Kitchen remodeling
Bathroom remodeling
Home additions & ADU
Roofing
Windows & doors
Driveway & pavers
FenceFree written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
Styles & brands we work with
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterHow Much Does Cabinet Installation Cost in San Bruno?
Cabinet installation in San Bruno typically costs between $4,000 and $13,000 for a full kitchen, including removal of the old units and fitting of new ones. A single-run galley in a Crestmoor or Mills Park ranch home often lands near the lower end, while a full L-shaped kitchen with an island and upgraded KraftMaid or Wellborn fronts pushes toward the top. The spread comes down to cabinet grade, linear footage, and whether plumbing or electrical has to move behind the boxes.
Key Takeaways
- Most San Bruno cabinet projects run $4,000 to $13,000, with the median landing around $7,500.
- Stock cabinets from ready-to-assemble lines cost roughly a third of what semi-custom KraftMaid or Wellborn runs.
- Labor alone for a standard 10×10 San Bruno kitchen is usually $1,800 to $3,500.
- Homes built before 1960 in San Bruno often need wall repair and new fastening before new cabinets go up, adding $600 to $1,800.
- Free on-site estimates are available by calling (866) 472-1908.
Cabinet Installation Cost Breakdown (2026)
The table below reflects what we’re seeing on San Bruno jobs through 2026. These are installed prices for a standard 10×10 to 12×14 kitchen unless noted otherwise. Tear-out, disposal, and basic trim are included in the labor line.
| Line Item | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Stock / ready-to-assemble cabinets (installed) | $4,000 – $6,800 |
| Semi-custom cabinets, KraftMaid or Wellborn (installed) | $7,500 – $13,000 |
| Labor only (tear-out, install, trim, disposal) | $1,800 – $3,500 |
| Uppers, 10 linear feet | $1,200 – $2,800 |
| Base cabinets, 10 linear feet | $1,600 – $3,600 |
| Island cabinet base | $1,200 – $3,000 |
| Old cabinet removal and haul-away | $300 – $800 |
| Wall repair, new studs or blocking | $600 – $1,800 |
| Crown molding and toe kick finish | $400 – $900 |
| Relocating a sink or outlet behind cabinets | $500 – $1,500 |
The biggest single driver is cabinet grade. Stock cabinets ordered online or through a big-box store keep material costs low but often arrive with a narrower finish palette and less flexibility on odd wall angles, which matters in the older San Bruno housing stock. Semi-custom from KraftMaid or Wellborn lets you match an exact width on sloping kitchen walls. Second driver is layout complexity. A straight run against one wall is the simplest install we do. A U-shaped kitchen with a corner stack and a peninsula takes longer, and anything that requires moving a gas line or an outlet behind the new boxes climbs from there. Countertops and backsplash are priced separately above this figure; most San Bruno homeowners pair.
What Affects Cabinet Installation Pricing in San Bruno
- Cabinet grade. Stock cabinets generally cost 40% to 60% less than semi-custom KraftMaid or Wellborn lines. You’re paying for size precision, finish options, and hardware quality, not just material.
- Age of the house. A large share of San Bruno homes date to the 1940s and 1950s. Those walls are rarely plumb and often hide plaster-over-lath that needs patching before new boxes go up. We budget for this on nearly every pre-1960 job in the Crestmoor and Belle Air neighborhoods.
- Kitchen size and layout. A 10×10 galley is the baseline. Every extra corner, peninsula, or island adds linear footage and cutting time.
- Utility relocation. Moving a sink, dishwasher line, or outlet means coordinating a licensed plumber or electrician. We bring those trades in and keep the schedule under one contract.
- Ceiling height and soffits. San Bruno homes often have 8-foot ceilings with a soffit box above the uppers. Removing a soffit to run cabinets to the ceiling adds drywall, paint, and electrical work.
- Fog and moisture on the coast side. The marine layer that rolls over San Bruno Mountain keeps humidity elevated in homes closer to Skyline and the west side. We spec moisture-resistant boxes and hardware finishes that hold up better in those conditions.
The Difference Between Cabinet Installation and a Full Kitchen Remodel
Cabinet installation here means removing old cabinets and fitting new ones in the same footprint. A full kitchen remodel in San Bruno runs $14,000 to $45,000 and covers new cabinets plus countertops, backsplash, flooring, appliance swaps, and lighting. If you’re planning the whole room, start from our home page to see how we sequence the trades. If you’re only swapping the cabinets and keeping the existing layout, that’s exactly the scope this page prices.
