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AfterCabinets & Countertops in San Diego, CA
Cabinet and countertop replacement in San Diego typically runs $12,000 to $38,000 for a standard 10×12 kitchen, depending on cabinet line, countertop material, and whether you’re keeping the existing layout. Most full cabinet-and-countertop projects take 3 to 5 weeks from demo to final walkthrough, and the single biggest cost driver is whether you’re buying stock, semi-custom, or custom cabinetry. At Penhallow Remodeling San Diego, we put the full cabinet-and-countertop price in writing before the first box is opened, so the number on day one is the number on the final invoice for your Kitchen Remodeling project.
We’re a general contractor focused on Kitchen Remodeling in San Diego, and cabinets and countertops are the center of that work. This is the part of the kitchen you touch every day: the drawer you open forty times before noon, the edge you lean against while the coffee brews, the surface you wipe down after every meal. When the cabinet boxes are soft, the doors are misaligned, and the countertop is chipped or stained beyond saving, the whole room stops working the way it should.
Trevor Nash leads our San Diego team, and the standard is simple: a written price before work starts, a real arrival window, a clean job site, and a 365-Day Done Right Promise on every project. If something fails inside the guarantee period, we come back and fix it at no charge. That’s covered in writing, not in a handshake. Call (619) 604-9624 for a free in-home estimate and we’ll walk you through what your kitchen needs, what it costs, and how long it’ll take.
When You Need Cabinets & Countertops
Some kitchens just need a refresh. Others are past the point of repair. Here are the concrete signs that cabinets and countertops are the right project for you right now:
- Cabinet boxes are swelling or delaminating. San Diego’s coastal humidity works its way into particleboard boxes over time. In neighborhoods like Clairemont and Point Loma, we regularly see cabinets where the bottom shelf of the sink base has swelled from years of slow drip leaks.
- Drawer slides are failing. If you’re lifting, wiggling, or slamming drawers to get them closed, the hardware is shot. Replacing slides on old boxes is a temporary fix. New drawer boxes and soft-close undermount slides are the permanent one.
- The countertop has burns, chips, or deep stains. Laminate edges chip after years of pan contact. Tile counters hold grime in the grout lines. If you’re scrubbing with a toothbrush and it still looks dirty, it’s time for a solid surface.
- You hate the layout but can’t afford a full gut. Sometimes the answer is replacing cabinets and countertops within the existing footprint. You keep the electrical and plumbing in place, but gain better storage configuration and a clean surface.
- Water damage has started. Especially under the sink and around the dishwasher. In San Diego homes built in the 1970s and 80s, the lack of a waterproof cabinet mat under the sink means the base cabinet rots from the inside out.
- You’re selling soon and the kitchen dates the house. Buyers in San Diego look at the kitchen before anything else. A dated kitchen with original 1990s oak cabinets and tile counters can knock $15,000 to $25,000 off a listing versus an updated kitchen with new cabinets and quartz.
Our Cabinets & Countertops Process
You’re not buying a surprise. You’re buying a kitchen with a written number attached to it. Here’s how we get from considering Full Kitchen Remodeling to the day you put dishes in the new cabinets:
- In-home consultation and measurement. We come to your home in San Diego, measure the space, examine the existing cabinet boxes and countertop substrate, and talk through what’s working and what’s not. You’ll hear the trade words, explained plainly: “substrate” is the layer under your countertop, “face frame” is the front edge of the cabinet box.
- Written price, before work starts. We hand you a written price, not a ballpark. It includes the cabinet line, the countertop material, the hardware, the labor, and the timeline. The number on that sheet is the number you pay, unless you change the scope mid-project.
- Material selection. You’ll choose cabinet style, finish, and countertop material. We’ll walk you through the pros and cons of each option in the context of your kitchen and how you actually use it.
- Demo and prep. We remove the old cabinets and countertops, protect the floors and surrounding walls, and prep the base cabinets and walls for the new install. Our technicians arrive in uniform and are background-checked, so you know exactly who’s walking through your door.
