When it comes to selling a home, an updated kitchen can easily make the difference between an overall lack of outside interest or an instant dose of buyer appeal. For this reason, more and more homeowners are taking steps to focus their interior remodeling efforts on the kitchen more so than any other area in need of attention and care.
One major component of any kitchen is the cabinetry, an aspect that can often shape and define the kitchen, for better or for worse. Cabinets are integral part of the kitchen not only from a storage perspective, but from a visual standpoint as well. While a nice set of high-end wooden cabinets can make a kitchen seem luxurious and stylish, an old, lackluster set of cabinets can turn an otherwise decent kitchen into a reason for potential buyers to come in, take one look, and quickly walk away.
If your kitchen cabinets could use some serious updating, then you have a couple of options. You can either rip out your existing cabinets and replace them in their entirety, or you can keep your cabinets intact and simply pay to have them refaced. The question is: Which move makes the most sense?
Mario Rappa is the owner of A-Z Nassau Construction Corp., a family-owned general contracting company that has been serving Long Island and the five boroughs of New York City since 1999, and according to him, the extent to which it makes sense to have cabinets refaced or replaced depends on two things – a homeowner’s remodeling budget, and the condition of the cabinets on a whole. However, either option does have its share of benefits and disadvantages.
Cabinet refacing involves refinishing the exterior areas of the cabinets that are perpetually visible. It’s common for kitchen cabinets to start showing some signs of wear over time. Years of cabinet use can often result in scratched surfaces, loose knobs, and scraped edges. By having your cabinets refaced, you’ll be able to restore them to the way they once looked, but with perhaps a more modern twist.
In many cases, cabinet refacing can be a wise alternative to a complete overhaul. After all, cabinet replacement can be expensive and complicated. Most people who choose to have their cabinets completely replaced end up finding that they are unable to use their kitchens for days or even weeks at a time. Cabinet refacing, on the other hand, is a much quicker, simpler process, and the cost of exterior refurbishment is such that it generally won’t break the bank.
Although cabinet refacing is a much more economical option as compared to cabinet replacement, it won’t address the issue of inadequate storage space; nor will it do much to improve an inaccessible layout. And while cabinet refacing can certainly do a lot to improve the appearance of your cabinets, by replacing them altogether, you’ll get the benefit of being able to redesign your kitchen with your color and material of choice.
One good way to determine whether you ought to reface your cabinets or replace them in their entirety is to bring in a contractor to evaluate their structure. A set of cabinets with solid plywood construction is likely to have a strong enough base to make refacing a logical option, especially if the issue with such cabinets is simply cosmetic in nature. On the other hand, cabinets with a less stable base might be good candidates for a complete replacement job. While cabinet refacing isn’t nearly as expensive as a complete cabinet demolition job, it still costs money nonetheless, and there’s little sense in spending money on cabinets that are unlikely to last much longer from a structural perspective.
After all is said and done, the decision to replace cabinets or simply reface them instead is likely to come down to money. If your budget is limited, then cabinet refacing will always be the cheaper option of the two. Additionally, if you’re looking to sell your house in the near future and are solely interested in a quick, aesthetic fix, then it probably makes sense to reface your cabinets rather than invest in hefty kitchen construction that you’re not even going to end up benefitting from yourself. No matter which option you do end up choosing, you should take comfort in the fact that spending money on kitchen renovations is a wise decision in the grand scheme of home improvements. So whether you opt to reface or refinish, you can’t go wrong by turning dull, older cabinets into a direct selling point for your house.
