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AfterHow Much Does Cabinet Installation Cost in Los Angeles?
Cabinet installation in Los Angeles typically runs $4,720 to $15,340, depending on whether you’re swapping boxes in a rental kitchen or hanging full custom cabinetry in a hillside home. That range covers tear-out of the old cabinets, labor, standard hardware, and cleanup, not the cabinets themselves. Most single-family kitchens we price in LA land somewhere in the middle of that band: semi-custom boxes, a manageable wall count, and no surprises behind the drywall.
We’re Sawyer Remodeling, a general contractor working across Los Angeles as part of the Relay Home Co. family since 2005. Every project comes with a written price before anyone picks up a tool, live arrival tracking, and before-and-after photo updates. No number changes at the door. You can see how this fits into a full kitchen on our home page.
Key Takeaways
- Typical Los Angeles cabinet installation: $4,720 to $15,340.
- Cabinet quality and layout complexity move the price more than anything else.
- Older LA homes often hide surprises (out-of-square walls, old wiring) that add cost.
- Free estimates, written pricing before work starts, and a 365-Day Done Right Promise on every job.
Cabinet Installation Cost Breakdown (2026)
Here’s how the money breaks down by cabinet type and scope in the LA market. These are labor and installation figures, so the cabinet boxes themselves are a separate line on your quote.
| Scope | Typical LA Range |
|---|---|
| Stock cabinet installation (standard sizes, minimal cutting) | $4,720 – $7,100 |
| Semi-custom cabinet installation (mixed sizes, some filler work) | $7,100 – $11,300 |
| Custom cabinet installation (built to wall, no filler) | $11,300 – $15,340 |
| Upper cabinets only (galley or partial kitchen) | $4,720 – $8,500 |
| Full kitchen, uppers and lowers, standard layout | $8,500 – $13,000 |
| Full kitchen with island and pantry cabinets | $12,000 – $15,340 |
| Hardware pulls and soft-close hinges (installed) | $470 – $1,650 |
| Old cabinet removal and haul-away | $350 – $1,200 |
What pushes you toward the top of that range? Custom boxes built to fit a wonky wall, tall pantry towers, a kitchen island, or a layout where the cabinets have to wrap a corner and meet a window sill exactly. What keeps you at the bottom? Stock sizes that drop into a standard grid with room to spare, no plumbing or electrical to reroute, and a homeowner who’s already picked the boxes.
For context on how cabinets sit inside a bigger project, a full kitchen remodel in Los Angeles runs $16,520 to $53,100, and cabinets are usually 25% to 35% of that number. If you’re only refreshing the top surfaces, a countertop swap runs $2,360 to $7,670. And if you’re doing the whole thing, it’s worth seeing how we handle Cabinet Installation in Los Angeles end to end.
What Affects Cabinet Installation Pricing in Los Angeles
Six things move the number up or down more than anything else. Here’s what we actually see on estimates across the city.
- Cabinet quality and build type. Stock boxes from KraftMaid or Wellborn install fast because they come in fixed sizes. Custom boxes cost more to hang because every piece is fitted to your specific wall. Stock saves labor; custom saves fillers and awkward gaps.
- Wall and ceiling squareness. This is the big one in LA. A 1920s craftsman in Highland Park or a 1950s tract house in the Valley almost never has a square corner or a level ceiling. Out-of-plumb walls mean shimming, scribing, and sometimes rebuilding a furring wall before a single cabinet goes up. That’s real labor, and it’s why two kitchens the same size can price $3,000 apart.
- Plumbing and electrical that has to move. If the sink stays put and the outlets are already where they need to be, you’re in good shape. If you’re shifting the range or moving the sink, a licensed plumber and electrician get involved. In older Los Angeles homes, cast-iron drain lines and knob-and-tube wiring turn a simple move into a bigger job.
- Ceiling height and upper cabinet run. LA homes run the gamut from 8-foot ceilings in Mid-City bungalows to 12-foot ceilings in newer builds. Taller uppers, stacked cabinets, or a run that goes all the way to the ceiling means more boxes and more labor. It also means the installer is working on a ladder longer.
- Kitchen island and pantry. An island is its own install, with its own base, its own electrical, and sometimes its own plumbing. A pantry cabinet or a full pantry room adds a run of tall boxes that need to be scribed and leveled like anything else. A kitchen island install runs $3,540 to $11,800 on its own.
- Access and parking. Anyone who’s installed cabinets in a Silver Lake hillside home or a tight West Adams driveway knows the delivery and staging add time. A long carry from the truck, a narrow stairway, or a third-floor walk-up adds labor hours that a flat-lot home doesn’t have. It’s not glamorous, but it’s real.
How to Save on Cabinet Installation in Los Angeles
You don’t have to spend the top of the range to get a kitchen that works. A few moves reliably shave cost without cutting corners.
