Cabinet refacing replaces the visible doors, drawer fronts, and end panels while keeping the cabinet boxes (the carcasses) in place. New veneer covers the box exteriors. New hardware. The boxes themselves — the structural carcasses — remain.
Pricing for refacing runs $120–$240 per linear foot. A typical 220 sf kitchen has 30–40 linear feet of cabinets, putting refacing at $3,600–$9,600 in materials and labor for a basic project. Adding new doors, soft-close hinges, and good hardware brings most refacing projects to $7,000–$14,000.
Replacement pricing runs $400–$1,200 per linear foot for stock cabinets, $700–$1,800 per linear foot for semi-custom, and $1,200+ for full custom. The same 30–40 linear foot kitchen runs $14,000–$32,000 in stock to semi-custom, with custom pushing $40,000+.
The cost differential is $7,000–$18,000 in favor of refacing. Why does almost every contractor recommend replacement?
First, refacing requires the existing boxes to be in good condition. If the boxes are particle board (most kitchens built before 2005 and many built since), 15+ years of moisture exposure has likely warped them. Refacing a warped carcass leaves the warp; the new doors don't sit flat. Inspection should always precede refacing.
Second, refacing locks you into the existing layout. No moved cabinets, no different drawer configurations, no pull-out trash, no integrated cabinet appliance fronts. The kitchen fundamentally remains the kitchen you have, with new doors.
Third, the value proposition shifts at resale. A refacing job reads "updated 2026" for 5–7 years. A full replacement reads "renovated kitchen" for 12–18 years. The resale value attribution favors replacement by a factor of 2–3x against the cost difference.
When refacing makes sense. The existing boxes are plywood (not particle board), the layout works exactly as is, the timeline is tight (a 1-week refacing finishes before a holiday hosting deadline that a 4-week replacement would miss), and you plan to sell within 3 years (the visual update is the conversion lever).
When replacement makes sense. Boxes are particle board or visibly warped. The layout doesn't work. You want soft-close everywhere. You want pull-outs, drawer organizers, or integrated appliances. You're staying 5+ years and the math favors the longer useful life.
A middle path: replace the lower cabinets (where most warping and structural issues live) and reface the uppers. Total cost: $11,000–$22,000. Combines a tight schedule with structural integrity. Most reputable cabinet contractors offer this as an option.
The single most-skipped decision in either path is hardware. New doors with old hardware looks worse than old doors with new hardware. Budget $400–$1,400 for hardware regardless of which path you choose.