Replacing kitchen cabinets in Australia can reasonably be tested at about $6,000–$12,000 for a compact supply-only modular package, $10,000–$22,000 for a straightforward medium installed package, and $18,000–$40,000 or more for extensive custom joinery. These are indicative editorial planning ranges in AUD, not national averages or quotations. They usually exclude appliances and may exclude demolition, benchtops, trades, splashbacks and making good.
The total is driven less by the room’s floor area than by the cabinet schedule: the number and type of boxes, drawers, tall units, fronts, panels, hardware and difficult interfaces. To budget accurately, count components and define installation. A phrase such as “ten linear metres of cabinetry” cannot show whether those metres contain inexpensive shelf cupboards or multiple drawer banks and integrated appliance housings.
Define what “replace the cabinets” means
One proposal may supply flat-packed carcasses and doors at the kerb. Another may include site measure, assembled cabinets, installation, panels, kickboards, handles and adjustment. A custom joiner may also coordinate benchtop measuring and detailed scribing. All can be described informally as cabinet replacement.
Set the boundary before comparing prices. Decide whether the package includes removal of existing cabinets, disposal, wall repair, plumbing and electrical disconnection, new cabinets, installation, benchtops, sink, handles, splashback, painting and flooring repairs. Mark owner-supplied products clearly.
If the cabinet boxes are sound and the arrangement works, compare replacement with refacing kitchen cabinets. Replacing fronts can cost less, but it does not correct moisture damage, weak carcasses or a poor layout.
Three planning bands for cabinet packages
| Cabinet approach | Indicative planning band | Typical scope assumption |
|---|---|---|
| Compact modular, supply only | $6,000–$12,000 | Standard sizes and finishes; owner separately arranges assembly and installation |
| Medium modular or semi-custom, installed | $10,000–$22,000 | Ordinary layout, panels and hardware; limited custom work |
| Extensive custom joinery, installed | $18,000–$40,000+ | More cabinets, detailed finishes, internal fittings and site-specific manufacture |
These bands concern cabinetry, not an entire kitchen renovation. They assume ordinary residential access and no structural work, hazardous-material treatment or extensive building repair. Location, freight, installer availability, specification and measured site conditions affect current pricing. Confirm whether GST is included in every written proposal.
A compact but highly detailed kitchen can exceed a larger simple one. Likewise, a medium modular layout using standard widths may sit below the band if the scope is narrow. Use the numbers to test affordability, then replace them with like-for-like quotations.
Why linear-metre pricing is only a rough shortcut
A linear metre measures run length, not content. One metre could contain a basic two-door base cabinet. Another could contain wide drawers, a pull-out waste unit and an expensive corner mechanism. Wall cabinets, tall cabinets and island backs also use different amounts of material and labour.
Linear-metre figures may omit end panels, fillers, handles, benchtops and installation. They can also assume a standard depth and height that does not match the proposal. Use them for a very early comparison only when the specification and cabinet mix are stated.
The better cost model is a cabinet-by-cabinet schedule. List base units, wall units, tall units, drawer stacks, appliance housings, panels and accessories. Then add assembly, installation, delivery and removal as separate lines.
Carcasses, fronts and panels
Carcasses form the boxes. Their material, thickness, moisture resistance, edge treatment and construction affect price and suitability. Fronts create much of the visible appearance and may use laminate, melamine, painted board, timber veneer, solid timber or other systems. Ask for exact product descriptions rather than relying on broad words such as “premium”.
Visible panels can be a significant hidden quantity. An island may need finished backs and ends; a tall cabinet may require side panels; fillers close gaps at walls; kickboards finish the base. Decorative battens, curved ends and profiled panels add manufacturing and installation effort.
A current retail component illustrates the importance of inclusions. IKEA Australia lists its 600 mm METOD base cabinet frame separately from doors, shelves, drawers, hinges, worktop, plinth and cover panels. That page is a dated retail component example, not evidence of an installed national cabinet rate.
Drawers cost differently from shelf cupboards
Drawers improve access to pots, crockery and food, but each bank uses fronts, runners and assembly labour. Deep, wide or high-load drawers can cost more again. Internal organisers, cutlery trays and concealed drawers add components even when the exterior looks simple.
Do not remove every drawer merely to lower the quote. Put accessible storage where it improves daily work, then simplify lower-priority areas. A balanced plan might use drawers for cookware and preparation tools while retaining shelf cupboards for occasional large items.
