How Much Does Cabinet Painting Cost in the Bay Area?

Cabinet painting costs less than replacement but more than a simple wall paint job. That's the headline answer. But like everything in the Bay Area, the actual number depends on several factors specific to your kitchen, your cabinets, and the level of finish quality you want.

Professional cabinet painting in Lafayette and throughout the East Bay typically runs $4,500 to $8,500 for an average kitchen with 15 to 20 cabinet doors and drawer fronts. Smaller kitchens cost less, larger kitchens cost more, and the condition of your cabinets significantly affects the final price.

This guide breaks down exactly what drives cabinet painting costs in the Bay Area, what's included in professional estimates, and how to evaluate quotes so you're comparing apples to apples. We'll also cover cost differences between spray and brush application, DIY versus professional costs, and whether cabinet painting delivers good value compared to alternatives.

Average Cabinet Painting Costs in the Bay Area

Let's start with realistic numbers for Lafayette and surrounding areas. These ranges assume professional work with quality materials and proper surface preparation.

Small Kitchens (10-15 Doors)

Small kitchens with 10 to 15 cabinet doors typically cost $3,500 to $5,500 for professional painting. This includes all prep work, primer, two finish coats, and hardware reinstallation.

Small doesn't necessarily mean simple. A small kitchen with ornate raised-panel doors or extensive damage requiring repair can cost as much as a larger kitchen with simple door styles in good condition.

Average Kitchens (15-20 Doors)

This is the most common range. Average kitchens with 15 to 20 cabinet doors run $5,000 to $7,500 in the Bay Area. Most Lafayette homeowners with standard builder-grade cabinets fall into this category.

The pricing assumes cabinet boxes in decent structural condition, doors that don't need major repair, and standard shaker or flat-panel door styles. Add roughly 20% to 30% if you're painting cabinet interiors in addition to exteriors.

Large Kitchens (20-30+ Doors)

Larger kitchens with 20 to 30 doors or more typically cost $7,500 to $12,000 or higher. Kitchens with islands, lots of upper cabinets, or floor-to-ceiling storage push the door count up quickly.

Beyond about 30 doors, pricing becomes highly project-specific. Very large kitchens in custom homes can cost $15,000+ for complete professional cabinet painting.

Additional Costs Beyond Doors

The door count is just one factor. These additional elements affect total cost:

• Cabinet box painting (interior and exterior): adds 30-40% to base cost
• Drawer box painting (interior): adds 10-20% to base cost
• New hardware installation: $3 to $10 per piece depending on hardware quality
• Extensive repairs (replacing damaged doors, fixing broken hinges): $200 to $1,000+ depending on damage
• Color changes requiring extra coats: adds $500 to $1,500 for additional material and labor
• Painting decorative elements like corbels, crown molding, or island details: $300 to $1,000+

What Affects Cabinet Painting Costs?

Understanding cost drivers helps you evaluate estimates and make informed decisions.

Current Cabinet Condition

Cabinets in excellent condition cost less to paint than damaged or poorly maintained cabinets. Surface preparation is the most labor-intensive part of cabinet painting, and cabinets needing extensive repair require more prep time.

Peeling veneer needs regluing. Holes from old hardware need filling. Grease buildup requires extra cleaning. Deep scratches need filling and sanding. All of this adds time and cost.

If your cabinets have been maintained well, aren't damaged, and just need a color update, you'll land on the lower end of pricing ranges. Neglected cabinets with damage push costs higher.

Door Style Complexity

Simple flat-panel or shaker-style doors are the fastest and least expensive to paint. Clean lines mean straightforward prep and painting.

Raised-panel doors with routed edges and profiles take longer to prep, prime, and paint. Ornate cathedral doors with lots of detail require careful brushwork in addition to spraying. These complex styles can add 20% to 30% to labor costs compared to simple styles.

Cabinet Material

Solid wood cabinets, plywood cabinets, and properly constructed MDF cabinets all paint well. The material doesn't dramatically affect cost unless you're dealing with challenging substrates.

Laminate and thermofoil cabinets require bonding primers and more careful prep to ensure adhesion. This adds modest cost for specialized primer products but doesn't usually change the overall timeline significantly.

Very old cabinets with thick, hard finishes might need extra sanding or even stripping in extreme cases. This can add significant labor time and cost.

Spray vs Brush Application

Spraying delivers the smoothest finish but requires more setup, masking, and equipment. Spray application typically adds 10% to 20% to overall project cost compared to careful brush and roller application.

The cost difference reflects the spray equipment, extra masking and protection required, and the skill level needed for professional spray technique. Most homeowners find the smoother finish worth the additional cost.

Some painters include spray application as standard. Others charge extra. Make sure you understand which application method is included in any estimate you receive.

