Five Factors That Affect the Cost of Your Cabinet Doors
Updated November 27, 2024
Explore cabinet door options that affect cost. Discover how materials, designs, and finishes influence the cost of your cabinet doors.
If you’re a contractor or cabinet maker, you’ve likely experienced the frustration of customers requesting multiple quotes for different cabinet door styles. Or maybe, after you’ve already provided a detailed quote, they’ve decided to switch to a different door profile or design, leaving you wondering: Do I need to re-quote? Will this change the cost? Am I underquoting or overquoting?
This uncertainty not only complicates your workflow but also risks your reputation for accuracy and professionalism. Overquoting could lose you the project, while underquoting eats into your profit. We understand how critical it is to get the numbers right the first time – because our team has helpd professionals like you solve these exact problems for years.
With a clear understanding of which cabinet door options affect cost, you can streamline your quoting process, reduce stress, and confidently deliver accurate estimates every time. Let us show you how to take the guesswork out of pricing so you can focus on doing what you do best: delivering exceptional craftsmanship on every project.
In this article, you will learn:
- Which cabinet door options affect the cost
- Approximately how much each option changes the cost
- When you should re-quote a job due to a profile or door style change
How 5 Factors Affect the Cost of Cabinet Doors
Because of the wide variety of cabinet door options available, some profile options only affect the cost of specific cabinet door styles. Throughout this article, we will look at how these common options change the price of six general door styles: cope and stick, mitred, 1-piece MDF, 2pc MDF, slab, and NEXGEN.
Five factors commonly affect the cost of your cabinet doors. You will find the following information for each option:
- A description of the cabinet door option
- Approximately how much the price varies
- Which door styles each option affects
- Which door styles are not affected
- Whether or not you should re-quote your cabinet doors if this option changes.
1. Stile and Rail Width
Like many cabinet door suppliers, our standard stile and rail width for most profiles is 2.25”, or 57.15mm. If you request a stile and rail width other than 2.25”, the cost of your cabinet door increases by approximately $1.00 per square foot. We keep the machines used to cut the stiles set up for 2.25” wide pieces. Changing the stile and rail width means we have to change the machine set-up.
In addition, we add a $25.00 fee per stile or rail that is 6” (152.4mm) or wider. Most of the wood we receive from our suppliers is between 4” and 5” wide, so 6” stiles and rails take two boards. Our team has to join those two boards together and then machine them down to the correct width.
| Stile & Rail Width | |
|---|---|
| Price difference: | Approximately $1.00 per square foot. Once the stiles or rails are over 6" wide, $25.00 total for each wide stile and rail. |
| Door styles that this profile option can affect: | Cope and stick |
| Door styles that this profile option does not affect: | Mitred, 1-piece MDF, 2-piece MDF, Slab and NEXGEN |
| Should you re-quote your project if the stile and rail widths change? | YES |
2. Panel Profile
The panel profile specifies how the center of your cabinet door looks. Obviously, only some door styles have a center panel selection available so this profile selection only affects those specific door styles.
Changing the center panel from a plywood panel to a sturdier solid wood panel increases the price; but how much the price increases depends on the wood type, door style, and wood grade.
- Alder increases by approximately $12.00 per square foot
- Hickory increases by approximately $17.00 per square foot
- Red Oak increases by approximately $17.50 per square foot
- Maple increases by approximately $22.00 per square foot
- White Oak (flat cut) increases by approximately $30.00 per square foot
- Walnut increases by approximately $44.00 per square foot
- White Oak (rift cut) increases by approximately $51.00 per square foot
Furthermore, choosing one solid wood center panel style over another may affect the price slightly as well. For example, selecting a ‘Beaded’ panel profile instead of the ‘A’ panel profile increases the price by an additional $3.00 per square foot.
| Panel Profile | |
|---|---|
| Price difference: | Varies depending on wood species and panel profile selection |
| Door styles that this profile option can affect: | Mitred doors and drawer fronts, cope and stick doors and drawer fronts |
| Door styles that this profile option does not affect: | 1-piece MDF, 2-piece MDF, slabs, NEXGEN, mitred frames and cope and stick frames |
| Should you re-quote your project if the panel profile changes? | YES |
3. Inside Profile
Changing the inside profile does not affect the price as long as the door style does not change. In other words, if the door style you have selected is a cope and stick door style, you can choose any other inside profile within the cope and stick door style option without the price changing.
However, the price will change if the inside profile change also affects the door style. For example, if the new profile you select is a mitered profile, then the door style changes from cope and stick to mitered. Door style changes fall under the next section.
| Inside Profile | |
|---|---|
| Price difference: | None (as long as the door style doesn’t change) |
| Door styles that this profile option can affect: | Cope and stick, mitred, NEXGEN, 1-piece MDF, 2-piece MDF |
| Door styles that this profile option does not affect: | Slabs |
| Should you re-quote your project if the panel profile changes? | NO (as long as the door style doesn’t change) |
4. Door Style
The door style refers to the overall appearance of your cabinet doors. For example, a mitered door style has mitered stile and rail joints. A cope and stick door style has cope and stick stile and rail joints, a 1-piece MDF door style is made with 1-piece MDF, and so on.
Changing a door from mitered to cope and stick is a door style change. Another example of a door style change is changing your cabinet doors from 1pc MDF to 2pc MDF.
| Door Style | |
|---|---|
| Price difference: | Varies depending on wood type, profile selection, and more |
| Door styles that this profile option can affect: | All door styles |
| Door styles that this profile option does not affect: | N/A |
| Should you re-quote your project if the panel profile changes? | YES |
5. Wood Species
Your cabinet door price will change if you choose a different wood species (like Maple or Hickory) or wood grade (like select or standard grade).
| Wood Species | |
|---|---|
| Price difference: | Varies depending on the wood type |
| Door styles that this profile option can affect: | All door styles |
| Door styles that this profile option does not affect: | N/A |
| Should you re-quote your project if the panel profile changes? | YES |
Customizations Also Affect the Cost of Cabinet Doors
Of course, more than these five options affect the cost of your cabinet doors. Custom profiles, pieces, and other custom options also increase the cost. We recommend you send our team a quote request for any custom pieces or options for the most accurate pricing or if you are in any doubt about the accuracy of your quote.
How Long Is the Quoted Price for Your Cabinet Doors Accurate?
At the start of this article, you wanted clarity on how cabinet door profile selections impact your quotes. Now, you have a better understanding of what factors can drive up costs and when re-quoting may be necessary to protect your bottom line and reputation.
At Cutting Edge, we know how crucial it is for contractors and cabinet makers like you to provide accurate, reliable quotes that align with your client’s expectations. With this knowledge, you’re better equipped to confidently manage customer requests for style changes without compromising your profitability.
But there’s more to quoting than just understanding the options – timing matters too. How long is your quoted price from Cutting Edge accurate? Discover the answer in our next article and ensure your quotes stay competitive and dependable in today’s dynamic market.
