How Much Do Built-In Cabinets Cost? [2025 Data]
On average, built-in cabinets cost $5,500 but can range from $1,000 to $6,000, depending on the size, type, and material.
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Built-in cabinets are a great way to customize your space—especially if your room has odd angles or varying ceiling heights. With built-in cabinets, the possibilities for customization are endless, but they’ll come at a cost. You could pay as little as $300 for a small project or as much as $15,000 or more for high-end materials or a large entertainment center. Most homeowners pay around $5,500 for built-in cabinets. Our guide will show you how much built-in cabinets cost.
Built-In Cabinets Cost by Linear Foot
The average built-in cabinet cost is $450 per linear foot.
| Low Cost | Average Cost | High Cost |
|---|---|---|
| $150 per linear foot | $450 per linear foot | $1,200 per linear foot |
Built-In Cabinets Cost Breakdown
Your total cost for built-in cabinets depends on several factors, including the type, materials, labor, prep, and additional features.
Cabinet Type
| Type of Built-In Cabinetry | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Dining Room Cabinetry | $1,000 per linear ft. |
| Bookcase | $150–$1,200 per linear ft. |
| Entertainment Center | $1,500–$15,000 |
| Entryway/Mudroom | $1,000–$6,000 |
| Pantry | $3,000–$4,000 |
Dining Room Cabinetry
Custom dining room built-in cabinetry typically costs an average of $1,000 per linear foot and can include a hutch, buffet, shelving, wet bar, or glass China cabinet. Custom cabinetry is a great way for you to showcase their glassware, fine dishware, and barware.
Bookcase
You’ll pay between $150 and $1,200 per linear foot for a custom built-in bookcase. Your overall price will depend on the materials and the installation costs. Custom bookcases add a unique charm to your living room—not only do they provide a place to store all of your books and trinkets, but they also have an elegant aesthetic.
Entertainment Center
You can expect to pay $1,500 to $15,000 for a custom built-in entertainment center, which is typically built around your television and has slots for media accessories. Your total cost will depend on the materials, the size of the entertainment center, and the types of add-ons you choose, from cabinets and drawers to lighting and electrical outlets.
Entryway/Mudroom
You’ll pay an average of $1,000 to $6,000 for custom entryway and mudroom built-ins. Your total cost will depend on the size of the mudroom and whether you carve one out of an existing closet or build an addition. Entryway and mudroom built-ins include cabinetry, lockers, benches, and cubbies.
Pantry
You can expect to pay between $3,000 and $4,000 for a custom built-in pantry. The overall cost will depend on the size of the pantry, materials, and the aesthetic. Many custom pantries include cabinetry, shelving, and built-in wine fridges.
Materials
Depending on the type of wood, your overall built-in cabinet cost may increase. Here are the average costs associated with different types of wood:
| Type of Wood | Average Price per Board Foot or Sheet |
|---|---|
| White Pine | $2–$3 per board foot |
| Poplar | $4–$5 per board foot |
| Maple | $4–$12 per board foot |
| White Oak | $5–$7 per board foot |
| Cherry | $5–$9 per board foot |
| Birch | $7–$10 per board foot |
| Walnut | $12–$15 per board foot |
| MDF | $15–$60 per sheet |
| Plywood | $12–$120 per sheet |
White Pine
You can expect to pay $2 to $3 per board foot for white pine. White pine is an affordable option for custom built-in cabinetry. It’s durable, versatile, and has a beautiful light wood coloring. Pine also has minimal shrinkage, ensuring that your built-ins will stay in perfect form for years to come.
Poplar
You’ll pay $4 to $5 per board foot for poplar built-ins. Poplar is very workable and has a uniform color. It’s also very durable and lightweight, making it easy to sand and paint.
Maple
You can expect to pay $4 to $12 per board foot for maple built-ins. Maple is a high-quality and aesthetically pleasing wood, making it perfect for traditional and modern designs. Many cabinetry pros use maple because it’s durable and resistant to scratches, dents, and corrosion.
White Oak
You’ll pay between $5 and $7 per board foot for white oak built-in cabinets. White oak cabinetry has a timeless look due to its natural grain pattern. White oak is also very durable, versatile, resistant to moisture, and looks elegant for many years.
