Beacon September 2014
By Wendy Manley, CKD

Replace or Re-face? It’s a question that many homeowners ask when contemplating a kitchen or bath remodel. There are several key factors to be determined when deciding how in depth of a project to undertake. Replacing just the doors and facing on cabinetry, called “Re-facing”, often works for a quick facelift. But are the boxes of the cabinets in good shape? Are the drawer systems in good working order? How long will the boxes and drawer systems continue to remain in good condition? Does the layout of the kitchen work or would it be better to relocate appliances, sinks and cabinetry layout? And the most important question, which of the two is the more economical choice?

Obviously, if the cabinet boxes are falling apart and the drawer systems are not working well, re-facing the doors and drawers will only be a temporary “Band-Aid” fix the situation. Replacing the cabinetry with brand new materials will be your long term solution. If the layout of the kitchen/bath isn’t working for you, the re-face option won’t do much to help that. Meeting with and redesigning the room with a Certified Kitchen/Bath designer would be your best bet to get what you really want. Your room can be designed the way you want it to work, to fit your family and lifestyle needs.

However, if the existing cabinetry condition and room layout are acceptable, then the re-face option might be right for you. Initially, the material costs of the re-face project will be less than replacing your cabinetry. But take note that besides the replacement of the doors & drawer fronts, several other costs will likely need to be incurred. If the cabinet box faces need to be modified to match the new doors & drawer fronts, then that will be an extra cost. Also any crown molding, light rail, toekick and cabinet hardware will be extra as well. And then there is the very labor intensive cost of the installing and refitting of the new materials. Not an easy task. When all these costs of the re-face project are totaled, it can be surprising to see how close it can come the price of a brand new kitchen/bath! A brand new kitchen/bath with brand new working parts and the latest interior accessories and accents! A brand new kitchen/bath with the updated appliance/sink/etc sizes and amenities!
If a brand new kitchen/bath sounds right to you, come in and see us at Waterview Kitchens in Tequesta!