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AfterHow Much Does Cabinet Installation Cost in Long Beach?
Cabinet installation in Long Beach typically costs between $4,000 and $13,000, with most kitchens landing in the $6,500 to $9,500 range depending on cabinet count, material, and whether you’re doing a simple swap or a full layout change. Labor generally runs $75 – $150 per cabinet box when installation is bid separately from the cabinetry itself. A full kitchen cabinet replacement with mid-grade materials from manufacturers like KraftMaid or Wellborn usually falls between $8,000 and $12,000 installed.
These numbers reflect what we see across Long Beach neighborhoods every week, from Naples Island condos with compact galleys to Bluff Park Craftsman homes with butler’s pantries, and from Bixby Knolls mid-century kitchens to newer builds in East Long Beach. Your actual price depends on how many cabinets, what they’re made of, and how much prep work your existing kitchen needs.
Cabinet Installation Cost Breakdown (2026)
Here’s how a typical Long Beach cabinet installation project breaks down by component. These are the real line items we walk homeowners through before any work begins. Every Elmstead job gets a written price before a single cabinet is ordered, so nothing here should surprise you later.
| Line Item | Typical Long Beach Range |
|---|---|
| Stock cabinets (12 – 16 boxes, unassembled) | $2,500 – $5,000 |
| Semi-custom cabinets (KraftMaid, Wellborn) | $6,000 – $14,000 |
| Custom-built cabinets (local millwork) | $12,000 – $28,000 |
| Installation labor (per cabinet box) | $75 – $150 |
| Old cabinet removal and disposal | $300 – $800 |
| Minor drywall and paint touch-up after removal | $200 – $600 |
| Hardware (knobs, pulls, soft-close hinges) | $150 – $700 |
| Leveling and shimming on uneven floors | $150 – $450 |
Long Beach homes skew older. Many kitchens in Belmont Heights, Rose Park, and California Heights were built between the 1920s and 1950s, which means floors have settled, walls aren’t plumb, and studs don’t always sit where today’s standard cabinet spacing expects them. Leveling and shimming isn’t a “maybe” line item here, it’s a routine part of the job. A kitchen with 14 linear feet of cabinetry and semi-custom boxes from KraftMaid will usually run $8,000 to $11,000 all in, including removal, installation, hardware, and touch-up.
What Affects Cabinet Installation Pricing in Long Beach
- Number of cabinets and kitchen size. A compact Naples Island condo galley might need 8 – 10 boxes; a full Wrigley family kitchen with an island can push 20 – 25. Each additional box adds both material and labor cost, and labor here isn’t flat – it’s per box.
- Cabinet quality and construction. Stock cabinets from big-box suppliers land at the low end ($2,500 – $5,000 for the boxes). Semi-custom lines like KraftMaid and Wellborn, which we install regularly, run $6,000 – $14,000 for the cabinetry alone. Custom millwork built to fit a specific Long Beach kitchen, especially one with odd angles or historic trim profiles, starts around $12,000 and goes up from there.
- Existing kitchen condition. If the old cabinets come off cleanly and the drywall behind them is intact, prep work is minimal. In older Long Beach homes, we frequently find water damage behind the sink base, termite repair needs, or walls that require fresh drywall before new boxes can go in. That adds $200 – $900 depending on scope.
- Layout changes. Keeping the exact same footprint is cheapest. Moving a sink, adding an island, or relocating the range means plumbing and electrical work, which pushes the project into the $10,000 – $13,000 range even with mid-grade cabinets.
- Soft-close hardware and drawer upgrades. Choose soft-close hinges, full-extension drawers, and dovetailed drawer boxes and you’ll add $300 – $700 to the project. It’s less expensive to include these at installation than to retrofit them later.
- Permit requirements. If your project changes plumbing or electrical locations, Long Beach requires permits, and permit fees plus the additional time for inspections add $400 – $1,200. A straightforward cabinet swap with no layout change usually doesn’t need one.
One thing specific to Long Beach: many homes built before 1980 have plaster walls rather than drywall. Cutting into plaster for electrical or plumbing changes is slower and dustier work, and that’s reflected in the labor charge. We discuss this upfront in the written price so it doesn’t appear as an “unforeseen condition” later.
Is It Cheaper to Refinish or Replace Cabinets?
For most Long Beach homeowners, refinishing costs $2,500 – $6,000 and replacement costs $4,000 – $13,000. If your cabinet boxes are structurally sound and you like the layout, refinishing or refacing will save you 40 – 60%. If the boxes sag, the drawers stick, or the interiors are water-damaged, replacement is the better long-term choice. In kitchens near the Long Beach waterfront, salt air accelerates hinge corrosion and laminate peeling, and we see more replacement jobs there than in inland neighborhoods like Los Altos or El Dorado Park.
Our team at Cabinet Installation in Long Beach will give you an honest read during the estimate. If the boxes are worth saving, we’ll tell you. If they’re not, we’ll say that too.
How Long Does Cabinet Installation Take?
A typical kitchen cabinet replacement in Long Beach takes 3 – 5 working days from removal to final touch-up. Semi-custom orders from KraftMaid or Wellborn add 4 – 8 weeks of lead time before installation begins. If you’re keeping the same footprint and using stock cabinets that are already in a local warehouse, the whole job can sometimes be done in 2 days.
Families in Long Beach with young children often ask us about sequencing. We schedule the noisiest work, the removal and any necessary cutting, during school hours when possible, and we keep the workspace sealed off with drop cloths at the end of every day. The kitchen is usually usable again by the evening of day 2, even if the final hardware goes on later.
