done. Refacing won’t fix that. But if your boxes are solid and it’s the doors that look worn, refacing is a smart, faster, less disruptive path. We’ll assess it honestly and recommend only what’s needed. That’s how the written price stays written.
FAQs – Cabinet Installation & Refacing
Is it cheaper to reface or replace cabinets in Tampa?
Refacing is typically 40 – 60% cheaper than full cabinet replacement in Tampa, running $8,000 – $14,000 for a medium kitchen compared to $18,000 – $35,000 for new semi-custom cabinets. The savings come from keeping your existing cabinet boxes and only replacing doors, drawer fronts, and veneer. Call (850) 779-4017 and we’ll come assess whether your boxes are good candidates – the assessment is free.
How long does cabinet installation or refacing take in Tampa?
Most cabinet refacing projects in Tampa take 3 – 7 working days from start to finish, while Kitchen Design & Layout and full cabinet installation typically runs 2 – 3 weeks depending on custom orders and countertop coordination. Door fabrication is usually the longest wait – 3 – 5 weeks for custom doors ordered from KraftMaid or Wellborn. We’ll give you a schedule in writing before any work begins.
Can you reface just the upper cabinets, not the lowers?
Yes, partial refacing – uppers only, lowers only, or an island only – is a common request in Tampa kitchens where one section wears faster than another. Partial refacing runs $3,500 – $7,000 depending on door count. Just know that matching a stain exactly across old and new sections is not always perfect, so we’ll show you samples and set realistic expectations before you decide.
Do you offer soft-close hinges and drawer slides?
Yes, we install soft-close hinges and under-mount drawer slides on both refacing and full installation projects, and we recommend them for homes with young children. They prevent pinched fingers and reduce the slam that wakes a napping toddler. The upgrade adds $15 – $35 per hinge or slide depending on the brand, and it’s listed as a line item on your written price.
What should I do to prepare my kitchen for cabinet work?
Remove small appliances and food from cabinets and drawers, clear the countertops, and secure pets in a comfortable area away from the work zone. We handle drop cloths, shoe covers, and site protection. We’ll also ask before moving anything that belongs to your family – that’s part of our Cedarwell Care Promise, not a courtesy we’ll skip when the schedule gets tight.
Written by Graham Stein, Owner at Elmstead Remodeling Tampa, serving Tampa.
Ready to Talk About Your Kitchen Cabinets?
Call (850) 779-4017 to schedule a free cabinet consultation in Tampa. You’ll speak with a live person – no voicemail, no automated menu – and we’ll schedule a walk-through at a time that works for your family. You’ll get a written price before any work starts, brand-name cabinet options from KraftMaid and Wellborn, a crew that treats your home like the place your kids and pets actually live, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise on the finished project.
