Bonita Springs Elite Cabinets designs, builds and installs custom cabinets for homeowners across Bonita Springs, FL. Most homeowners start this conversation looking at their doors. Faded, chipped, dated, wrong colour. But the doors are the cheap part to change. What decides between refacing and replacing is the condition of the boxes behind them and whether the layout still works.
What each option actually involves
Refacing
The existing boxes stay fixed in place. Doors and drawer fronts are replaced, and the visible face frames and exposed end panels are covered with matching veneer or laminate. New hinges and hardware go on. The kitchen keeps its current footprint exactly.
Replacing
Everything comes out down to the walls. New boxes, new doors, new hardware, and the chance to change the layout entirely. Worktops almost always have to be replaced as well, since they rarely survive removal.
Start by checking the boxes
Empty one base cabinet and one wall cabinet and look carefully.
Signs the boxes are still good
- Square corners with no sag in the shelves
- Drawer boxes that slide without rocking or catching
- Solid, dry material at the back of the sink base
- Face frames firmly attached with no movement when pushed
- No soft or swollen spots along the bottom edges
Signs they need replacing
- Swollen or crumbling material, especially under the sink
- Shelves that bow under normal weight
- Boxes pulling away from the wall or from each other
- Any sign of past or present water damage inside
- Persistent musty smell that cleaning does not fix
Layout is the other half of the decision
Refacing cannot move anything. If the kitchen has an awkward corner that wastes space, a cooktop in the wrong place, or too few drawers, refacing locks those problems in behind attractive new doors. That frustration does not go away, and it tends to grow.
Replacement is the only route if you want to change cabinet heights, add a bank of deep drawers, open up a wall, or reconfigure around a new appliance. Cabinet design is where those changes get worked out properly before anything is ordered.
What each costs
Industry figures for 2026 put kitchen cabinet refacing broadly in the $5,000 to $13,000 range for an average kitchen. New cabinets are quoted by the linear foot: roughly $100 to $400 for stock, $150 to $700 for semi custom, and $500 to $1,200 for fully custom, before installation. Installation itself typically adds $50 to $300 per linear foot.
Those are national reference ranges, not a quote. What they show is the shape of the decision. Refacing usually lands well below replacement, and the gap widens the larger the kitchen.
Time and disruption
Refacing is generally a matter of days, and the kitchen stays partly usable because the boxes and worktops are never removed. Replacement means losing the kitchen entirely for a longer stretch, plus worktop templating and a second fitting visit after the cabinets are set.
For a seasonal home, that difference in downtime often matters more than the money.
When refacing is clearly right
Sound plywood boxes, a layout that works, and a kitchen that simply looks tired. This is the ideal refacing candidate and the result can be genuinely transformative. Our cabinet resurfacing page explains the process in detail.
When replacing is clearly right
Water damaged boxes, a layout that has annoyed you for years, or cabinets so shallow or oddly sized that modern appliances and inserts do not fit. Putting money into refacing these is money spent twice. Custom kitchen cabinets solve the underlying problem instead.
Frequently asked questions
Can I reface only some of the cabinets?
Yes, though matching new veneer to existing finish across a room is difficult. It works best when the refaced area is visually separate, such as a laundry room or a butler pantry.
Does refacing include new drawer boxes?
Usually only the fronts. If the drawer boxes themselves are worn or the slides are failing, those can be upgraded, and it is worth asking for that in the quote.
Will I have to replace my worktops?
Not with refacing. That is one of its main advantages. With replacement, assume the worktops are going.
How long does refacing last?
As long as the boxes underneath do. That is exactly why the box inspection comes first.
Not sure which way to go?
We look at the boxes before recommending anything, because that is what the decision actually rests on. Call (239) 366-4056 for an honest assessment of your kitchen in Bonita Springs or the surrounding area.