- Keep the plumbing and gas where they are. Leaving the sink, dishwasher, and range in their current spots means no permit-triggering plumbing or electrical changes. It’s the single biggest cost saver on a cabinet install.
- Choose semi-custom over full custom where it makes sense. Semi-custom boxes get you the sizes and finishes you want without the cost of built-to-wall cabinetry. Stock sizes with a well-planned filler panel look finished and cost less.
- Install your own hardware if you can swing it. Pulls and knobs are a $470 to $1,650 line item, and a confident DIYer can knock that out in an afternoon with a jig. Everything else, leave to the pros.
- Bundle cabinets with counters and backsplash. When we install cabinets, then template and set the counter and backsplash in one sequence, the whole job runs tighter. A backsplash runs $945 to $2,950, and doing it in the same visit usually beats scheduling two separate crews.
- Get a written price before work starts. Obvious, but worth saying. Our quotes are no-hassle and upfront, which means the number you approve is the number on the invoice. The worst way to save money is to pick the low verbal bid and pay for the change orders later.
If you’re still in the planning stage, it helps to know what the rest of the room will run. A small kitchen remodel in Los Angeles is $10,620 to $23,600, and a bathroom vanity install, for comparison, is $945 to $3,540. Call us at (254) 272-5876 for a free estimate and we’ll put the range in writing.
FAQs – Cabinet Installation Cost
How much does cabinet installation cost in Los Angeles?
Cabinet installation in Los Angeles costs $4,720 to $15,340, with most single-family kitchens falling between $8,500 and $13,000 for a full set of uppers and lowers. Your exact number depends on cabinet quality, layout, and whether plumbing or electrical has to move. Call (254) 272-5876 for a free written estimate.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace kitchen cabinets?
Repair is cheaper in the short run, usually a few hundred dollars per door or drawer, while replacement starts at $4,720. If your boxes are solid and you just don’t like the finish, refinishing or new doors can save a lot. If the boxes are water-damaged, sagging, or out of square, replacement is the better spend. We’ll tell you which one your kitchen actually needs after a look.
How long does cabinet installation take?
A standard full kitchen takes two to four days for the install itself, and up to a week once you add tear-out, counter templating, and backsplash. Custom cabinetry or a job with plumbing and electrical changes can run longer. We give you a written schedule before work starts and keep it updated through The Relay Visibility Guarantee.
Do I need a permit to install cabinets in Los Angeles?
Cabinet installation alone usually doesn’t require a permit. But if the job involves moving plumbing, adding electrical circuits, or relocating a gas line for the range, that work needs a permit and a licensed trade. In older LA homes, that’s common, and we pull the permits and coordinate the inspections as part of the project. Ask about it at your estimate.
Can you install cabinets I bought myself?
Yes, we install homeowner-supplied cabinets, and the labor cost stays in the same $4,720 to $15,340 range depending on the layout and any wall prep. One thing to watch: stock boxes from a big-box store may arrive damaged or missing pieces, and it’s harder to chase replacements than when we source them. We can also supply KraftMaid or Wellborn cabinetry with manufacturer backing behind the install.
What’s the cheapest way to update my kitchen cabinets?
The cheapest meaningful update is new doors and hardware on your existing boxes, often a fraction of full replacement. Next is a fresh paint or refinish job. Full cabinet replacement starts at $4,720. If you’re weighing options, call (254) 272-5876 and we’ll walk you through what your current cabinets can and can’t take.
Why Homeowners in Los Angeles Call Sawyer Remodeling
We’ve been at this since 2005, and we run every job under The Relay Visibility Guarantee: a written price before work begins, a live arrival time so you’re not waiting around, and photo updates before and after. Our technicians are background-checked and uniformed, so you know who’s coming through the door. Calls are answered by a live person 24/7, which means no voicemail loops and no phone tag when you have a question mid-project.
Every project is backed by the 365-Day Done Right Promise. If something we installed isn’t right, we make it right for a full year after we hand it back. And because cabinets usually sit next to a countertop, backsplash, and maybe a new island, we’ll price the whole room so you’re not managing three separate crews.
If you’re comparing numbers, start with the range. Knowing whether a project is in your ballpark shouldn’t require a phone call, but the exact price should. Call (254) 272-5876 for a free estimate and we’ll put your Los Angeles cabinet installation quote in writing before a single tool comes out of the truck.
Written by Luca Romano, Owner at Sawyer Remodeling, serving Los Angeles since 2005.
Pricing reflects the Los Angeles market as of 2026. Sawyer Remodeling offers free estimates – call (254) 272-5876.
What Our Customers Say
"Bathroom remodel. Tile and shower niche are flawless. Updates by text kept me in the loop."
- Hugh P."Good renovation. The countertop slipped a week, but I got a text and a new date right away."
- Dina M."Floors and paint finished on time. Floors were sanded, stained, and the walls painted without any gaps in the schedule."
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