Request the hardware brand or specification, soft-close details, load information where relevant and access to replacement parts. Count hinges and runners in the schedule. Mechanical hardware affects both upfront cost and long-term usability.
Tall cabinets and appliance housings
Pantries, oven towers and integrated refrigerator surrounds use more material than low cabinets and often require careful levelling and fixing. A pull-out pantry includes substantial hardware. An appliance housing must suit the exact model’s dimensions, ventilation and installation instructions.
Choose appliances before final cabinet manufacture. A late oven, dishwasher or refrigerator substitution can change openings, panels and services. Record make and model in the approved drawings and establish who reviews any replacement product.
Integrated appliance fronts can make a room visually calm, but they add compatible panels, hardware and installation coordination. Price them as complete systems, not as an ordinary door added later.
Corner solutions and non-standard dimensions
A corner cabinet can be inexpensive with a basic shelf but awkward to use. Rotating shelves, pull-out trays and blind-corner mechanisms improve access at additional cost and may reduce net storage. Compare the actual internal dimensions and movement.
Custom-width cabinets can use awkward space efficiently but remove some savings of standard manufacture. First see whether fillers, open shelves or a changed sequence can resolve the dimension. In an older room, wall irregularity may also require scribes and site trimming even with standard boxes.
Ask who allows for out-of-square walls and uneven floors. A supply-only drawing based on nominal dimensions can transfer that risk to the installer or homeowner. Final measurement and responsibility should be explicit before production.
Assembly and installation are separate cost drivers
Flat-packed supply shifts assembly labour out of the product price. That can be economical for a competent installer, but it does not make assembly free. Numerous drawers, tall units and panels take time, and mistakes can damage components or affect alignment.
Installation includes setting levels, fixing cabinets appropriately, joining units, scribing panels, fitting fronts and adjusting hardware. It may exclude plumbing, electrical work and benchtop installation. Difficult access, restricted work hours and apartment lift bookings can increase handling and time.
Do not undertake structural fixing or regulated services simply to preserve a supply-only saving. The cabinet installer and licensed trades should coordinate penetrations, services and appliance requirements under the rules applying in the state or territory.
Removal, waste and site preparation
Old cabinets must be disconnected safely, removed and transported. A straightforward demolition and disposal allowance might be $800–$2,000 for early budgeting, but access, quantity, tipping arrangements and materials can move it. That range is not a waste contractor’s quote.
Cabinet removal may expose damaged plaster, incomplete paint, flooring gaps or moisture. Include an allowance for making good rather than assuming new units cover the same marks. Correct leaks and unstable substrates before installation.
Materials in older kitchens may require assessment before disturbance. Appearance alone cannot reliably identify asbestos-containing material. Arrange competent assessment and follow jurisdictional requirements; uncontrolled DIY sampling or demolition is not a legitimate cabinet saving.
Benchtops are often outside the cabinet number
A cabinet supplier’s total may exclude the worktop entirely. Add material, templating, fabrication, edge details, joins, cut-outs, delivery and installation. Sink and cooktop choices affect openings, while waterfall ends add surface area and fabrication.
Australia prohibits the manufacture, supply, processing and installation of engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs. Safe Work Australia explains the engineered-stone ban, product definition, exclusions and limited legacy-work provisions. Confirm written product identification and do not use an old engineered-stone allowance in a current cabinet plan.
If retaining an existing benchtop, have the relevant installer assess whether it can be removed or supported without damage and whether the new cabinet geometry is compatible. Reuse is not guaranteed merely because the old and new layout look similar.
A worked medium cabinet replacement
This hypothetical example shows the arithmetic for a medium modular or semi-custom package. It assumes existing service positions, ordinary access, no structural changes, GST included where applicable and a separate benchtop package. It is not a quotation or reported average.
| Item | Planning allowance |
|---|---|
| Base, wall and tall cabinet carcasses | $5,200 |
| Doors and drawer fronts | $3,200 |
| Drawers, hinges and standard hardware | $2,200 |
| Panels, fillers, kickboards and handles | $1,600 |
| Delivery and cabinet assembly | $1,400 |
| Installation and adjustment | $3,500 |
| Old cabinet removal and waste | $1,200 |
| Wall and floor making good | $900 |
| Cabinet-package subtotal | $19,200 |
Add a hypothetical $4,000 benchtop package, $4,500 appliances, $3,500 licensed service work, $1,500 splashback and $1,500 painting and finishing, and the wider kitchen scope reaches $34,200 before contingency. This demonstrates why a $19,200 cabinet project is not a $19,200 completed kitchen.