Geographic Location Within Bay Area

Pricing varies slightly across the Bay Area based on local cost of living and competition. Lafayette, Orinda, and Moraga prices tend to run slightly higher than more affordable East Bay areas like Concord or Antioch.

The difference isn't huge (maybe 10% to 15%), but it exists. High-cost Peninsula and South Bay locations sometimes see even higher pricing than Lamorinda.

Paint Quality and Brand

Professional-grade cabinet paints like Benjamin Moore Advance or Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane cost more than budget alternatives. Quality paint matters enormously for cabinet durability, so most professional estimates assume premium products.

The material cost difference between budget and premium paint is maybe $200 to $400 for an average kitchen. That's a tiny fraction of total project cost and delivers dramatically better long-term performance.

What's Included in Professional Cabinet Painting Estimates?

Understanding what's included helps you compare estimates from different contractors. Here's what full-service professional cabinet painting should include:

Comprehensive Prep Work

• Removing all doors, drawer fronts, and hardware
• Labeling everything for proper reinstallation
• Thorough degreasing and cleaning of all surfaces
• Repairing damage (filling holes, regluing veneer, fixing scratches)
• Complete sanding for proper primer adhesion
• Dust removal and surface cleaning before painting

Primer Application

• Bonding primer appropriate for your cabinet substrate
• Two coats of primer for most projects (some might need only one)
• Light sanding between primer coats for smooth finish

Finish Paint Application

• Two coats of professional-grade cabinet paint
• Light scuffing between finish coats
• Quality products like Benjamin Moore Advance or Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane

Protection and Cleanup

• Complete protection of countertops, floors, and appliances
• Daily cleanup during the project
• Final deep cleaning after project completion
• Proper disposal of all materials and debris

Reinstallation

• Careful reinstallation of all doors and drawer fronts
• Hardware reinstallation (or new hardware installation if provided)
• Door adjustment for proper alignment and operation
• Final inspection and touch-ups

Estimates that seem unusually low might exclude some of these elements. Ask specifically what's included before signing any contract.

DIY Cabinet Painting: What You Save and What It Costs

Many homeowners consider DIY cabinet painting to save money. Here's the realistic cost comparison.

DIY Material Costs

For an average kitchen with 15-20 doors, expect to spend:

• Paint and primer: $300 to $600 depending on product quality
• Sandpaper, tack cloths, cleaners: $50 to $100
• Brushes, rollers, or spray equipment: $100 to $500 (or $50-100 for basic brush/roller setup)
• Drop cloths, plastic sheeting, tape: $50 to $100
• Wood filler, repair materials: $30 to $100
• Total material cost: $530 to $1,400

If you need to rent or buy spray equipment, add $150 to $500 to the total.

DIY Time Investment

DIY cabinet painting takes 3 to 4 full weekends (or longer) for most homeowners. That's 60 to 80+ hours of work spread over several weeks while you wait for proper drying times between coats.

If your time is worth $30/hour, the time investment equals $1,800 to $2,400 in opportunity cost. Add that to material costs and you're looking at $2,300 to $3,800 in total economic cost.

DIY Risk Factors

The bigger cost risk with DIY is doing it wrong. Common mistakes lead to:

• Paint that peels within months (requiring complete redo)
• Visible brush marks and poor finish quality (reducing home value)
• Inadequate durability requiring repainting much sooner than professional work
• Damaged cabinet surfaces from improper technique

If DIY goes wrong, you'll pay a professional to fix it, which often costs MORE than hiring a pro from the start. Failed DIY cabinet jobs require additional prep to remove bad paint before starting over.

When DIY Makes Sense

DIY cabinet painting can work if you have adequate time, patience for meticulous prep work, and realistic expectations. It's most successful for:

• Small kitchens where mistakes aren't as costly
• Cabinets already in excellent condition needing minimal prep
• Homeowners with painting experience and proper equipment
• Situations where budget is extremely tight and time isn't a factor

For most Lafayette homeowners with busy schedules, professional painting delivers better results with less disruption and is worth the cost difference.

Cabinet Painting vs Other Options: Cost Comparison

How does cabinet painting cost compare to alternatives?

Cabinet Painting: $4,500 - $8,500

As covered, professional cabinet painting for average kitchens runs mid-four to mid-eight thousand dollars. This transforms your kitchen appearance while keeping the existing cabinet structure and layout.

Cabinet Refacing: $8,000 - $18,000

Cabinet refacing means replacing all doors and drawer fronts with new pieces while covering existing cabinet boxes with matching veneer. It's more expensive than painting but less than full replacement.

Refacing makes sense when cabinet boxes are fine but doors are too damaged to paint, or when you want to change door style entirely. But purely for cost-efficiency, painting wins.