Cherry
Cherry wood costs $5 to $9 per board foot for custom built-ins. Cherry cabinetry has a distinct look—it’s naturally darker, with an elegant grain pattern. In addition, cherry cabinetry is extremely durable and easy to clean, ensuring that your cherry built-ins will continue to look fresh and new for many years.
Birch
You can expect to pay between $7 and $10 per board foot for birch built-ins. Birch built-ins are very durable and versatile. They are also very chic, with most coloration in light brown or golden honey tones.
Walnut
You’ll pay $12 to $15 per board foot for walnut built-in cabinets. Walnut built-ins are versatile, durable, strong, and environmentally sustainable—walnut wood is made from renewable resources. In addition, walnut is elegant and long-lasting, so you won’t need to replace your cabinetry any time soon.
MDF
For MDF built-in cabinets, you can expect to pay $15 to $60 per sheet. Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is a durable and affordable engineered wood. It’s a popular choice for built-in cabinetry because it’s easy to work with, versatile, and fire-resistant.
Plywood
You’ll pay between $12 and $120 per sheet for plywood built-in cabinetry. Plywood is a popular choice for built-in cabinetry due to its durability, stability, and resistance to dents and scratches. In addition, plywood is lightweight, easy to work with, and reliable for the long term.
Labor
If you hire a carpenter to build or install built-in cabinets, you can expect to pay between $50 and $100 per hour for the construction phase and $100 to $200 per cabinet during installation. Labor takes up about 70% to 80% of your total project cost—carpenters work on the initial plans, designs, building, and installation.
Prep
Your total cost will increase if a cabinetry pro needs to perform prep work on your floors or walls before installation. You can expect to pay between $2 and $60 per square foot for floor repairs. These may include repairs to the top layer, underlayment, subflooring, and joists. If you need your drywall repaired, you can expect to pay between $300 and $950.
Additional Features
You can add exciting features to your built-in cabinets. These additional features include:
Painting: $425–$1,460
Staining: $4–$10 per square foot.
Crown molding: $4–$23 per linear ft.
Pull-out drawers: $40–$100 per drawer
Lighting: $230–$300
Glass insert: $100–$300 per linear ft.
Knobs and pulls: $100–$10,000
Electrical outlets: $100–$450 per outlet
DIY Built-In Cabinet Cost vs. Hiring a Pro
If you have carpentry skills and the required tools and supplies, you can tackle this project yourself. You’ll save $50 to $100 per hour in labor and associated installation costs.
However, built-in cabinetry can be a complex project, even for skilled DIYers. You may need to enlist the help of an interior designer—which will cost between $50 to $200 per hour. To ensure the job is done properly, you’ll want to hire a professional cabinet maker in your area. Professional cabinet makers have the skills, knowledge, experience, and tools to make your built-in cabinetry last.
How to Save Money on Built-In Cabinets
Although custom built-in cabinets can be pricey, there are ways you can save on project costs. Here are a few examples of money-saving tips:
Finish the built-ins yourself instead of having a pro paint or stain them.
Get at least three estimates from carpentry pros in your area to ensure you get the best deal.
Choose a high-quality, long-lasting wood so you don’t have to make frequent repairs or replacements over the years.
Handle all the building cleanup yourself, which may include a few trips to the local dump.
Choose fewer customizations for your built-in cabinets.
How Angi Gets Its Cost Data
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to costquotes@angi.com. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is much more cost-effective to purchase semi-custom and stock cabinets than to build custom cabinets. You’ll pay between $500 and $1,200 per linear foot for custom cabinets, $100 to $650 per linear foot for semi-custom, and $100 to $300 per linear foot for stock cabinets. However, stock cabinets don’t allow you to customize cabinetry for an odd-shaped room or one with high ceilings.
Yes, built-in cabinets can add value to your home if they are finely crafted with high-quality wood and accessories and maintained correctly. Custom built-in cabinets can also increase your return on investment when selling. Built-ins are a popular design feature in living and dining rooms—especially in homes with minimal storage options.
Solid wood is a great choice for built-in cabinets since it’s durable, long-lasting, and can be repainted down the line. However, it comes with a high price tag. Wood veneer is a good alternative at a lower price point, along with MDF.
