| Quick Answer
Custom and semi-custom kitchen cabinets in Contra Costa County can vary widely in price, depending on the size of the kitchen, cabinet construction, materials, door style, finish, and hardware. A typical kitchen may fall within a broad range, with higher-end options costing significantly more. The biggest price differences usually come from the quality and construction of the cabinets rather than the overall size of the kitchen. |
Why nobody gives you a price on the phone
It is a fair question and it deserves a straight answer. Two kitchens with identical footprints can differ by a factor of three, because the linear footage tells you almost nothing about what is being built. A 20-foot run of plywood boxes with dovetailed drawers, soft-close hardware and a hand-applied finish is a different product from a 20-foot run of particleboard with stapled drawer boxes, even though the tape measure says they are the same.
So rather than refuse to answer, here is what actually drives the number and roughly how much each factor moves it.
The seven things that decide your cabinet budget
-
Linear footage
Measured along the wall at the base and again at the uppers. A typical Contra Costa kitchen runs 18 to 25 linear feet of base plus 12 to 18 of upper. This sets the baseline and is the one factor most people already know.
-
Box construction
Plywood boxes cost more than particleboard and last considerably longer, particularly under a sink or anywhere that sees moisture. This is the single decision with the biggest effect on how the kitchen looks in fifteen years, and it is invisible once the doors are on which is exactly why it is the first place a cheap quote saves money.
-
Drawer construction
Dovetailed solid-wood drawer boxes with full-extension soft-close undermount slides sit at one end. Stapled boxes on side-mount epoxy slides sit at the other. The difference can be significant across a full kitchen, especially when choosing higher-quality drawer construction and hardware. Drawers are also one of the parts of the kitchen you interact with most often.
-
Door style and material
A flat slab door in a thermofoil finish is the least expensive. A five-piece shaker in paint-grade maple is mid-range. An inset door with a hand-rubbed finish is at the top. Inset construction in particular carries a significant premium because the tolerances are far tighter every door has to fit a hole rather than cover one.
-
Finish
Stain on a consistent species is the least expensive route. Painted finishes cost more because they require more preparation and more coats. Custom colour matching costs more again. Two-tone kitchens, which have been the dominant request this year, add cost because they are effectively two finish runs.
-
Hardware and internal fittings
Pulls, hinges, slides, corner mechanisms, spice pull-outs, waste units, drawer organisers, and integrated lighting can all add to the overall cabinet cost. These details are easy to underestimate during the design stage, but they can make a noticeable difference to both the functionality and final price of a kitchen.
-
Layout change
Replacing cabinets in the existing footprint is a cabinet job. Moving the sink, relocating the range, or opening a wall is a construction job, with plumbing, electrical, permits and often structural work. That is a different budget and a different trade we hand those projects to Mazzamuto Construction, the family’s construction company, rather than pretending a cabinet supplier can manage them.
Real cost bands by project size
| Project
|
Typical scope
|
Usually excludes
|
|---|---|---|
| Small galley or single-wall
|
12 to 15 linear feet, semi-custom, painted shaker, soft-close throughout
|
Countertops, backsplash, appliances, flooring, electrical
|
| Standard L-shape or U-shape
|
18 to 25 linear feet, semi-custom or entry custom, one corner mechanism, pantry
|
Countertops, backsplash, appliances, flooring, electrical
|
| Large kitchen with island
|
28 to 40 linear feet, fully custom, multiple internal fittings, integrated appliance panels
|
Countertops, backsplash, appliances, flooring, electrical
|
Countertops are the most common thing people forget to budget separately. Quartz, granite and marble are priced by the square foot fabricated and installed, and on a large island kitchen the countertop can approach a third of what the cabinets cost.
The cheaper routes, honestly assessed
Not every kitchen needs new cabinets, and we would rather tell you that at the start than after you have committed.
- Refinishing keeps your existing doors and re-coats them. It is the least expensive option by a wide margin. It cannot change door style or layout, and it only works if the boxes and doors are sound.
- Refacing replaces the doors, drawer fronts and visible face frame while keeping the boxes. It changes the look completely, finishes in days rather than weeks, and typically costs a fraction of replacement. It cannot change your layout.
- Partial replacement new boxes on one run, refaced doors elsewhere — occasionally makes sense in a kitchen where only part of the run has failed. It requires careful finish matching.
Where budgets overrun, and how to avoid it
- Discovering the layout has to change after the cabinets are ordered. Settle the layout before anything is manufactured. This is the single most expensive category of change.
- Countertop and backsplash chosen after the cabinets. If the finishes are selected together, the cost is known up front. Chosen separately, they tend to escalate to match what is already installed.
- Internal fittings added during installation. Pull-outs, organisers and lighting cost far less specified at the order stage than retrofitted afterwards.
- Electrical and plumbing discovered mid-project. Older Martinez and Concord homes routinely need work that was not in the original quote. Budget a contingency of 10 to 15 percent on any pre-1980 house.
- Appliance sizes confirmed late. A refrigerator that is two inches wider than assumed changes the cabinet run and, on a manufactured order, cannot be adjusted.
What to ask for in a quote
A quote you can actually compare should state the box material and thickness, the drawer box construction and slide type, the hinge brand and whether they are soft-close, the door style and finish specification, every internal fitting itemised, delivery and installation as separate lines, and the warranty on both product and labour. If a quote gives you a single number and a door-style name, you cannot compare it to anything.
We will price your kitchen at whatever specification you want to see, including the specification we would not recommend, so you can see where the money goes.
FAQ
How much do custom kitchen cabinets cost in Contra Costa County?
Custom kitchen cabinets in Contra Costa County can vary significantly in price depending on the level of customization, materials, construction, finish, hardware, and installation requirements. For a standard 20-linear-foot kitchen, the total cabinet cost can range from a moderate investment to a substantially higher one as material quality and customization increase.
Is refacing cheaper than replacing kitchen cabinets?
Substantially, yes. Refacing keeps your existing cabinet boxes and replaces the doors, drawer fronts and visible frame, so you avoid both the cost of new boxes and most of the demolition and installation labour. It only works if the boxes are structurally sound and you are happy with the current layout.
What is the difference in cost between semi-custom and fully custom cabinets?
Semi-custom cabinets generally cost less than fully custom cabinets because they use standard sizes and fixed increments, which can also make them quicker to produce. Fully custom cabinets are built to your exact dimensions and can cost more, but they can be especially useful for kitchens with odd angles, unusual ceiling heights, tight spaces, or original millwork that needs to be matched.
Do cabinet prices include installation?
At Bella Casa, delivery and installation are quoted as separate line items so you can see exactly what each costs. Always check this when comparing quotes some suppliers include it and some do not, which can make two quotes look very different when they are not.
What should I budget for countertops on top of cabinets?
Countertops are priced separately by the square foot, fabricated and installed. On a large kitchen with an island the countertop can approach a third of the cabinet cost, so it should be budgeted alongside the cabinets rather than after them.
How much contingency should I allow?
Ten to fifteen percent is sensible on any home built before 1980. Older Martinez, Concord and Pleasant Hill houses frequently need electrical or plumbing work that only becomes visible once the old cabinets come out.