Kitchen Cabinets Cost per Linear Foot Installed: Stock, Semi Custom, and Custom

The per linear foot price depends almost entirely on which tier of cabinet you choose. Stock cabinets are built in fixed sizes and sold off the shelf. Semi custom cabinets start with stock dimensions but let you change door styles, finishes, and interior fittings. Custom cabinets are built from scratch to your exact measurements.

Stock cabinets run $100 to $300 per linear foot installed ². Semi custom cabinets run $150 to $650 per linear foot installed ². Custom cabinets run $500 to $1,200 per linear foot installed ¹². These ranges include the box, door, hardware, delivery, and installation labor.

As a reference point, one RTA cabinet manufacturer publishes material only pricing of $116 to $215 per linear foot before assembly or installation ¹. That gives you a sense of what the raw cabinet costs before a contractor adds labor.

Cabinets are the single largest line item in most kitchen remodels. Industry data puts cabinetry at about 29% of a total kitchen remodel budget ². Our own pricing engine lands close to the same range.

On a 150 square foot kitchen, our pricing engine breaks down cabinetry this way. At the basic level, lower cabinets cost $4,463, upper cabinets $3,763, and hardware $263, for a total of about $8,500. At the modern level, the total rises to about $17,000 including a pantry cabinet. At the luxury level, it reaches about $30,700 with a pantry, glass inserts, and upgraded hardware.

Those numbers represent about 28% to 32% of the full remodel cost at each finish level. The pattern is consistent: no matter what you spend on the overall kitchen, about 28% to 32% of the budget goes to cabinetry.

A standard 10x10 kitchen has roughly 20 linear feet of cabinetry ². Here is what that looks like at the semi custom level using the middle of the $150 to $650 range ².

Example: 20 linear feet at $400 per linear foot (mid range semi custom ²) comes to $8,000 for cabinets alone. Add hardware at about $530, a pantry unit at about $2,150, and you are near $10,700 in cabinetry. Our pricing engine puts the total for a full 150 square foot kitchen closer to $17,000 because it includes more linear footage plus under cabinet lighting and other cabinetry items at the modern finish level.

This example shows why per linear foot pricing is useful for quick math but never replaces a real quote. Corner cabinets, lazy susans, drawer banks, and specialty inserts all push the number up. A tall pantry or a bank of drawers costs more per linear foot than a standard base cabinet with a single door.

Stock cabinets work when the kitchen layout fits standard sizes, you do not need unusual depths or heights, and you want the lowest cost. Most big box stores sell stock lines. Lead time is usually a few days to a few weeks.

Semi custom cabinets work when you want a specific door style or finish, need a few nonstandard sizes, or want features like soft close hinges and dovetail drawer boxes. Lead time is typically four to eight weeks. This is the most common choice for mid range remodels.

Custom cabinets are the right call when your kitchen has odd angles, nonstandard ceiling heights, or you want a fully integrated look where every inch of wall space has cabinetry built to fit. Lead time is eight to sixteen weeks or longer. Flat slab cabinet doors are the most popular door style at 69% according to the NKBA's 2026 Kitchen Trends Report ³.

Box material matters. Particleboard costs less than plywood. Plywood costs less than solid hardwood. Most stock cabinets use particleboard or thin plywood. Most semi custom and custom lines use furniture grade plywood.

Door style is the next driver. A flat slab door is less expensive to produce than a raised panel or a shaker with an applied molding. Painted finishes cost more than stained finishes because paint requires more coats and a smoother substrate.

Interior fittings add up fast. Pull out trash cans, spice racks, tray dividers, and drawer organizers are often quoted separately from the per linear foot price. Ask your contractor or cabinet dealer what is included and what is an add on.

A standard 10x10 kitchen has roughly 20 linear feet of cabinetry ². A larger kitchen with an island, a pantry wall, or floor to ceiling storage can have 30 to 40 linear feet. More linear feet means more money, but the per linear foot cost sometimes drops slightly on larger orders because of volume pricing from the manufacturer.

Use this list to compare quotes from different cabinet suppliers or contractors.

• Confirm whether the quote is for cabinets only or cabinets plus installation
• Ask what box material is used: particleboard, plywood, or solid wood
• Check if hardware (knobs, pulls, hinges) is included or extra
• Ask about soft close hinges and drawer slides, some stock lines charge extra
• Confirm the door style and finish, and whether painted finishes cost more
• Get the lead time in writing, especially for semi custom and custom orders
• Ask if crown molding, filler strips, and toe kicks are included in the linear foot price
• Check the warranty: stock cabinets often carry a limited warranty while custom lines may offer a lifetime warranty on the box

1. Kitchen Cabinet Cost Per Linear Foot: 2026 Pricing Guide, Lily Ann Cabinets
2. How Much Do Custom Kitchen Cabinets Cost in 2026? A Transparent Breakdown, Marfa NuEra Cabinets
3. 2026 Kitchen Trends Report Spotlights Generational Design Priorities, Contractor Magazine

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