Cabinet Replacement: $15,000 - $40,000+

Full cabinet replacement with mid-range products starts around $15,000 and easily exceeds $30,000 to $40,000 for quality cabinets in average Bay Area kitchens. Custom cabinets cost even more.

Total kitchen remodel costs (including new cabinets, counters, backsplash, appliances, flooring) commonly run $60,000 to $120,000+ in Lafayette and surrounding areas.

Replacement makes sense when you need to change the layout, upgrade cabinet quality, or do a complete remodel anyway. For pure visual transformation, painting delivers 80% of the impact at 20% of the cost.

How to Get Accurate Cabinet Painting Estimates

Don't rely on rough phone quotes. Accurate cabinet painting estimates require in-person assessment.

In-Home Evaluation

Reputable painting contractors visit your home to see the cabinets firsthand. They count doors, assess condition, identify repair needs, and understand your specific goals.

This visit should be free and without obligation. During the visit, ask about:

• Exactly what prep work is included
• Which products they use (primer and paint brands)
• How many coats of primer and paint
• Application method (spray, brush, or both)
• Timeline from start to finish
• What's not included in the estimate

Written Estimates

Get detailed written estimates that break down costs by component. Good estimates specify:

• Number of doors and drawer fronts
• Cabinet box painting (included or additional cost)
• Primer brand and coats
• Paint brand and coats
• Prep work details
• Timeline
• Total cost

Avoid estimates that just provide a single lump-sum number without details. You need to understand what you're paying for.

Multiple Quotes

Get at least three estimates from different contractors. This gives you a sense of fair market pricing and helps you evaluate whether any quote is unusually high or suspiciously low.

But don't choose based on price alone. The lowest bid often means cut corners, inferior products, or incomplete work. The highest bid doesn't guarantee better quality.

Look for detailed estimates using quality products from contractors with good reputations and verifiable references.

Red Flags in Cabinet Painting Estimates

Watch out for these warning signs when evaluating contractors:

Estimates Significantly Below Market

If most estimates come in around $5,500 to $6,500 and one is $3,200, ask why. They might be skipping prep steps, using inferior products, or planning to rush the job. Ultra-low bids rarely deliver quality results.

Vague Product Descriptions

Estimates that just say "paint and primer" without specifying brands or products are red flags. Quality contractors specify exactly which products they use because they know it matters.

No Written Contract

Never proceed with verbal agreements. Professional contractors provide written contracts detailing the scope of work, timeline, payment terms, and what's included.

Large Upfront Deposits

Be wary of contractors requesting large deposits before starting work. Reasonable deposits are 10% to 30% to secure scheduling. Requests for 50% or more upfront can indicate cash flow problems or potential scams.

Inability to Provide References

Professional cabinet painters should easily provide 3 to 5 recent customer references. If they can't or won't, that's a major warning sign.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is cabinet painting worth the cost?

For most homeowners, yes. Cabinet painting costs 70% to 85% less than replacement while delivering dramatic visual transformation. If your cabinet boxes are structurally sound and you don't need to change the layout, painting provides excellent value. The results last 10 to 15 years with proper products and application.

How much does it cost to paint cabinets white in Lafayette?

White is the most common cabinet color and doesn't typically cost more than other colors. Expect $5,000 to $7,500 for professional white cabinet painting in an average Lafayette kitchen. Dark colors might cost slightly more if they require extra coats for full coverage.

Can I negotiate cabinet painting prices?

Some negotiation is possible, but understand that quality cabinet painting involves fixed costs for materials and significant labor time. A contractor might discount slightly for scheduling flexibility or if you're doing multiple projects, but dramatic price reductions usually mean cut corners. Focus on value rather than the lowest price.

Do painters charge by the door or by the kitchen?

Both pricing models exist. Some painters charge per door ($75 to $200 per door depending on complexity). Others provide project-based pricing for the whole kitchen. Per-door pricing makes it easier to compare estimates, but total project pricing is more common in the Bay Area.

What's the typical payment schedule for cabinet painting?

Common payment structures include: 25% deposit to schedule the project, 50% when work begins, and final 25% upon completion. Some contractors use a 50% at start, 50% at completion structure. Avoid contractors requesting full payment upfront. Final payment should be due only after you've inspected and approved the finished work.

Does cabinet painting include painting the inside of cabinets?

Not always. Many estimates cover only exterior cabinet painting (the parts you see when doors are closed) and the inside edges of door frames. Interior painting is often an additional charge adding 30% to 40% to the total cost. Ask specifically whether interiors are included in any estimate you receive.

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Ready for a detailed estimate on your Lafayette cabinet painting project? Lamorinda Painting provides free, thorough in-home assessments with detailed written estimates. We use quality products, thorough prep methods, and experienced application techniques to deliver cabinet finishes that last. Contact us today to schedule your free estimate.