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Fort Collins Kitchen Co

Kitchen Work

Kitchen Cabinet Replacement in Fort Collins

New boxes in the same footprint, the fastest way to change how a kitchen works without moving plumbing.

Replacing cabinets while keeping the sink, range, and refrigerator where they are is the highest-value move in kitchen remodeling. You get drawers instead of the cave under the counter, doors that close quietly, and interiors sized for what you keep in them, without paying for new rough-in. Most Fort Collins cabinet replacements run $18,000 to $45,000 installed, counters included or not depending on whether the existing tops can be reused, which with stone they usually cannot. The work takes two to four weeks on site. The wait is in the order: stock lines ship in one to three weeks, semi-custom in six to ten, and full custom shops in this region often quote twelve weeks or more.

What the scope covers

  • Included in scope Existing cabinets removed and disposed of, walls patched and made flat
  • Included in scope Layout redrawn so drawer banks, trash pullouts, and pantry storage land where they are used
  • Included in scope Framed or frameless boxes, plywood or furniture-board construction, specified openly on the quote
  • Included in scope Soft-close hinges and undermount full-extension slides as standard on current lines
  • Included in scope Filler, scribe, crown, and light rail so the run reads as built-in rather than dropped in
  • Included in scope Cabinet doors and drawer fronts aligned and adjusted at the end, not just hung
  • Included in scope Old cabinets set aside for donation where the boxes are sound

Setting your expectation before the quote arrives

The figures above describe what this scope costs around Fort Collins when the work is permitted and run by a licensed contractor. Work through the cost calculator to set a number in your own head first, and read the Fort Collins kitchen remodel guide for how the local build sequence and the permit process run.

Questions about new cabinets

Is refacing worth it instead of replacing?

Refacing puts new doors, drawer fronts, and veneer on the existing boxes. It makes sense when the boxes are plywood, square, and laid out sensibly, and it typically runs about half the cost of replacement. It makes no sense when the boxes are particleboard that has swollen at the toe kick, when the layout is the actual problem, or when you want drawers where there are currently doors. Refacing changes the face of the kitchen; it cannot change how the kitchen works.

Can we keep the countertops if we replace the cabinets?

Rarely with stone. Granite and quartz are bonded to the cabinet tops and cut for that specific run, and lifting a slab off without cracking it is a coin flip even for a careful crew. Laminate tops can sometimes be saved if the run is identical. Plan on new counters as part of the budget and treat a saved top as a bonus.

What is the difference between framed and frameless cabinets?

A framed box has a face frame at the front, which the doors mount to. A frameless box, sometimes called full access or European, has no frame, so the door covers the whole opening and the drawer boxes are wider inside. Frameless gives noticeably more usable space in a small kitchen. Framed is easier to install out of square and is the more common construction in American semi-custom lines. Both last decades when the box material is decent.

How far ahead should we order cabinets?

Ask the remodeler for the current lead time in writing before you sign, and add the install week to it. Semi-custom lines commonly quote six to ten weeks, and that clock starts when the final drawing is approved, not when you first sat down. Cabinet lead time is the single most common reason a kitchen start date slides.

From the Notebook

More reading on new cabinets

The Best Time of Year for a Fort Collins Kitchen Remodel

Snow, holiday timing, and contractor scheduling cycles all shape when to start a Northern Colorado kitchen remodel. Here is how the seasons really play out.

Why the Cabinet Order Sets Your Kitchen Start Date

Cabinet lead time, not crew availability, decides when a Fort Collins kitchen remodel can start, and how stock, semi-custom, and custom timelines compare.

What Dry Colorado Air Does to Your Kitchen Cabinets

Fort Collins winters run low on indoor humidity, and wood cabinetry moves with it. What to specify, seal, and acclimate to protect a Northern Colorado kitchen.

Other Scopes

Where else the budget could go

Most kitchens come down to one decision: change the surfaces, or change the room. Reading the neighbouring scope is usually what settles which one you are buying.

Full Kitchen Remodel

Everything out, everything new: cabinets, counters, appliances, floor, lighting, and the wiring behind them

Countertop Replacement

New quartz, granite, or solid surface on existing cabinets, usually finished within a month of template

Open Concept Kitchen Conversion

Taking out the wall between kitchen and living space, with the beam, the permit, and the inspection that go with it

Small and Galley Kitchen Remodel

Getting real storage and real counter space out of a compact kitchen, without pretending it is bigger than it is

Start your kitchen with a free quote

Call (970) 305-3265 or use the quote form. A local kitchen remodeler comes out, measures, and puts a price in writing.

Call (970) 305-3265 Get a free quote