Refacing vs Replacing Kitchen Cabinets in San Antonio | Legacy B&K

Homeowners looking to freshen up their kitchen cabinets often choose to either reface or replace them. Contact our Legacy Bath & Kitchen team to explore these custom options for your home and keep reading for more information!

What Is Kitchen Cabinet Replacement?

Replacing kitchen cabinets consists of removing the existing cabinetry and installing new cabinets.

If your kitchen cabinets are in bad shape or you are unhappy with the layout of your cabinets, this is probably a better route for you to pursue. Replacing the cabinets opens up a world of possibilities to achieve your dream kitchen. But it is also a difficult, expensive job best left to professionals to complete.

Pros of Replacing Cabinets:

• Raises home’s resale value more than refacing
• Can completely redesign your kitchen: add more space, rework the layout, add/remove storage and lighting, etc.
• More companies offer cabinet replacement services

Cons of Replacing Cabinets:

• Costs more than refacing
• Can quickly become complicated as you explore possibilities
• Larger disruption in your home and may take longer

Replacing kitchen cabinets is often the preferred choice when making an addition to or fully remodeling a kitchen. Demoing is a messy job and preventing damage to existing cabinets during a remodel may not be possible. In addition, cabinetry typically lasts around 20 years before it starts deteriorating or goes out of style. Cabinet replacement is an opportunity to fundamentally recreate a cohesive style and take advantage of modern features to make them fit your family’s needs or habits, beyond aesthetics.

What Is Kitchen Cabinet Refacing?

The main thing to remember with refaced cabinets is that although they look fresh and new, the cabinet boxes have not changed. Only their “face” has changed.

If you are happy with your kitchen’s current layout and simply want to change the color, style or hardware of the cabinets, refacing is probably the better choice for you. This usually includes refinishing or veneering the boxes and repainting existing (or installing new) drawer fronts, cabinet doors and hardware. Refacing is the most cost-effective solution for remodeling.

Pros of Refacing Kitchen Cabinets:

• Usually costs less than replacing
• Takes less time and is less messy than replacing
• Environmentally friendly, because useful cabinets are not sent to landfills

Cons of Refacing Kitchen Cabinets:

• Existing cabinet boxes must be in good shape
• Limited in what you can alter
• Cabinet locations and sizes don’t change
• Not as many companies offer refacing services

It is important to remember that refacing cabinets only involves changing their appearance, not their function. As long as your cabinet boxes and drawers are still usable and their current layout fits your needs, refacing could be the perfect choice to liven up your space! Cabinets more than 20 years old, poorly constructed or with signs of damage, including rust, mold or mildew, should be replaced. And since refacing cabinets can cost thirty to fifty percent less than replacing them, small spaces are especially great candidates for refacing.

Stuck Deciding on Kitchen Cabinet Installation? Let us Help!

Updating the look and feel of your home’s kitchen is often high on homeowners’ wish lists. But tackling a kitchen remodel can get scary pretty quickly once you realize all your choices and their effect on the overall cost. If you need help planning and executing your custom kitchen vision, contact us today! Legacy Bath & Kitchen has been helping San Antonio residents fulfill their kitchen dreams since 2006 with our team of expert designers and installers. Leave the heavy lifting to us and we can guide you into your dream kitchen.