Wanting a new kitchen, but just don’t have the money? Did you know that you stand to save thousands of pounds by just giving your kitchen cupboards a facelift?
Instead of funding an entirely new kitchen, why not spend a fraction of the cost and replace kitchen cupboard doors and worktops instead. The results can be astonishing, and you will give your kitchen an entirely different look – and trick you into thinking it’s a brand new space.
There are so many options to choose from, different finishes and types of doors to choose from, so it can seem like an overwhelming decision at first, which is why we’ve put this article together.
We’ll be discussing how much replacement kitchen doors cost, what affects the cost of replacement kitchen doors, how to save money on replacement kitchen doors, what’s involved in replacing kitchen doors and how to find and hire a professional fitter.
If you want to give your kitchen a new lease of life, but for a fraction of the cost of a new suite; then opting to replace your kitchen doors can be a great way to go. Keep reading to find out the most cost-effective and design-savvy ways of doing it.
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How Much Do Replacement Kitchen Doors Cost?
Costs can vary greatly on the size of your kitchen, the materials you choose to go for and the style; but as a general ballpark, here are the estimated costs by kitchen size:
| Estimated Cost by Kitchen Size | Estimated Supply Cost | Labour Costs | Time Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small kitchen (8 units) | £285 to £320 | £100 to £150 per day | 1 to 2 days |
| Medium kitchen (11 units) | £350 to £400 | £100 to £150 per day | 1 to 2 days |
| Large kitchen (16 units) | £570 to £640 | £100 to £150 per day | 2 to 3 days |
For a small kitchen of around eight units, the estimated supply cost will be between £285 to £320 and will incur a labour cost of £100 to £150 per day. This job in total will take between one to two days to complete.
Moving up the scale to a medium kitchen of around 11 units, the estimated supply-only cost will be between £325 to £400, with the same labour costs as previously mentioned and also taking between one to two days to complete.
Finally, a larger kitchen of around 16 units will be between £570 to £640 for the supply only costs, with £100 to £150 as per day labour charges, taking between two to three days.
The variation in price will come from the style of cabinetry you choose, as well as any additional accessories like door pulls and handles, or soft close joints.
Click To Get QuotesWhat Affects the Cost of Replacement Kitchen Doors?
Understandably, some factors influence the cost of your kitchen renovation for better and for worse – so these are the areas you want to keep an eye on if you’re wanting to keep your costs low.
The Size of Your Kitchen
As shown above, in the table, the sheer size of your kitchen will have the most impact on the cost of your project.
This is something that can’t be changed – unless you have some cupboard doors that are hidden out of view and can stand to be kept the same.
Where you can look to save money is on choosing the type of doors as this can be entirely your choice, and can bring your costs up or down as required.
Your Choice of Doors
This is where big savings – or big spending – can be made. The choice of doors is practically endless, with more premium materials commanding higher prices, as you’d expect.
If you opt for a solid hardwood door, as opposed to a more affordable lightweight wood with a vinyl wrap effect, you can easily look to spend hundreds, if not thousands, more on the same job.
If you’re looking to cut costs down, see what looks the same visually but is different in composition. Opting for vinyl wraps on more affordable bases can be a way of achieving the look you want, at a price you prefer, instead of going for the more premium option which will come with a premium price tag.
Your Choice of Door Handles and Drawer Pulls
Here is where things can get pricey if you’re not careful, with luxurious accessories costing over £50 per drawer pull.
Budget nickel effect door handles and pulls typically cost £2 to £15 each, though, so there are ways around your renovation without compromising your style too much.
Your Location
Another non-negotiable: your location will dictate the price you pay based on the demand in that area and the mark-up for larger cities as opposed to more rural locales.
Whether or not you need to factor in parking permits for your traders is another consideration, as this will bump up your price somewhat without you taking it in – and you will be expected to foot this bill for your trader, else suffer the consequences of a parking ticket.
Whether You Want Replacement Worktops
Instead of replacing your entire kitchen, you may opt for replacing cupboard doors – and then you could choose to change your worktop too.
Much like replacing the cupboards, replacing your worktop is a cost-effective way of giving your kitchen a new look while spending less money.
The costs for this work will be much less than the average cost of a new kitchen, and the work can be completed in a far quicker time than the former, too.
Below are the estimated costs for replacing kitchen worktops in a small, medium and large kitchen. All prices below assume the customer supplies the worktops:
- Small kitchen (under 15 square metres in size) you can expect to pay between £200 and £300, with the job taking up to eight hours to finish
- Medium kitchen (measuring roughly 3.5 metres by 3.0 metres) coming in at between £200 and £350 and should take about 10 hours to complete
- For larger kitchens (of just under 20 square metres in size), the cost of removing old worktops and replacing them with new can come around £450, with the work accomplished in a day or two
How Can I Save Money on Replacement Kitchen Doors?
For the majority of homeowners, their kitchens have served them well for years and they now just need a different look. It’s true to say that over 70% of all kitchens replaced in the UK every year are still functional – which is a staggering statistic, and hugely wasteful when considering all that is needed is a few cosmetic tweaks here and there.
