Kitchen Cabinet Refacing vs. Replacing: What It Costs in Cornwall, ON

Quick answer: Refacing the cabinets in an average Cornwall kitchen costs about $8,000–$16,000 in 2026, compared with $15,000–$35,000+ for new semi-custom cabinets installed. Refacing keeps your existing cabinet boxes and countertops and replaces doors, drawer fronts, hardware and the visible surfaces. It is usually 40–50% cheaper than replacement and takes days instead of weeks, but only if the boxes are solid and the layout already works.

Cabinets set the look of a kitchen more than any other element. When they are dated, chipped or a colour you never liked, the whole room feels tired. Many homeowners assume the only fix is a full kitchen renovation. Often it isn’t.

There are three ways to update cabinets: paint them, reface them or replace them. Each has a place. This guide explains what each one involves, what it costs in Cornwall and SD&G, and how to tell which one fits your kitchen.

What Is Cabinet Refacing?

Cabinet refacing is a process that keeps the existing cabinet boxes and replaces everything you see. A typical refacing job includes:

• New doors and drawer fronts in the style and finish you choose

• A thin veneer or laminate applied to the exposed face frames and end panels

• New hinges, drawer slides and handles

• Optional upgrades such as crown moulding, light valance, new toe kicks or a few added cabinets

Your countertops, sink, plumbing and appliances stay where they are. There is no demolition, so the kitchen stays usable for most of the job.

Refacing vs. Painting vs. Replacing: Side-by-Side Comparison

The table compares the three options for an average kitchen of about 20–30 doors and drawers. Prices include labour and materials and are typical for Cornwall in 2026.

The gap widens once you count everything that comes with replacement. New cabinets usually mean new countertops, a new backsplash, plumbing changes and sometimes new flooring where the old boxes sat. For the full picture, see how much a kitchen renovation costs in Cornwall.

What Affects Kitchen Cabinet Refacing Cost?

Two kitchens of the same size can have very different refacing prices. These are the main factors.

Number of doors and drawers. Refacing is priced largely by the count of doors and drawer fronts. A galley kitchen with 18 pieces costs far less than an L-shaped kitchen with an island and 40 pieces.

Door material and style. Thermofoil and laminate are the most affordable. Painted MDF Shaker doors sit in the middle. Solid wood and custom-stained doors cost the most.

Hardware upgrades. Soft-close hinges and full-extension soft-close drawer slides add cost but make an older kitchen feel new every time you use it.

Add-ons. Converting a base cabinet to drawers, adding a pantry pull-out, extending uppers to the ceiling or adding crown moulding all increase the price. They are also the upgrades homeowners appreciate most.

Condition of the face frames. Water-damaged or warped frames must be repaired before veneer goes on. That adds labour and is the main reason refacing quotes change after an inspection.

When Refacing Makes Sense

Refacing is the right choice when most of these statements are true:

• The cabinet boxes are plywood or good-quality particleboard and are dry, square and firmly attached

• You like the current layout and don’t plan to move the sink, range or island

• The countertops are in good shape, or you plan to replace only the counters

• You want a big visual change with a smaller budget and very little downtime

• You are preparing to sell and need the kitchen to photograph well

In these cases refacing gives you most of the look of a new kitchen for roughly half the cost.

When Replacing Cabinets Is the Better Investment

Refacing is not always the smart choice. Replacement makes more sense when:

• The boxes are damaged. Swollen particleboard under the sink, sagging shelves or mould mean the structure has failed. New doors on a failing box is money wasted.

• The layout doesn’t work. If you are tired of a cramped work triangle, need an island, or want to open up a wall, the cabinets will change anyway.

• You want more storage. Taller uppers, deep drawers and a pantry wall often require new boxes.

• You are renovating the whole kitchen. If you are replacing counters, flooring, lighting and appliances, the labour savings of refacing shrink and new cabinets are better value.

If you are leaning toward a new layout, look at the kitchen trends Cornwall homeowners are choosing in 2026 for ideas on islands, storage and finishes.

How Long Does Refacing Take Compared With Replacement?

Refacing is the fastest way to transform a kitchen. After measuring, the new doors and fronts are made to order, which usually takes a few weeks. On-site work is only 3–5 days, and the kitchen stays usable each evening.

Replacement is part of a larger remodel. A full kitchen renovation with Millennial Contracting takes about 6 weeks of construction on average, and 8–10 weeks for complex kitchens. Our kitchen renovation timeline guide walks through each phase.

Can You Reface Cabinets and Replace Countertops at the Same Time?

Yes, and it is a popular combination. New quartz or laminate counters with refaced cabinets and a fresh backsplash can make a kitchen look fully renovated. The order matters: counters are templated after the cabinets are refaced and any new end panels are installed, so the overhang and edges line up.

The same goes for sinks and faucets. Replacing them while the counters are off is cheaper than doing it later.

What About Painting Kitchen Cabinets?

Painting is the lowest-cost option and can work well on solid wood doors with a classic profile. A professional job includes degreasing, sanding, priming and spraying a durable cabinet enamel.

Painting has limits. It won’t change the door style. Thermofoil and laminate doors don’t hold paint well, and a poorly prepared paint job chips quickly around handles. If you dislike the shape of your doors, refacing is the better use of your money.

Common Refacing Mistakes to Avoid

1. Refacing over a problem. Fix leaks under the sink and replace damaged boxes before new fronts go on.

2. Keeping old hinges. Mismatched or worn hinges make new doors sit unevenly. Replace them with the doors.

3. Skipping the ceiling gap. Extending uppers or adding crown moulding closes the dust gap above cabinets and makes the kitchen look custom.

4. Choosing doors from a photo only. Look at physical samples in your own kitchen light before ordering.

5. Forgetting the end panels. Visible cabinet sides must match the new doors, or the job looks unfinished.

Refacing, Painting or New Cabinets: How We Help You Decide

At Millennial Contracting, we start with an on-site assessment. We open the cabinets, check the boxes and talk about how you use the kitchen. If refacing will do the job, we’ll say so.

For larger projects that include new cabinets, we use a paid Design Contract, typically $1,000–$10,000 depending on complexity. During the 1–3-month design phase, about 99% of decisions are made before construction starts, so there are few surprises once the work begins. All completed work comes with a 3-year warranty.

Learn more about our kitchen cabinet refacing, remodeling and installation in Cornwall or our full kitchen renovation services. Flexible financing options are available for larger projects.