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AfterHow Much Does Cabinet Installation Cost in Pasadena?
Cabinet installation in Pasadena typically costs between $4,000 and $13,000 for a standard kitchen, with most homeowners paying around $8,000 for mid-grade cabinets and professional installation. The final price depends on cabinet quality, kitchen size, whether you choose stock, semi-custom, or custom cabinetry, and how much prep work the existing kitchen needs. For a small kitchen or a bathroom vanity setup, you can expect to stay closer to the $1,500 to $4,000 range.
At Elmstead Remodeling Pasadena, we give you a written price before any work starts. That number includes the cabinets, the hardware, the labor, and the cleanup. No allowances that balloon three weeks in. No “we’ll see once we open the wall.” You’ll know the cost before we touch a single hinge.
Cabinet Installation Cost Breakdown (2026)
Here’s what cabinet installation looks like line by line in the Pasadena market right now. These ranges reflect what we’re seeing on jobs across Altadena, South Pasadena, San Marino, Sierra Madre, and the neighborhoods around Caltech and the Rose Bowl.
| Line Item | Cost Range (Pasadena, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Stock cabinets (10×10 kitchen) | $3,000 – $6,000 |
| Semi-custom cabinets (10×10 kitchen) | $6,000 – $10,000 |
| Custom cabinets (10×10 kitchen) | $10,000 – $18,000+ |
| Labor (removal + install) | $1,800 – $4,500 |
| Hardware (pulls, hinges, soft-close slides) | $300 – $1,200 |
| Trim, molding, and filler pieces | $400 – $1,800 |
| Disposal of old cabinets | $150 – $400 |
| Basic electrical/plumbing adjustments | $200 – $1,000 |
The single biggest driver is whether you go stock, semi-custom, or custom. Stock cabinets from KraftMaid or Wellborn arrive pre-built in standard sizes. Semi-custom lets you adjust depths and add features like pull-out trash bins or a spice rack next to the range. Custom means the cabinet shop builds to your kitchen’s exact dimensions, which matters a lot in older Pasadena homes where walls are rarely square and ceilings in craftsman bungalows often dip an inch from one end to the other.
Labor is the second biggest line. Removing old cabinets carefully (not just prying them off the wall), locating studs in plaster-and-lath walls, shimming boxes level, and making sure doors align within a sixteenth of an inch takes time. That’s work you want done by someone who does it every week, not someone figuring it out on your kitchen.
What Affects Cabinet Installation Pricing in Pasadena
- Age and construction of your home. Pasadena has a lot of 1920s and 1930s homes with plaster walls, balloon framing, and floors that have settled over 90 years. Hidden shims, non-standard stud spacing, and out-of-level floors all add labor time. A 1950s ranch in Hastings Ranch is usually more predictable than a 1925 craftsman in Bungalow Heaven.
- Cabinet grade and brand. We install KraftMaid and Wellborn cabinetry because their warranties are real and homeowners can research them by name. KraftMaid’s semi-custom line lands most Pasadena kitchens in the $6,000 to $10,000 range for boxes and doors. Upgrading to plywood boxes instead of particleboard adds roughly 15 to 20 percent.
- Kitchen size and layout. A 10×10 L-shaped kitchen in a condo near Old Town costs less than a 14×16 kitchen with a peninsula in a Linda Vista home. More linear feet of cabinets means more boxes, more doors, and more hardware.
- Soft-close hardware and accessories. Soft-close hinges and drawer slides add $300 to $800 to a typical job. Pull-out shelves, lazy Susans, and drawer dividers add more. These are worth budgeting for if you cook daily; they change how the kitchen feels under your hands.
- Lead times and material availability. In 2026, most semi-custom orders from KraftMaid and Wellborn run 4 to 8 weeks from order to delivery. Custom shops often run 8 to 14 weeks. If you need a kitchen finished before a specific date (a holiday, a new baby, an aging parent moving in), tell us early and we’ll work backward from that date.
