Few remodeling projects transform a home like a brand-new kitchen. Yet the phrase “cost of kitchen cabinets installed” can feel like a moving target for homeowners and builders alike. As the residential construction experts behind CountBricks.com, we spend every day turning voice conversations and blueprint takeoffs into accurate, itemized estimates. In this guide we share the numbers, the drivers, and the proven ways to keep your cabinet budget firmly under control.
Cabinetry frequently consumes 25-35 % of an entire kitchen remodel. Misjudging this line item can derail schedules and profit margins. CountBricks’ AI estimator solves that problem by:
• Converting on-site conversations into immediate material and labor quantities
• Pulling live pricing from local suppliers for strict cost accuracy
• Auto-generating downloadable quote packets branded with your logo
When you start with precise cabinet numbers, every downstream trade benefits: electricians know fixture heights, plumbers know sink bases, and field crews hit fewer change orders.
CountBricks tracks regional data daily. For a 10×12-foot residential kitchen, installed cabinet packages tend to fall into these brackets:
• Stock cabinets: $5,500 – $8,000 installed
• Semi-custom cabinets: $9,000 – $14,000 installed
• Full custom cabinets: $15,000 – $28,000+ installed
Those ranges include demolition of old boxes, delivery, setting, scribing fillers, crown molding, and final hardware. They exclude countertop and appliance cuts, which appear as separate line items inside your CountBricks estimate.
1. Construction Method
Frameless (European) boxes use thicker sides and require tighter tolerances, raising both material and labor expenses compared with framed face-frame cabinets.
2. Species and Finish
• Painted maple or MDF doors trend 10-15 % higher than stained oak
• Rift sawn white oak and walnut can double raw door pricing
3. Hardware Upgrades
Soft-close, full-extension drawer glides add $20-$35 per drawer.
4. Interior Accessories
Pull-out spice racks, trash roll-outs, and lazy Susans add convenience yet easily stack hundreds of dollars onto the final invoice.
5. Installation Complexity
• Out-of-level floors require extra shimming and scribing
• Soffit removal or relocation of HVAC ducts increases labor hours
6. Location
Urban delivery surcharges, union wage rates, and permit requirements can swing total installed cost by 8-12 % between neighborhoods.
1. The contractor (or homeowner) walks the space with a mobile device.
2. Our AI converts spoken measurements—“Run on the sink wall is 14 feet with an 8-foot island”—into dimensional 3D models.
3. CountBricks cross-references local lumberyard SKUs, matching door style and finish to real-time catalog pricing.
4. Labor hours are auto-calibrated using historical productivity data from comparable projects in your zip code.
5. A branded PDF breaks the figure into materials, shop fabrication, site install, demolition, and haul-away—ready for signature.
A Beaverdale homeowner requested classic white Shaker cabinets with crown, rollout trays, and a custom blue island. CountBricks’ voice session lasted 12 minutes. Our AI returned:
• 38 linear feet of semi-custom framed maple boxes
• Six rollout trays and two tray dividers
• 72 labor hours including removal of soffits
Total installed price: $13,420. Because the homeowner could see every component cost, approval came the same day—trimming an entire week off the typical design-build cycle.
• Opt for factory-built plywood boxes over job-built custom; shop efficiency often beats on-site carpentry costs
• Limit specialty pull-outs to the work triangle; skip the extras in low-traffic corners
• Standardize door heights to reduce filler panels and trim waste
• Use CountBricks’ side-by-side comparison tool to model three cabinet lines and pick the best value before purchase orders are cut
• Sync your laser measurer with our mobile app; captured points flow straight into cabinet shop drawings
• Tag unexpected field conditions—“plaster out of plumb ¾-inch”—and CountBricks auto-adds corrective labor so profit isn’t lost
• Export cut sheets from CountBricks.com/services to your CNC shop and eliminate double data entry
How accurate are CountBricks’ cabinet estimates?
Our average variance between estimated and final invoice is 2.8 %, thanks to live pricing feeds and constant machine-learning calibration.
Can homeowners use CountBricks directly?
Yes. We offer a homeowner mode that locks labor rates to regional averages while still providing manufacturer-direct material costs.
Does CountBricks handle countertop and backsplash costs?
Absolutely. Simply request “add quartz tops” during your voice session and the AI will layer those items under separate cost codes.
Understanding the cost of kitchen cabinets installed is only the first milestone. Turning that insight into a profitable, schedule-tight installation is where CountBricks shines. Visit CountBricks.com/consultation to schedule a live demo, or dive straight into estimating with a free trial account. Your next kitchen project could be priced, approved, and in production before lunchtime.
While materials often steal the spotlight, labor is the silent budget killer when estimating the cost of kitchen cabinets installed. CountBricks uses a proprietary productivity matrix that adapts to crew size, cabinet type, and site conditions.
• Base Rate: 0.55 labor hours per square foot of wall cabinetry in a level, obstruction-free room
• Complexity Factors: Face-frame, crown molding, or built-in lighting adds multipliers from 1.05 to 1.25
• Site Factors: Uneven floors, plaster walls, or high-rise delivery each inject additional hours automatically
1. 140 sq ft of semi-custom cabinetry × 0.55 hrs = 77 hrs base
2. Crown molding factor 1.10 → 84.7 hrs
3. Out-of-level floors factor 1.08 → 91.5 hrs total
The AI assigns a crew of two installers, forecasts a 5-day schedule, and displays labor cost with your loaded hourly rate already applied.
• Predictable Scheduling: Delivery, countertop templating, and painter follow-ups can be booked with confidence
• Fewer Change Orders: Hidden labor is exposed up front, protecting margins
• Clear Client Communication: When a homeowner sees exactly why leveling a 1920s floor adds eight hours, sticker shock disappears
Log into CountBricks.com/portfolio to view time-lapse footage of our West Des Moines bungalow remodel. You’ll watch the matrix’s predicted 92 labor hours land within a half-day of reality—proof that data-driven estimating pays off in the field.
Schedule a 20-minute strategy call at CountBricks.com/consultation. We’ll import one of your recent cabinet invoices, run it through our AI, and show where precision estimating can reclaim hours on the next job.
