Guide
Should you replace your kitchen doors or fit a whole new kitchen?
Replacing kitchen doors and drawer fronts makes sense when the carcasses are sound, level and dry and the layout still works. New doors supplied and fitted typically cost £1,000–£3,000, compared with £8,000 or more for a new kitchen supplied and fitted. If units are damaged, the layout does not suit you or services need to move, a new kitchen is usually better value.
When are replacement doors enough?
New doors suit a kitchen that works well but looks tired. If the units are solid, the layout suits how you cook, and you are happy with the position of the sink, hob and appliances, changing the doors, drawer fronts and handles gives a new look for a fraction of the cost of a full replacement, with far less disruption.
It is also a sensible option if you are preparing a house for sale or a rental for new tenants, or if budget is tight this year and a full kitchen is a longer-term plan. Doors can usually be replaced in one to two days on site once they arrive.
How do you check whether your carcasses are sound?
Open every cupboard and look carefully, especially under the sink and around the dishwasher, where leaks do the most damage. Swollen or crumbling board, sagging shelves and loose hinge fixings are signs that the carcasses are near the end of their life. These are the main things to check:
- Base panels and shelves are flat, dry and not swollen
- Carcasses are square, level and firmly fixed to the wall
- Hinge screws hold firmly in the side panels
- Drawer boxes and runners slide smoothly and are not cracked
- The worktop is flat, with joints that have not lifted
- There is no damp, mould or pest damage behind the plinths
What do replacement doors cost?
These are national guide ranges including VAT at 20%, varying by region and confirmed after a survey visit. Most kitchens have 15 to 20 doors and drawer fronts. Made-to-measure doors cost more, but they can be made to suit older or unusual carcass sizes that standard ranges no longer match.
- Doors and drawer fronts supplied and fitted, 15–20 doors: £1,000–£3,000
- Bespoke, in-frame or hand-painted doors: £2,000–£5,000
- Fitting only, for doors you have bought: £300–£800
- Matching end panels, plinths and cornice: £150–£600
Will new doors fit my old units?
Not always without measuring. Door sizes vary between ranges and makers, and older kitchens may use sizes no longer made. Hinge positions and types also differ, so new doors often need new hinges, and the hinge holes have to be drilled to suit. Integrated appliance doors need to line up with the doors around them.
End panels, plinths, cornice and fillers should match the new doors, or the old colour will show at the ends of runs. A survey measures every door and drawer front and checks the hinges and appliance doors, so the order is right the first time.
What else can be updated with the doors?
A refresh does not have to stop at doors. New worktops, a new sink and tap, a splashback and under-cabinet lighting change a kitchen far more than doors alone, while keeping the carcasses and services where they are. Typical national guide ranges for this kind of refurbishment, including VAT, are:
Keeping the layout means no new pipe runs or circuits, so the job is quicker and simpler. It usually takes two to seven days on site, depending on how much is being changed, and if stone worktops are chosen they are templated on the existing units and fitted about one to two weeks later.
- New doors, worktops and handles on sound units: £2,500–£6,000
- Refresh plus sink, tap, splashback and lighting: £4,000–£9,000
- Partial refit with some new units and appliances: £6,000–£14,000
When is a new kitchen the better choice?
A new kitchen is usually the better value when the carcasses are water-damaged or flimsy, the layout does not work, you want to move the sink or hob, or you are knocking through to a dining room. Spending £2,500 to £6,000 on doors and worktops for units that will need replacing within a few years rarely makes sense.
A new kitchen is also worth considering if you want integrated appliances where there were freestanding ones, as housings and door kits need the right carcasses. A survey visit lets you compare both options on paper, with itemised prices for each, before you decide which way to go.
What about handles, hinges and drawers?
Handles change the look of a kitchen more than people expect, and new doors are a chance to choose a different style, or to go handleless with a profiled edge or push-to-open fittings. If you keep the old handles, check that the new doors can be drilled at the same centres, or the old holes will not line up.
Hinges and drawer runners are the parts that wear out. Soft-close hinges are usually a small extra cost when the doors are changed. If drawer boxes are tired or the runners sag, new drawer boxes can often be fitted into the existing carcasses at the same time as the new fronts.
What happens on a door replacement job?
The old doors, drawer fronts and handles come off, hinges are replaced where needed, and the new doors are hung, adjusted and drilled for handles. Drawer fronts are fixed to the existing boxes and lined up with the doors around them. Matching panels, plinths and cornice are cut and fitted to finish the runs.
The kitchen stays usable for most of the job, which is one of the main attractions. The water and power stay on unless the sink, tap or worktops are being replaced at the same time, and there is very little dust compared with a full refit, so most people carry on cooking as normal.
Questions
Can I replace just the doors and worktops?
Yes, as long as the carcasses are sound and level. New doors, worktops and handles on existing units typically cost £2,500 to £6,000 including VAT. The sink and hob cut-outs are made to suit the existing appliances unless you change those too. A survey checks the units can take the new worktop.
Can you fit new doors to a kitchen that is no longer made?
Usually, yes. Made-to-measure doors can be cut to the sizes of your existing doors and drawer fronts, whatever kitchen they came from. Every door is measured at the survey and hinge types are checked. Integrated appliance doors and end panels are measured too, so the whole kitchen matches.
Do new kitchen doors need new hinges?
Often. Hinges wear, and new doors may need a different hinge type or position to sit correctly. Fitting new soft-close hinges at the same time is a small extra cost and makes the doors feel new as well as look it. Hinges are checked and priced as part of the door survey.
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This guide is general information about kitchen fitting in the UK, not legal, tax, electrical or structural advice for your property. Rules differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; check with your local authority or a qualified adviser before relying on it.