- Permit requirements. If cabinet installation is part of a larger kitchen remodel in Pasadena that touches plumbing, gas, or electrical, the city will require permits. Cabinet-only replacement rarely does. We’ll tell you upfront which applies to your project and include permit fees in the written price if they’re needed.
How Much Does Cabinet Installation Cost Compared to a Full Kitchen Remodel?
A full kitchen remodel in Pasadena runs $14,000 to $45,000. Cabinet installation alone lands at $4,000 to $13,000. The difference is everything else: countertops, backsplash, flooring, lighting, plumbing fixtures, electrical work, and the labor to coordinate all of it.
If your cabinets are structurally sound and the layout works, replacing cabinet fronts (refacing) can stretch a budget further than full replacement. But if the boxes are water-damaged, the drawers stick, or you want to change the footprint, new cabinets are the better long-term move. We’ll give you an honest read on which direction makes sense for your kitchen, not just the one with the bigger invoice.
Here’s how the related pieces of a kitchen project pencil out in Pasadena right now:
- Kitchen remodel: $14,000 – $45,000
- Small kitchen remodel: $9,000 – $20,000
- Countertop installation: $2,000 – $6,500
- Backsplash installation: $800 – $2,500
- Kitchen island installation: $3,000 – $10,000
These are the numbers we share with families during the first conversation. No one should have to guess what a kitchen costs before deciding whether to plan for it.
What Does the Process Look Like With Elmstead Remodeling?
Every project follows the same Cedarwell Care Promise, which Graham Stein and the team at Elmstead Remodeling Pasadena have held to since the company began. Here’s what that looks like in practice during a cabinet installation:
- Drop cloths on every floor path the crew walks. From the front door to the kitchen, floors stay covered. Shoe covers go on at the door. If you have a dog, we’ll ask where they like to nap and work around that.
- A written price before any work starts. You’ll see the full number, including labor, materials, and disposal, before we schedule anything. If we find something unexpected during removal (rotten drywall behind the old cabinets, a vent pipe where the new cabinet needs to go), we’ll stop, explain the fix, and agree on the added cost before touching it.
- Quiet tools during family rest hours where possible. If there’s a toddler napping at 1:00, we schedule the loudest cutting for the morning or later afternoon. Where there’s a choice, we choose pet-safe products.
- A photo of the clean-up before the crew leaves. Every job ends with a photo of the kitchen floor, the living room path, and the front entry. You’ll see proof the house was left the way we found it. Cleaner, actually.
- Named-brand materials you can research. Cabinets from KraftMaid and Wellborn. Countertops from Cambria, Silestone, and Caesarstone. Fixtures from Kohler, Moen, and Grohe. These are names with verifiable manufacturer warranties that travel with your finished kitchen.
And every completed project carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise. If something isn’t done right after the job is complete, we make it right. A hinge that binds. A drawer that drags. A door that won’t stay closed. Call us, and we’ll come back and fix it.
How to Save on Cabinet Installation
Saving money on cabinets doesn’t have to mean buying the cheapest boxes available. In our experience in Pasadena, the families who get the best value make these decisions early:
- Keep the existing layout. Moving the sink, the range, or the refrigerator means rerouting plumbing and electrical. Keeping appliances where they are can save $1,000 to $3,000 on a typical Pasadena kitchen.
- Choose stock boxes with upgraded hardware. Stock KraftMaid cabinets with soft-close hinges and good pulls feel substantial. You can put most of the budget into the doors and drawer fronts you touch every day instead of custom box dimensions.
- Replace only what’s failing. If the upper cabinets are fine but the lowers are water-damaged from years of leaks, replace only the lowers. A good installer can match finishes closely enough that no one will notice except you.
- Plan around real lead times. Rush fees from cabinet manufacturers add 10 to 20 percent. Ordering early and scheduling installation once the cabinets arrive avoids the upcharge.
- Bundle the work if you’re already remodeling. If you’re doing countertops or a backsplash anyway, doing it all in one sequence saves on mobilization, cleanup, and coordination. One crew, one schedule, one clean-up.
