Is My Kitchen Cabinet Quote Fair? What to Check Line by Line

Cabinet quotes are written in their own language: "full overlay," "5-piece door," "plywood box," "dovetail drawer," "scribe," "light rail." If you've never built a cabinet, it's nearly impossible to tell whether two quotes describe the same thing.

I started my career in 1999 running my own custom cabinet company, building high-end kitchens, and I worked with other cabinet shops along the way. For the last 11 years I've worked in remodeling as a project manager, head carpenter and estimator, so I've been on both sides: building the cabinets and pricing the kitchens they go into. Here's how I read a cabinet quote.

Why the cabinet line matters so much

HomeAdvisor reports that cabinets make up nearly 30% of a kitchen remodel budget. It lists all-in cabinet costs from about $100–$300 per linear foot for stock to $500–$1,200+ per linear foot for custom (HomeAdvisor kitchen remodel cost guide).

That range is huge, and it's why "is my cabinet quote fair?" can't be answered with one number. The real question is: what exactly am I getting for this price, and is it what I asked for? Answering that takes a line-by-line read.

Step 1: Match the quote to the drawing

Before reading any specs, check the layout:

Is there a drawing or cabinet list with every cabinet, its size and its location?
Does the cabinet count match the drawing?
Are appliance openings sized for your appliances (fridge width and height, range, dishwasher, microwave, hood)?
How are the corners handled: blind corner, lazy Susan, or a dead corner?
Is the island on the drawing, with its back and end panels?

If there's no drawing, you can't really compare quotes. Ask for one.

Step 2: Box construction

The box (or "case") is the cabinet without its doors and drawers. Look for:

Box material: plywood, particleboard or MDF. Plywood generally costs more. Particleboard and MDF can perform fine in many cases, especially away from water, but you should know which one you're paying for.
Thickness of the sides, bottoms and backs
Framed vs. frameless: framed cabinets have a solid-wood face frame on the front. Frameless (European-style) boxes have no frame, giving slightly more interior room and a different look.
Back panel: full back or a hanging rail?
Shelves: thickness, adjustable or fixed, and how many per cabinet
Sink base: some lines offer a water-resistant floor or liner in the sink cabinet.

If the quote just says "cabinets per plan" or names only a brand and color, ask for the spec sheet for that cabinet line. Reputable suppliers have one.

Step 3: Doors and drawer fronts

Door style: shaker, slab (flat), raised panel, beadboard and so on. Name it exactly.
Construction: a "5-piece" door has a frame and center panel, while a "slab" door is one flat piece.
Material: solid wood, MDF (common for painted doors), veneer or thermofoil
Overlay: how much of the cabinet frame the door covers:
Partial overlay shows more frame
Full overlay covers most of the frame for a cleaner look
Inset doors sit inside the frame and are typically the most labor-intensive to build and install
Drawer fronts: do they match the door style (5-piece vs. slab)?

Two quotes can both say "white shaker" and still be very different products.

Step 4: Drawers

Drawers take the most abuse in a kitchen, so I always read this part closely:

Drawer box material: solid wood, plywood, particleboard or metal
Joinery: dovetail, doweled, stapled, or a metal system
Slides: side-mount or undermount, full-extension or partial, and soft-close or not
Weight rating for deep pot drawers, if listed

Step 5: Finish

Paint or stain, and the exact color name
Finish type: ask what the topcoat is and whether it's applied in a shop or factory or on site.
Finished ends: exposed sides of cabinets need a finished panel or finished side. Is that included?
Undersides of wall cabinets, where they're visible
Glaze or distressing, which usually adds cost
Touch-up kit and color-matched fillers, panels and moldings

Step 6: Hardware

Hinges: concealed or exposed? Soft-close?
Slides: see Step 4.
Pulls and knobs: included, or an allowance? HomeAdvisor notes hardware runs from about $1 to $500 per piece, with most homeowners paying $2 to $3 per knob (HomeAdvisor). Count how many your kitchen needs and see how the quote handles them.
Hardware installation: included, or extra?

Step 7: Crown, fillers, panels and trim

This is where I see the most "small" items left off, and they add up:

Crown molding: style and size, and whether it runs to the ceiling or stops short
Light rail: under the wall cabinets, to hide under-cabinet lighting
Fillers: narrow strips that let cabinets fit between walls or give doors and drawers clearance
Scribe molding: trim cut to follow wavy walls
End panels and decorative panels on exposed sides
Appliance panels for a panel-ready dishwasher or fridge
Island back panel
Toe kick

If the quote doesn't mention these, ask directly: "Are crown, light rail, fillers, scribes, end panels and toe kick included?"

Step 8: Installation

Who installs: the cabinet supplier, the contractor's crew, or a sub?
Removal and disposal of the old cabinets
Leveling and shimming, since floors and walls are rarely flat
Scribing fillers and panels to walls
Attaching to studs and joining cabinets together
Hardware installation
Wall repair after old cabinets come off
Who handles damaged or wrong cabinets, and how that affects the schedule

Step 9: The business side of a cabinet quote

Lead time: how long from order to delivery?
Deposit: when is it due, and is it tied to placing the order? A deposit for a cabinet order is normal. Just know what it pays for and whether any of it is refundable.
Changes after ordering: what happens if you change a size or finish after the order goes in?
Warranty: on the cabinets (from the manufacturer or shop) and on the installation (from the installer)

A note on refacing

If your boxes are solid and the layout works, refacing (new doors, drawer fronts and veneer on the existing boxes) can be an option. HomeAdvisor reports refacing costs about $4,270 to $10,200 (HomeAdvisor). It's worth asking about if you're comparing a full replacement quote.

Red flags in a cabinet quote

A brand and color with no specs. You can't tell what you're getting.
No drawing or cabinet list
Crown, fillers or panels missing with no explanation
"Install included" with no description of what install covers
No lead time or vague delivery promises
Large non-refundable deposit with no order confirmation
Pressure to decide quickly because "prices go up next week"

Questions to ask about your cabinet quote

Can I see the drawing or cabinet list and the spec sheet for this line?
What's the box material and thickness? Framed or frameless?
What's the door construction and overlay? What are the drawer boxes made of?
What slides and hinges are included? Soft-close?
Are finished ends, crown, light rail, fillers, scribes, panels and toe kick included?
Are pulls and knobs included, or an allowance? Is hardware install included?
What does installation cover, and who handles damaged pieces?
What's the lead time, and when is the deposit due?
What warranty applies to the cabinets and to the installation?

The bottom line

A fair cabinet quote is specific enough that you could hand it to another shop and get a price for the same kitchen. If yours isn't, the problem isn't necessarily the price. It's that you can't see what you're buying yet.

Want a cabinetmaker's eyes on your quote?

Kitchen and cabinet quotes are my specialty. I offer a Kitchen & Cabinet Quote Review: a 45-minute Cal Video call with a written summary, or a written-only review. I'll go through your quote line by line and give you the questions to ask before you sign. It's advice only, and you make the decisions.

Learn about Kitchen & Cabinet Quote Reviews →

Not available for projects in Lucas, Wood or Fulton County, Ohio.

— Jeremy Skadeland, Field Soft Picks

Cost figures are national averages from the linked source as of when they were checked. General information only, not professional, legal or financial advice.