Kitchen Cabinet Installation Golden, CO
Even great cabinets look cheap when they are hung crooked, so kitchen cabinet installation is the part of the job we take the slowest. We install stock, semi custom and custom cabinets in kitchens of every size.
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- We pull the permits and handle inspections
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Kitchen Cabinet Installation
A cabinet set an eighth of an inch off at one end does not look like much on day one, but kitchen cabinet installation mistakes grow as the job goes on.
That small tilt carries into the next box, then the next. Doors stop lining up. Drawers drift open on their own. And when the countertop goes on, the stone either rocks or gets shimmed in ways that can crack it later. Almost every cabinet problem starts with a rushed install.
Old floors and walls make it harder. Floors sag, walls bow and corners are rarely square, especially in older homes. A good installer does not fight that. We find the high point of the floor, set one level line around the room and build every cabinet to that line.
Replacing cabinets in the same spot does not need a permit in Golden. If the new layout moves the sink, adds outlets or takes out a wall, those parts of the job do, and we handle that paperwork too.
If your plans grow past cabinets into counters, lighting and layout, our kitchen remodeler services cover the whole room.
Below you will find what cabinet installation costs, how the cabinet types compare and exactly how we hang them.
What Cabinet Installation Costs
Most kitchen cabinet installation is priced by the linear foot or by the hour, and the type of cabinet changes the rate.
Labor for stock cabinets often runs about $50 to $120 per linear foot. Semi custom cabinets run about $75 to $150 per foot, and custom cabinets about $200 to $300 per foot, because they are heavier and take more fitting. Hourly rates usually land around $40 to $100 an hour.
Across a full kitchen, cabinets and installation together often cost about $4,000 to $14,000, and labor makes up about 30 to 50 percent of that total.
A few things push the price up: tearing out and hauling away old cabinets, fixing walls or floors hidden behind them, tall ceilings that need stacked uppers, and trim like crown molding and light rail. We list each of these on your estimate, so you can see where every dollar goes.
Stock, Semi Custom or Custom
The cabinet line you pick shapes your kitchen cabinet installation more than anything else, from the price to the schedule.
Stock cabinets come in set sizes, usually in 3 inch steps, and are often ready to ship. They cost the least. Small gaps at the ends of a run get closed with filler strips that match the cabinet finish.
Semi custom cabinets offer more sizes, door styles and finishes, plus options like deeper uppers and built-in organizers. They take longer to arrive and cost more, but they fit most kitchens with fewer fillers.
Custom cabinets are built for your room. They can fill an odd wall, run all the way up a tall ceiling or wrap around a beam. They cost the most and take the longest to build.
We install all three. We help you choose based on your budget, your timeline and how much your room needs a custom fit.
How We Install Kitchen Cabinets
Every kitchen cabinet installation we do follows the same order, because each step depends on the one before it.
First comes layout. We mark every stud, every plumbing line and every outlet on the wall. We find the highest spot on the floor and snap one level line around the whole room for the base cabinets and another for the uppers.
Base cabinets start in a corner. Each box gets shimmed to the line, clamped to the box next to it and screwed together through the face frames. Then we screw each one into the wall studs so it cannot shift.
Upper cabinets go up next. We screw a temporary support board along the level line, set the corner cabinet first and fasten each box through its back rail into the studs. That keeps the gap between the uppers and the counter the same across the room.
Then we finish the details: doors, hinge adjustments, drawer slides, toe kicks, crown molding, light rail and hardware. Once everything is set and level, the countertop fabricator can come out to template.
Most mid size kitchens take about 1 to 3 days to install. Large or complex layouts can take up to a week.
Choosing Cabinet Hardware
Hardware is the last step of kitchen cabinet installation, but it is the part your hands touch every single day.
A simple guide for sizing pulls is the 1/3 rule. A pull should be about one third the width of the drawer or one third the height of the door. An 18 inch drawer looks right with a pull about 6 inches long, and a 30 inch door with a pull about 10 inches long. Very wide drawers can take two pulls, and narrow ones often look better with a knob.
What you can't see matters too. Soft close hinges keep doors from slamming. Full extension drawer slides let you reach the back of the drawer without digging.
We drill every pull with a jig, so each one sits in the same spot on every door and drawer. That small step is what makes a kitchen look finished.
What Homeowners Say
"We had a great experience with Arco Remodeling & Basement Finishing for our kitchen remodeling project. Chad did a fantastic job helping us bring our vision to life, and the finished kitchen turned out even better than we expected. The attention to detail, quality of the work, and overall professionalism really stood out."Reid, Google Review
Cabinet Installation Questions
Here is what homeowners ask most before they book kitchen cabinet installation.
How much should it cost to install kitchen cabinets?
Labor usually runs about $50 to $120 per linear foot for stock cabinets, $75 to $150 for semi custom and $200 to $300 for custom. For a full kitchen, cabinets and installation together often cost about $4,000 to $14,000, with labor making up about 30 to 50 percent. Tear out, wall repairs and trim work can add to that.
What is the 1/3 rule for cabinets?
The 1/3 rule is a sizing guide for cabinet hardware. A pull should be about one third the width of the drawer or one third the height of the door. So an 18 inch drawer takes about a 6 inch pull, and a 30 inch door takes about a 10 inch pull. Very wide drawers can use two pulls, and narrow ones often look better with knobs.
Can I install kitchen cabinets myself?
You can, especially with stock cabinets and some patience. The hard parts are setting a true level line on an uneven floor, finding the studs and lifting upper cabinets safely. Small mistakes show up later, when the countertop goes on and does not sit flat. For custom cabinets or stone counters, a pro install is usually worth it.
How much do big box stores charge for kitchen cabinet installation?
Big box stores usually sell installation as an add-on and send a subcontractor to do the work. Kitchens bought and installed that way often land around $4,000 to $20,000 or more for cabinets and installation together, depending on the cabinet line. Ask who will actually do the work, whether tear out and trim are included and how changes get priced.
Ready for New Cabinets?
Tell us about your kitchen and the cabinets you have in mind, and we will call you back to set up a free walkthrough. You get a written estimate before any work starts.
(720) 909-3011Serving Golden, Lakewood, Arvada, Wheat Ridge, Edgewater, Morrison, Applewood, West Pleasant View and Fairmount.
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