Cabinets are the most expensive single line in most kitchen remodels — often a third of the budget. Before you commit to replacing them, it's worth knowing there are two other paths, and in a lot of DMV kitchens one of them gets you 80% of the result for a fraction of the cost. Two-tone kitchens like the one above, with dark lower cabinets and lighter uppers, are a popular way to get a custom look whichever route you take.
THE THREE OPTIONS
| Option | Typical DMV Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Professional cabinet painting | $3,500 – $8,000 | 4–7 days |
| Refacing (new doors, drawer fronts, veneer) | $8,000 – $16,000 | 1–2 weeks after ordering |
| Replacement, stock / semi-stock | $12,000 – $25,000 | 2–4 weeks + lead time |
| Replacement, semi-custom / custom | $22,000 – $50,000+ | 3–6 weeks + lead time |
Ranges are for an average 25–30 linear-foot DMV kitchen. Replacement costs cover cabinets and installation only — new cabinets almost always mean new countertops too, which is why replacement projects grow fast.
THE BOX TEST
Open every cabinet and look at the boxes, not the doors. Painting and refacing only make sense if the boxes are solid:
- Is the sink base swollen, delaminated, or stained from past leaks?
- Do shelves sag? Are face frames loose or separating?
- Are the boxes plywood or particleboard that's crumbling at the hinge screws?
If the boxes pass, keep them. If two or more fail, replacement is usually the better long-term spend.
WHEN PAINTING WINS
You like the layout, the doors are a style you can live with (shaker and flat panels paint beautifully; heavy cathedral arches less so), and the boxes are sound. A proper finish — degreased, sanded, primed with a bonding primer, and sprayed with a cabinet-grade enamel — holds up for many years. Brushing latex wall paint over oak is not the same project. Our cabinet painting cost guide goes deeper.
WHEN REFACING WINS
The layout works and the boxes are good, but you want a completely different door style or a wood-look finish paint can't give you. Refacing replaces every door and drawer front, covers the frames in matching veneer, and usually includes new hinges and soft-close drawer slides.
WHEN REPLACING WINS
- You're changing the layout — moving the sink, adding an island, opening a wall.
- The boxes failed the test above.
- You need different cabinet heights or depths for new appliances.
- You're replacing countertops anyway and want everything to last the next 25 years.
A common middle path: paint the existing cabinets, replace just the sink base (the one that always takes the water damage), and add new hardware. It's one of the best-value kitchen refreshes we do.
Whichever route you choose, a new backsplash and hardware are what make the change read as finished.
RELATED READING
CABINET PAINTING COST GUIDE: DC, MD & VA (2026)
Cabinet painting vs. full replacement — real pricing, what the process looks like, and why prep determines how long the job lasts.
KITCHEN REMODEL COST GUIDE FOR THE DMV (2026)
What a kitchen remodel actually costs in DC, Maryland, and Virginia -- broken down by scope, materials, and timeline.
BACKSPLASH INSTALLATION COST (2026)
Tile type, pattern labor, outlets and edges — and how the square footage really adds up.
Planning a project? See our Cabinet Painting service page for scope, process and recent work.
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