Use the broader Australian kitchen renovation cost guide to capture the full room. Then set a contingency based on unresolved conditions rather than spending the entire ceiling on the cabinet order.
How layout changes affect the cabinet total
Keeping the existing footprint can reduce service and flooring changes, but it does not always minimise cabinetry. An island adds cabinets, visible panels and often a finished back. Moving tall storage can require a different mix of fillers and end panels.
Changing from cupboards to drawers increases hardware but may reduce the need for aftermarket organisers. Removing wall cabinets can lower joinery cost while increasing pressure on tall storage. Compare usable storage, not only cabinet count.
A dimensioned layout and elevations let suppliers quote the same arrangement. If each supplier designs a different kitchen, the prices cannot reveal which manufacturer is more economical because the quantities differ.
Cost differences between modular and custom cabinetry
Modular systems can control cost through standard dimensions, finishes and repeatable manufacturing. They work best when the room and desired layout accommodate the system. Fillers and panels resolve modest dimensional differences, but excessive fillers waste space.
Custom cabinetry can use unusual dimensions, integrate detailed features and fit irregular architecture. Its value is strongest where those capabilities solve a real constraint. Paying for full custom manufacture while choosing an entirely standard arrangement may not improve the outcome proportionately.
A hybrid can be sensible: standard cabinet modules with selected custom panels, a tailored pantry or specialist open shelving. Ask who warrants and installs each interface so savings do not create unresolved responsibility.
Where to reduce cabinet cost carefully
- Keep a workable layout and service positions.
- Use standard widths where they do not waste important space.
- Limit decorative ends, curves and non-functional detail.
- Prioritise drawers in high-use zones rather than throughout.
- Choose a durable standard finish and add personality through replaceable elements.
- Review tall pull-outs and corner mechanisms against simpler storage.
- Retain sound appliances only when their dimensions suit the new design.
Do not save by omitting required installation, wall repair or moisture correction. Nor should the contingency become an upgrade fund before demolition risks are resolved. The companion guide to budgeting for a kitchen renovation separates the selected scope from reserves.
Allow enough time for manufacture and measured surfaces
Cabinet cost and programme interact. Standard stocked items may arrive faster; custom or made-to-order finishes require production. Delivery does not mean the room is ready for installation, and cabinet installation may need to finish before the benchtop’s final measure.
Use the kitchen renovation timeline to plan design freeze, ordering, demolition, rough-in, cabinets, benchtop, splashback and final connections. Confirm actual supplier lead times before choosing the demolition date.
Compare quotes using a component schedule
Issue the same plan, elevations, appliance list and finish schedule to each bidder. Request cabinet quantities, materials, fronts, panels, hardware, delivery, assembly and installation. Identify provisional items and exclusions. Check GST and payment timing.
Use the method in comparing renovation quotes to normalise differences. One quote may place handles and panels inside cabinet supply while another lists them separately. A low figure is not comparable until missing work is added.
Ask who takes the final measure, checks site readiness and owns errors between the drawing and room. Confirm how design changes are priced. Read warranty and care information for the exact materials and hardware, then keep the final drawings and component list after handover.
Turn the range into your own cabinet number
Draw the chosen layout, create the component schedule and obtain current installed pricing. Add removal, access, repair and benchtop interfaces. Then test optional upgrades one at a time. This produces a cost model linked to your kitchen rather than a generic per-metre claim.
A final cabinet-cost checklist
- Count every carcass, front, drawer, hinge, panel, filler, kickboard and handle.
- Identify exact materials, finishes, edge details and hardware specifications.
- Separate supply, delivery, assembly, installation, removal and making good.
- Show retained appliances and all required housings on the final drawings.
- Add the benchtop, licensed services and finishing needed for a usable kitchen.
- Confirm GST, payment timing, lead times and responsibility for final measurement.
Recalculate after each design revision. Moving a pantry or changing cupboards to drawers can alter several lines at once, so an old total should not follow a new drawing. Keep the dated cabinet schedule beside the quotation and require approved substitutions to be recorded.
For many households, $10,000–$22,000 is a useful early test for a straightforward medium installed cabinet package, while custom or extensive joinery can move beyond $40,000. The reliable answer is the documented sum of boxes, fronts, hardware, panels and labour required to deliver a complete, usable cabinet system.