Last updated on March 31st, 2022
Replacement kitchen doors cost guide
Replacement kitchen doors can be money-saving solution to refreshing your tired kitchen’s appearance. Read our refurbishment advice.
Replacing kitchen cabinet doors is a smart option for anyone looking to upgrade the look of a dated kitchen without having to spend a fortune.
A lot of the time, people get tired of their kitchen after a decade or so, or they might have inherited a kitchen not to their taste when buying a new house. Yet in most cases, the cabinetry and carcassing remain in good condition, and so if you’re happy with the layout of your kitchen, replacing the doors is a great way to get a fresh look without the hassle. And, of course, at just a fraction of the cost.
But how much will replacement kitchen doors cost you? Read on to find out the average prices to replace kitchen cabinet doors.
How much does it cost to replace doors on kitchen cabinets in the UK?
| Door type | Size | Cost | Hinges | Handles | Joiner @ £30ph | Total cost inc VAT @ 20% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cupboard door | 497 x 715 | £33.50 | £5.32 | £4.72 | 0.3hr | £76.86 |
| Tall cupboard door | 597 x 1306 | £54.00 | £11.72 | £4.72 | 0.45hr | £122.80 |
| Drawer set | 497 x 715 | £47.15 | £N/A | £14.15 | 1.2hr | £140.11 |
Our costs are ballpark averages – get a local tradesperson to quote now
Costs will vary considerably with replacement kitchen doors. The quality of the door will impact how far your budget will go. It’s also worth checking the state of your kitchen units to ensure they have no damp or other issues. Failure to check the structural condition of your kitchen cabinets may lead to problems when attempting to fit new doors to warped or damaged units.
On average, the cost of changing your kitchen cabinet doors may range from £730 – £1,600, if doing the whole kitchen. This will vary depending on the size of your kitchen, how many cupboards you have and the style of cupboard you choose for the replacement.
A full kitchen renovation, on the other hand, could set you back between £6,000 – £10,000, or £20,000 upwards for premier fittings. With this in mind, if the changes you would like are minimal, then replacing your kitchen cabinet doors could be the perfect makeover option.
Which size doors?
The easy bit about replacing kitchen cabinet doors is that you know exactly what size door you’ll need to buy. Measure to the millimetre in both width and height on the back of the unit (as the front might have bevelled edges).
The doors tend to be 4-5mm smaller than the cabinet, so in most cases, a door for a 60cm wide unit will in fact by 596mm wide. Most cabinet doors tend to be 22mm thick.
Hinges and pre-drilled holes in kitchen cupboards
When replacing your cabinet doors, it’s an excellent time to replace the existing hinges too – years of wear and tear will invariably make them loose.
You can specify pre-drilled 35mm holes for the hinges on your replacement kitchen doors, but of course, you’ll need to measure their position.
Doors usually have two hinge holes (occasionally three) so measure from the top or bottom to the centre of the existing door’s 35mm hinge hole. Your replacement kitchen doors supplier might be able to supply standard 110-degree hinges, but if not, these are readily available from online retailers.
Replacing doors on integrated appliances
If your kitchen has integrated appliances such as fridge freezers and dishwashers – meaning that the appliance doors are the same as the rest of your kitchen cabinetry – it’s possible to replace the door in much the same way as the rest of the kitchen.
Kitchen doors are held onto the appliance front with clips, which can be released through screws on the inside front of the appliance (or at the side, depending on the model). Have a look at the handbook/user instructions with the appliance for more advice on how to remove the door. Remove the door by unlocking the clips and apply the new door to the appliance using the same clips.
Options for replacement kitchen cabinet doors
Cupboard doors are the main style statement of the whole kitchen, so replacing the doors is a great chance to swap out the overall style.
Traditional Shaker-style doors are still highly popular and are defined by a recessed centre panel with simple detailing. Contemporary doors tend to be even more straightforward, with blank front slabs and a matt or gloss finish.
The type of doors you have will impact the overall kitchen door replacement outlay, so keep this in mind.
What to look for in quality cupboard doors
Doors on kitchen cupboards and cabinets tend to fit into three different types: Melamine faced chipboard, MDF with an applied facing (typically veneer, foil wrapping, or vinyl) and solid timber.
Solid timber is the most expensive type of door, but MDF is the most commonly used by most high street kitchen retailers. It’s solid and dimensionally stable, and in many ways, the choice is in the finish rather than the core material. Foil and vinyl wrappings aren’t without their problems – for a start if they get scratched they are challenging to repair and can eventually let water into the MDF core and degrade it – but wrappings of this sort do offer a wide variety of styles and finishes, including wood grains. Solid timber doors can always be repaired, sanded down and repainted – but do come at a cost.
Where to shop for new kitchen cabinet doors?
The major DIY sheds such as B&Q and Wickes sell doors, but the range is usually better – in terms of both style and size – at the many online retailers now specialising in selling individual replacement doors. They will often produce doors made to measure and can supply doors with pre-drilled holes for hinges if required.
Your kitchen fitter will also be able to source your new cabinet doors for you. This way, you know they’re exactly the right size and what you need.
It’s not just about the doors
There are a lot of elements of a standard kitchen. And, as such, replacing the kitchen cabinet doors alone won’t complete the look. Your kitchen will need new coordinating plinths, end panels, drawers and so on – as well as the finishing touches like handles.
You may find that it makes sense to replace whole units; if this is the case for you, then reach out to one of our trusted kitchen fitters.
Replacement kitchen door cost calculator
To calculate your kitchen door costs, you need to know the factors that would affect the price. These include:
- Type of door
- Number of doors
- The size of the doors
- Quality and material you want
- Additional fittings
- Labour costs
For example, if you choose MDF boards as your replacement door material, you can expect it to cost around £8 per m2. A door that’s 72cm x 60cm will require 0.43m2 of MDF and applied facing. For 10 doors of the same size, you will need around 4.3m2, which would cost £35 for the MDF board.
As per our kitchen door wrapping estimate, you’d be spending £30 – £100 per door to wrap it in the vinyl of your choice. You will also need hinges and door handles.
Finally, the labour cost will be around £250 – £300 a day.
Kitchen cabinet door replacement quotes
If you’re looking for competitive kitchen cabinet door replacement quotes, we suggest getting them from at least three local tradespeople. To get the most accurate estimate, you should give a detailed job description; specify the number of doors, sizes (with measurements, if possible), style, and door material.
If you can, you could even provide a rough sketch of your kitchen layout with dimensions. That will also help you get a better door replacement estimate.
Finally, if you have integrated appliances that would need doors adapted to them, it would also affect your cabinet door replacement quote.
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