Cabinet refacing costs $5,500–$12,000 for a typical Ontario kitchen in 2026, while full replacement runs $9,500–$28,000+ depending on cabinet tier. The right choice comes down to three questions: are your boxes sound, does your layout work, and where is the money better spent? Here's the honest comparison.
Refacing vs Replacement: 2026 Cost Comparison
Side by side for a standard 10x10 kitchen (roughly 20 door and drawer fronts) in Kitchener-Waterloo:
| Option | Typical 10x10 Kitchen | Timeline | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refinishing (sand/spray existing doors) | $3,000–$6,000 | 3–5 days | Solid wood doors, colour change only |
| Refacing (new doors, drawer fronts, veneer on boxes) | $5,500–$12,000 | 3–5 days | Sound boxes, working layout |
| Replacement — stock cabinets | $9,500–$13,500 | 1–2 weeks install | Standard layouts on a budget |
| Replacement — semi-custom | $11,000–$17,000 | 2–3 weeks install | Modified sizes, soft-close everything |
| Replacement — full custom | $20,000–$28,000+ | 3–4 weeks install | Non-standard spaces, furniture-grade |
Refacing typically lands at 40–55% of the comparable replacement price. The catch: it buys new faces, not a new kitchen — layout, box condition, and interior hardware stay what they are unless you pay to change them.
When Refacing Wins
Refacing is the right call when the bones are good. Specifically:
- Boxes are plywood or sound MDF, square, and firmly anchored — open a cabinet and check corners and shelf pins.
- The layout already works: you're not fighting the work triangle, and no walls or appliances are moving.
- Doors are the problem: dated oak profiles, peeling thermofoil, or 1990s finishes on structurally fine cabinets.
- Budget is better spent elsewhere: the $8,000–$15,000 saved funds quartz counters and a tile backsplash — which change the room more than box swaps ever would.
- Timeline matters: refacing keeps a functioning kitchen; replacement means 1–3 weeks of takeout.
Add-ons worth bundling during refacing: soft-close hinges ($8–$15 per door), new drawer boxes ($90–$180 each), and pull-outs in base cabinets ($150–$400 each). Our refacing deep-dive covers material choices — thermofoil vs wood veneer vs solid doors.
When Replacement Wins
Replace when refacing would be new paint on a bad wall:
- Particleboard boxes swelling at the sink base or delaminating anywhere water travels.
- The layout fights you daily: corner dead zones, a fridge blocking a doorway, drawers that can't open fully — refacing locks those problems in.
- You're renovating anyway: if counters, backsplash, and flooring are all changing as part of a full kitchen renovation, the incremental cost of new boxes buys modern drawer stacks, full-extension hardware, and a warranty on everything.
- Interior real estate matters: modern cabinets fit 25–40% more usable storage in the same footprint via drawer bases and full-depth pull-outs.
- Resale positioning: in higher-end listings, buyers and agents can tell refaced from new — in mid-market homes they generally can't.
What Affects Your Quote
- Door material: thermofoil/RTF fronts price lowest; painted MDF shaker mid; solid wood highest — a $2,500–$5,000 swing across a kitchen.
- Door and drawer count: quotes scale per opening; a 30-front kitchen costs 40–50% more than a 20-front one.
- Counters staying or going: replacement usually means new counters ($6,500–$11,000 in quartz); refacing can keep them — a huge hidden differential.
- Island and tall units: pantry towers and oversized islands add fronts, panels, and veneer area fast.
- Layout tweaks during replacement: moving even one appliance adds plumbing or electrical scope — see our full kitchen cost guide for those numbers.
DIY vs Hiring a Pro
DIY refinishing (painting existing doors) is a legitimate budget play at $300–$800 in materials — the finish quality depends entirely on prep and spray technique, and brush-painted cabinet doors rarely survive scrutiny or dishwasher steam. DIY refacing is harder than it looks: veneer work is unforgiving and door sizing must be exact.
Replacement installs are carpentry: level runs across out-of-level floors, scribed fillers, and counter-ready tolerances. Bad installs telegraph straight through expensive doors. Our crews level, shim, and align as a matter of course — and pair the install with countertop templating so the whole assembly lands plumb, square, and warrantied.
Resale Math for the KW Market
In the Kitchener-Waterloo resale market, kitchens sell houses and dated kitchens discount them. Refacing plus new counters and backsplash — a $15,000–$22,000 refresh — typically returns 80–100% at resale in mid-market homes because it removes the buyer objection at the lowest cost. Full replacement returns 70–85% but positions the home a tier higher in listings.
The wrong answer is spending $25,000 replacing cabinets in a kitchen whose layout still doesn't work, or refacing boxes that are failing. Match the fix to the actual problem and either path pays. Pair whichever route you choose with a current backsplash — our backsplash cost guide covers that piece.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does cabinet refacing cost in Ontario in 2026?
$5,500–$12,000 for a typical 10x10 kitchen — new doors and drawer fronts, matching veneer on all visible box surfaces, and new hardware. Thermofoil fronts sit at the low end, painted MDF shaker mid-range, and solid wood doors at the top.
Is refacing cheaper than replacing kitchen cabinets?
Yes — refacing runs 40–55% of comparable replacement cost. Replacement runs $9,500–$13,500 for stock cabinets, $11,000–$17,000 semi-custom, and $20,000–$28,000+ full custom, and usually triggers new countertops as well, which widens the real gap.
How do I know if my cabinets are good enough to reface?
Check the boxes, not the doors: plywood or sound MDF sides, square corners, solid mounting to the wall, and a dry, intact sink base. If boxes are swelling particleboard or the layout itself frustrates you daily, refacing locks those problems in — replace instead.
How long does cabinet refacing take?
3–5 working days for a typical kitchen, and the kitchen stays functional throughout — no demolition, no counter removal. Full replacement runs 1–4 weeks of installation depending on cabinet tier, plus 4–10 weeks of manufacturing lead time before install begins.
Does cabinet refacing add resale value?
In mid-market KW homes, refacing plus new counters returns 80–100% of cost at resale because it removes the dated-kitchen objection at the lowest price. Full replacement returns 70–85% but supports a higher listing tier. Either beats selling with a visibly dated kitchen.
Key Takeaways
- Refacing runs $5,500–$12,000 in 2026; replacement $9,500–$28,000+ by cabinet tier.
- Refacing costs 40–55% of replacement — but keeps your layout and box interiors as-is.
- Check the sink base: swollen particleboard means replace; clean plywood means reface.
- Replacement usually triggers new counters ($6,500–$11,000), widening the true gap.
- Soft-close hinges, new drawer boxes, and pull-outs are cheap to bundle during refacing.
- Refacing + counters + backsplash returns 80–100% at resale in mid-market KW homes.
Devon has personally overseen 500+ interior renovations across Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, and Guelph since 2018. Read full bio →
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