- Installation. Cabinet boxes go in first, then doors, drawer fronts, and hardware. Countertops are templated and installed after the cabinets are set, so the stone or quartz sits on a firm, level base. The crew cleans up at the end of each day, and we leave the place cleaner than we found it.
- Final walkthrough and written guarantee. You inspect the work. We walk you through the 365-Day Done Right Promise, handed to you in writing. If anything fails inside the guarantee period, we come back and fix it. No service call fee. No re-inspection fee. If a repair fails, the return visit is free.
To get started, call (619) 604-9624. Estimates are free.
Cabinets & Countertops Pricing in San Diego
We give real numbers because you’ve probably dealt with a contractor who wouldn’t. Here’s what cabinets and countertops actually cost in San Diego right now, based on a typical 10×12 kitchen with 20 to 24 linear feet of cabinetry and about 30 square feet of countertop.
| Scope | Typical Range | What Drives the Price |
|---|---|---|
| Stock cabinets + laminate countertop | $8,000 – $14,000 | Most affordable path; fewer door styles and finish options; laminate has more visible seams |
| Semi-custom cabinets + quartz countertop | $14,000 – $26,000 | Most common for San Diego remodels; more sizes and finishes; quartz is durable and low maintenance |
| Custom cabinets + quartz or natural stone countertop | $24,000 – $45,000+ | Built to your exact space; premium materials like Cambria quartz or Silestone; often includes specialty storage like pull-out pantries |
| Full kitchen with cabinets, countertops, and backsplash | $28,000 – $55,000+ | Includes full demo, plumbing updates under sink, new backsplash, and electrical for under-cabinet lighting |
What moves the number up or down:
- Cabinet line. Stock boxes are fastest and least expensive. Semi-custom lets you adjust depth and height for specific walls. Custom is built to the quarter inch for your kitchen, and the price reflects that labor.
- Countertop material. Laminate is the entry point. Quartz (Cambria, Silestone, Caesarstone) is the sweet spot for durability and looks. Natural stone like granite and marble costs more and needs sealing. All the quartz brands we install carry their own manufacturing warranties, layered on top of our 365-Day Done Right Promise.
- Your kitchen’s footprint. A galley kitchen in a Mira Mesa condo is a different project from an open-plan kitchen with an island in Rancho Bernardo. Linear feet of cabinetry and square feet of countertop drive the material cost directly.
- Demolition surprises. Water damage behind old cabinets, sagging subfloors, and out-of-level walls all get caught during demo. We’ll show you what we find and give you a written change order before touching anything you didn’t agree to.
Every estimate includes a written price before work begins, a defined arrival window, and the promise that if it’s not done right, we make it right. Call (619) 604-9624 to schedule a free in-home estimate. You’ll know the number before the first cabinet is pulled.
Key Takeaways
- San Diego cabinet and countertop replacement averages $12,000 to $38,000 for a standard kitchen.
- The 365-Day Done Right Promise covers every project in writing: if it fails inside the guarantee window, we fix it free.
- You get a written price before any work starts, not a verbal estimate that changes at the door.
- We install industry-recognized brands like Cambria quartz, Silestone, and Caesarstone countertops, paired with KraftMaid or Wellborn cabinetry.
- Every technician is background-checked and arrives in uniform.
- A live person answers the phone 24/7, not a voicemail maze.
- Call (619) 604-9624 for a free estimate. We’ll give you real numbers.
The Kingswell Way and the 365-Day Done Right Promise
Penhallow Remodeling San Diego operates under the Kingswell standard, established in 2004. The three rules are simple: say the price before the work, show up in the window we gave, and leave the place cleaner than we found it. That standard applies to every cabinet box, every drawer front, and every linear foot of countertop we install in San Diego.