If you want exact numbers for your specific kitchen, call us at (626) 714-2992 for a free estimate. We’ll ask a few questions about your space, give you a realistic range, and schedule a walkthrough if you want a precise written price.
FAQs – Cabinet Installation Cost
How much does it cost to install cabinets in a small kitchen?
A small kitchen cabinet installation in Pasadena usually runs $4,000 to $8,000, including removal of old cabinets, new stock or semi-custom boxes, hardware, and labor. Galley kitchens in older Pasadena condos and apartments tend toward the lower end. If you’re also adding a countertop and backsplash, a small kitchen remodel lands at $9,000 to $20,000. Call (626) 714-2992 and we’ll give you a written range for your exact layout.
Is it cheaper to reface cabinets or replace them?
Refacing typically costs 30 to 50 percent less than full replacement, but it only works when the cabinet boxes are structurally sound. If the boxes are water-damaged, warped, or built from failing particleboard, replacement is the better long-term move. We’ll look at what’s there and tell you the truth, even if it means a smaller job for us.
How long does cabinet installation take?
Most Pasadena cabinet installations take 3 to 5 working days from removal to final hardware. Larger kitchens, custom cabinets, or jobs that include countertop templating and backsplash work run 1 to 2 weeks. We schedule around your family’s routines, including quiet hours for children’s naps and school time.
Do I need a permit to install new cabinets in Pasadena?
Cabinet replacement that doesn’t move plumbing, gas, or electrical usually does not require a permit in Pasadena. But if the work is part of a larger kitchen remodel with layout changes, the city will require permits for the plumbing and electrical portions. We handle the permitting and include any fees in your written price before work begins.
Can you install cabinets I already bought?
Yes, we can install homeowner-supplied cabinets. The labor cost is the same; the risk sits with the cabinets themselves. If a box arrives warped or a door is drilled wrong, the fix is on the manufacturer or the seller, not on us. That’s one reason we prefer sourcing from KraftMaid and Wellborn: known quality, clear warranty paths, and no finger-pointing if something arrives wrong.
What’s the most expensive part of cabinet installation?
The cabinets themselves are the biggest line item, usually 50 to 65 percent of the total project cost. Custom cabinets are the most expensive option, followed by semi-custom, then stock. Labor ranks second, especially in older Pasadena homes with plaster walls and uneven floors that require extra shimming and leveling.
Why Families in Pasadena Choose Elmstead Remodeling
We’re a cabinet installation contractor in Pasadena that treats the house the way we’d want a crew to treat ours. That means drop cloths and shoe covers on every visit. A written price before any work starts. Quiet tools during nap hours where possible. Pet-safe products where there’s a choice. And a photo of the clean-up before the crew leaves.
Graham Stein leads the team, and he holds every project to the same standard: clean up like it’s our own home, ask before we move or touch anything, respect the family’s time and quiet hours, and explain the price before the work. Those are the C.A.R.E. values we work by.
If you’re planning a kitchen update in Pasadena, Altadena, South Pasadena, or anywhere in the San Gabriel Valley, call us at (626) 714-2992. A live person answers, 24/7. We’ll talk through your kitchen, your timeline, and a realistic budget. Then we’ll come take a look and put the full price in writing before anything is scheduled.
Written by Graham Stein, Owner at Elmstead Remodeling Pasadena, serving Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley since 2005.
Pricing reflects the Pasadena market as of 2026. Elmstead Remodeling Pasadena offers free estimates – call (626) 714-2992.
What Our Customers Say
"Kitchen remodel with two kids home. They walled it off in plastic and cleaned every day. Calm, respectful crew and the result is gorgeous."
- Priya Venkataraman"Whole home refresh. The crew treated our belongings carefully, boxed and protected things, and swept nightly. Considerate of our schedule and quiet when we needed it. No mess left behind."
- Mauricio Peña"Main bath gut and redo. They protected the carpet the whole way down the hall and vacuumed daily. Quiet during naps when they could be. Lovely finish."
- Franklin Mbeki