What’s Included in Elmstead’s Cabinet Installation
Before we quote a single number, here’s what a cabinet installation project includes when you work with us. This isn’t a list of upgrades or add-ons. These are included in the written price, every time:
- A written price before any work starts. Not a rough estimate. Not a “we’ll see.” A line-item written price that doesn’t change unless you change the scope. That’s how the Cedarwell Care Promise works.
- Old cabinet removal and disposal. We haul away the old boxes, wrap them so nails and splinters aren’t exposed, and sweep the path from kitchen to truck.
- Shoe covers at the door and drop cloths on the floors. Every visit. Every day. Not billed as an extra.
- A photo of the clean-up before the crew leaves. We take it and we’ll show it to you. Proof, not promises.
- Named-brand cabinets and hardware. We work with KraftMaid, Wellborn, Kohler, Moen, and Grohe because these are brands you can research, with written warranties that travel with your finished project.
- The 365-Day Done Right Promise. If something’s not right within a year of project completion, we make it right. Graham Stein, who leads our Long Beach team, stands behind this on every cabinet installation.
If you’re comparing bids, ask other contractors to itemize their clean-up and protection practices the way we do. You’ll quickly see who’s priced for a family home and who’s priced for a construction site.
How to Save on Cabinet Installation
You don’t need to chase the lowest bid to get a fair price. Here’s where Long Beach homeowners find real savings without cutting corners that will cost more later:
- Keep the existing layout. Moving plumbing or electrical adds $1,000 – $3,000 to the project. If the current footprint works, keep it. The savings come from skipping the permit process and the additional trade labor.
- Choose stock or entry-level semi-custom lines. KraftMaid’s value lines and Wellborn’s entry series offer solid construction at $6,000 – $9,000 for a typical kitchen, a meaningful step down from full custom pricing without sacrificing durability.
- Reface instead of replace when the boxes are sound. New doors, drawer fronts, and veneer on existing boxes run $2,500 – $6,000. You keep the layout, get the new look, and save roughly half.
- Handle demolition yourself. Removing old cabinets is labor we price at $300 – $800. It’s not the largest line item, but if you’re comfortable doing it carefully and we verify the walls are ready for new cabinets, it’s a real saving.
- Phased hardware. Start with standard hinges and knobs, then upgrade to soft-close and full-extension drawer slides later. You’ll save $300 – $500 upfront. Or do it now; the incremental cost is modest and the daily difference is noticeable.
Every Elmstead estimate includes a written price with these choices spelled out. Call (562) 512-7086 and we’ll walk through the options for your specific kitchen; the estimate is free and there’s no pressure to book.
FAQs – Cabinet Installation Cost in Long Beach
How much does cabinet installation cost per cabinet box?
In Long Beach, installation labor runs $75 – $150 per box. A 14-box kitchen adds $1,050 – $2,100 in labor alone, with materials and removal priced separately. The per-box rate typically drops on larger jobs because the crew is already on site and set up.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace cabinets in Long Beach?
Repairing hangs, drawers, and hinge mounts costs $150 – $600; replacing the full kitchen costs $4,000 – $13,000. If damage is limited to a few drawers and the boxes are solid, repair is the clear value. If the boxes have water damage, especially around the sink, replacement is usually the better investment. Call (562) 512-7086 and we’ll assess your specific cabinets honestly.
Can you install cabinets the same week in Long Beach?
Yes, if you’re working with stock cabinets from a local supplier or keeping your existing layout. Stock-install jobs can start within 3 – 7 days of the estimate. Semi-custom orders from KraftMaid or Wellborn add 4 – 8 weeks of manufacturer lead time. Either way, a live person answers the phone 24/7, so you’ll know your timeline before you commit.
How much does a kitchen island cabinet cost in Long Beach?
A kitchen island with base cabinets and a stone top typically adds $3,000 – $10,000 to a cabinet installation project. That includes the cabinet boxes, countertop from Cambria or Silestone, and any electrical work for outlets. Island projects in Long Beach vary widely based on size, overhang, and whether you’re matching existing cabinetry or starting fresh.
Does the City of Long Beach require a permit for cabinet installation?
Not for a straightforward cabinet swap with no plumbing or electrical changes. If you’re moving the sink, relocating the range, or adding new electrical to an island, the City of Long Beach requires a permit, which adds $400 – $1,200 to the project total. We handle the permit process for you and include it in the written price before work begins.
Get a Written Price for Your Long Beach Cabinet Installation
The best way to know what your kitchen will cost is to have someone walk through it with you. We’ll measure, ask about how your family uses the space, show you material samples from KraftMaid and Wellborn, and hand you a written price before any work starts. No estimates that grow after the crew arrives. No guessing. No pressure to commit on the spot.
Call (562) 512-7086 to schedule a free estimate. Our team answers the phone 24/7, and we’ll work around nap times, school hours, and pet schedules as much as the project allows. We serve the whole Long Beach area, including home visits in Naples, Belmont Heights, Bixby Knolls, California Heights, Bluff Park, and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Pricing reflects the Long Beach market as of 2026. Elmstead Remodeling Long Beach offers free estimates – call (562) 512-7086.
Written by Graham Stein, Owner at Elmstead Remodeling Long Beach, a Cedarwell company serving Long Beach since 2005.
What Our Customers Say
"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"They opened up our kitchen and controlled the dust better than I thought possible. Floors protected, a photo of the cleaned space each day. Gentle on the house and on budget."
- Yasmin Croft"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