The main reason most homeowners replace their kitchen is simply a change of taste and seeking a change; yet you could easily achieve the same fresh looking kitchen with less hassle and less cost, too. The advantages of replacing kitchen cupboard doors include:
- Costs less compared to an entire kitchen installation, saving you money if you are on a budget
- Causes less upheaval and work can be completed in less time, so you can get to enjoy your new kitchen far quicker
- Good for the environment, because by keeping your existing cupboards and worktops you prevent the waste from going to landfill
- Easier than a full kitchen replacement and may be possible to do DIY, especially the cupboard doors
- Quicker to install, as new doors can be fitted in a matter of hours
Remove the Old Cabinets Before Your Traders Arrive
You can look to save money on the fitting by removing the old cabinet doors yourself if you’re able to, as this will otherwise just be added labour hours for your contractor, and it’s quite a straightforward job that you should be able to complete in a few hours with a screwdriver and some determination.
Do It Yourself
Similarly, if you’re up to the challenge, you can look to replace the doors in your kitchen by yourself. You may need to fill the existing holes where the old hinges used to be and leave that to set before drilling in new ones, but aside from that, it should be as simple as screwing in some hinges and adding drawer pulls or handles, then affixing that to the cabinet itself.
This is a great way to trim down costs and keep it just as materials only, which can be an extremely effective way to both upgrade your kitchen and do it on a shoestring budget.
Wait For Retail Sales
Finally, opting to buy your cabinetry, paint or handles during sales or discount periods at trade shops is a great way to get an even better deal. Instead of buying something at the mercy of a trader, and paying the full RRP, you can bide your time and wait for deals to come out which you can then use to your advantage, saving you money in the long run, which can be spent elsewhere in the home.
Click To Get QuotesWhat’s Involved in Replacing Kitchen Cupboard Doors?
When scoping out traders for this job – or indeed doing it yourself – it’s good to take stock of your existing cabinetry and see if there is any damage. If so, this will need to be rectified before you replace the doors, or add a new vinyl wrap on top of the existing woodwork.
If you’re replacing the doors entirely, you’ll expect the trader to remove the door from its hinges and dispose of the old cabinetry (else you can look to retrofit it somewhere else in the home, or use it for scrap in some other DIY endeavour).
Handles or drawer pulls will be added to the new doors, either screwed or glued on depending on your desired finish.
Then, the new doors will be brought in, as well as their fittings, while the old hinges are removed. Holes will be filled, else replacement hinges will fit straight into the existing gaps if you’re really lucky, and will be screwed into place.
Then, it’s just a case of adding the door to the hinge, then fastening it to the swing mechanism.
As we’ve said previously, this is absolutely a job you can do yourself, so if you want to give it a go, it’s a great one to try at minimal cost and minimal disruption.
How Do I Find and Hire a Professional Fitter?
Seeking recommendations from family, friends, and neighbours is a great place to start if you want a company to come in and get the job done for you in the most efficient way possible.
Using a word of mouth recommendation helps you to sidestep any potential rogue or cowboy traders, and gives you the peace of mind knowing you’re giving your money to someone reputable – else (hopefully) your friends and family wouldn’t suggest them to you!
If this isn’t possible, you can opt for online services to help to streamline your search and stop you from spending hours trawling through search results.
Using HouseholdQuotes has been proven to save you up to 40% on your project fee by finding you the best deals in your area, from pre-vetted individuals so you can be sure that when you do choose to give your money to someone, it’s in safe hands.
Click To Get QuotesEnsuring the Professional Is the Right Fit
A written quote is a rite of passage with any home renovation – no matter how big or small. This job is no exception, so make sure you have your agreement in writing before you settle on giving money away for a service.
Seeking out a trader’s experience, together with their references and any photographs or videos of their previous work is a great way to ensure their skillset and work matches your expectations.
Finally, all traders should carry insurance to cover them and you in the event of any issues during the job – so ask to see proof of this. If anyone refuses to, simply refuse to work with them.
Final Checklist
If you’ve been dreaming of a brand new kitchen but think it’s still out of reach, opting to change up your kitchen doors can be a cost-effective way of making the change you want happen for a price that’s a lot more palatable than an entire kitchen revamp.
Here’s our final checklist:
- Decide what’s right for you: do you want new doors entirely, or could you just recover your existing ones with a fresh lick of paint or a new vinyl cover?
- Find out what material is best for you – do you need something hard wearing, or can you opt for a more affordable material to save you money?
- Similarly, look for sales to make your purchases more cost-effective, including the accessories such as drawer pulls and handles
- Seek out recommendations of traders from friends or family, or use HouseholdQuotes to help save up to 40% of your project fee
- Enjoy that (almost) brand new kitchen feeling!
Click To Get QuotesFrequently Asked Questions
Can I Replace Kitchen Doors and Drawers Myself?
Then, it’s just a case of taking off the old doors and hinges and replacing them with brand new ones.
How Should I Measure My Doors to Get the Right Fit?
Take the width and the height – and measure twice to make sure it’s right – then match this up with a replacement on any good DIY site.
How Do I Replace the Doors on Integrated Appliances?
You can check your appliance’s handbook to see their advice on changing the doors, too.