What’s the guarantee actually cover? If the work fails inside 365 days, due to materials or our installation, we come back and fix it at no charge. That includes loose drawer slides, delaminating cabinet doors, countertops that crack at the seam, and any other failure tied to how we installed the product. If a repair fails a second time, the return visit is free. No service call fee. No re-inspection fee. No “well, it’s complicated” runaround.
Here’s the part that matters: every guarantee is handed to you in writing. You don’t have to remember what was said in the driveway. You have a document that says what’s covered, how long it’s covered, and what happens if something goes wrong. That’s the whole point of hiring a contractor who writes things down.
Cabinet and Countertop Brands We Trust
We don’t install products we wouldn’t stand behind for 365 days. That’s why we source cabinetry from KraftMaid and Wellborn, and countertops from Cambria, Silestone, and Caesarstone. These are the same product lines you’ll find in high-end kitchen showrooms, and they’re backed by their own manufacturer warranties, layered on top of our guarantee. For fixtures and hardware, we use Kohler, Moen, and Blanco. The products behind the promise are as solid as the promise itself.
You won’t see us upselling you into custom cabinetry if semi-custom does the job. You won’t hear that quartz is “the only way to go” if a quality laminate fits your budget and how you cook. What you’ll get is an honest conversation about what each material does well, what it costs, and what we’d recommend for your kitchen, based on how you actually live in it.
FAQs – Cabinets & Countertops
How much does it cost to replace cabinets and countertops in San Diego?
Replacing cabinets and countertops in a standard San Diego kitchen costs $12,000 to $38,000, depending on cabinet line (stock, semi-custom, or custom), countertop material (laminate, quartz, or natural stone), and kitchen size. Stock cabinets with laminate countertops start around $8,000 for a smaller kitchen, while a full custom job with Cambria quartz can exceed $45,000. Call (619) 604-9624 for a free in-home estimate, and we’ll give you a written number for your specific kitchen.
Is it cheaper to replace or reface cabinets in San Diego?
Refacing typically costs 50 to 70 percent of full replacement, but it only works if your cabinet boxes are structurally sound. In coastal San Diego homes where MDF boxes have swelled from humidity or repeated small leaks under the sink, refacing hides the problem instead of fixing it. If you spend $6,000 refacing boxes that fail in three years, you’ll spend again on replacement instead of getting proper Kitchen Design & Layout from the start. We’ll tell you honestly whether refacing is viable for your cabinets or whether you’re better off investing in new boxes from the start.
How long do cabinet and countertop installations take?
Most cabinet and countertop installations, including Kitchen Island Installation, take 3 to 5 weeks from demo to final walkthrough. Stock cabinets with laminate counters move fastest at around 2 to 3 weeks. Custom cabinetry adds 2 to 4 weeks for manufacturing and finishing, and natural stone countertops add another week for templating and fabrication. We’ll give you a defined arrival window before work starts and keep you posted if anything shifts.
Do you offer a warranty on cabinets and countertops?
Yes. Every cabinet and countertop project comes with our 365-Day Done Right Promise, in writing, at no extra charge. If the work fails inside the guarantee period, we come back and fix it. If that repair fails, the return visit is free. Your quartz or stone countertop may also carry its own manufacturer warranty from Cambria, Silestone, or Caesarstone, which runs alongside our guarantee. Call (619) 604-9624 to get the details in writing during your estimate.
Get a Written Price for Your Kitchen
You’ve probably been through a remodel where the number changed after demo day. That doesn’t happen here. You get a written price before any work begins, a real arrival window, and a 365-Day Done Right Promise that’s also in writing. The technicians who walk into your home are background-checked and in uniform, and a live person answers the phone 24/7 when you call with a question.
Trevor Nash and the Penhallow Remodeling San Diego team are ready to walk your kitchen, talk through cabinet and countertop options that fit your budget, and hand you a number you can hold us to. Call (619) 604-9624 today for a free in-home estimate. The price comes first. The guarantee comes in writing. The kitchen comes after that.
Written by Trevor Nash, Owner at Penhallow Remodeling San Diego, serving San Diego.