Most San Bruno homeowners who call us about cabinets end up adding countertops and a backsplash at the same time, because the tear-out is already done and the marginal cost is lower than coming back six months later. A kitchen remodel that includes cabinet installation runs $14,000 to $45,000 for a full scope, or $9,000 to $20,000 for a smaller kitchen. Countertop installation alone runs $2,000 to $6,500, and a backsplash adds $800 to $2,500. If you want a walk-through of what a cabinet-only job looks like from start to finish, see our page on cabinet installation in San Bruno.
How Much Do Custom Cabinets Cost Compared to Stock in San Bruno?
Custom cabinets in San Bruno run about $1,800 to $3,200 per linear foot installed versus $400 to $800 per foot for stock. Most San Bruno kitchens land in the semi-custom middle, where KraftMaid and Wellborn give you standard boxes in exact widths and a broad door style selection without the four-to-six-week lead time custom shops carry.
What you get for the jump from stock to semi-custom is width flexibility. In a lot of the older San Bruno homes we work in, the kitchen wall isn’t square, and stock cabinets assume it is. Semi-custom lets you fill the gap without a stack of filler strips. Custom cabinets make sense when you’re matching a historic trim profile or building around an unusual corner. For 90% of San Bruno kitchens, semi-custom from a brand like KraftMaid or Wellborn is the right call on price and fit.
How We Coordinate Cabinet Installation on a San Bruno Job
Cabinet installation touches more than cabinets. On a typical San Bruno job, the sequence runs like this: tear-out and haul-away, wall repair and blocking, electrical and plumbing rough-in if we’re relocating anything, cabinet install, countertop templating and install, backsplash, then trim and paint. When a homeowner hires a separate cabinet installer, a countertop fabricator, a plumber, and an electrician, the scheduling gaps and who-owns-what conversations can add a week or more to the job and cost real money in change orders.
We run it under one contract. Our team coordinates the licensed plumber and electrician, sequences the countertop fabricator after the boxes are set, and keeps one point of contact through final walkthrough. The brands we source from span the range: KraftMaid and Wellborn for cabinet boxes, Cambria, Silestone, and Caesarstone for countertops, and Kohler, Moen, Grohe, Delta, and Toto for the faucets and fixtures that go with a new cabinet set. That lineup means you’re choosing from real options across a budget, not taking whatever a single installer happens to stock.
We also do cabinet work as part of larger interior projects: kitchen remodels, bathroom vanities from $800 to $3,000, and whole-home repaints where new storage is part of the scope. The ADU and prefab builds we handle through Abodu, Dvele, Mighty Buildings, Boxabl, and Plant Prefab also include full kitchen and bath fit-outs, so cabinet work on a new structure follows the same process we use on a remodel.
How to Save on Cabinet Installation in San Bruno
- Keep the layout. Moving a sink or an outlet behind cabinets adds $500 to $1,500. If the existing footprint works, keep it and let the savings go toward better cabinet fronts.
- Mix stock and semi-custom. Put semi-custom boxes in the visible run and stock cabinets in a pantry or laundry nook. You get the fit where it shows and the savings where it doesn’t.
- Choose your cabinet grade before you shop finishes. Pick KraftMaid or Wellborn against a real budget first, then pick door style and finish. Reversing the order usually leads to a change order.
- Bundle with countertops and backsplash. Tearing out cabinets once and doing counters and tile in the same visit saves on labor and disposal. Countertop installation runs $2,000 to $6,500; a backsplash adds $800 to $2,500 on top of the cabinet price when bundled.
- Get the wall repair scoped before you buy. A cheap install that skips wall repair and blocking is a hidden cost passed to you later. Put it in the estimate up front.
- Ask what’s included. Tear-out, disposal, trim, and paint touch-up should be in the number. Free estimates are available by calling (866) 472-1908.
How Long Does Cabinet Installation Take in San Bruno?
Cabinet installation itself is usually a two-to-four-day job for a standard San Bruno kitchen. The full project timeline from ordering to finished counters runs four to eight weeks because semi-custom cabinet lead times are typically three to five weeks, then templating and countertop install add one to two weeks. Stock cabinets can be delivered faster and shorten the front end of the schedule.
The install days break down roughly like this: day one for tear-out and wall repair, day two for setting base and upper boxes, day three for trim, hardware, and any final adjustments. If we’re relocating a sink or outlet, add a day for the plumber or electrician. Countertop templating happens after the boxes are set and level, which is why the cabinet step has to be finished first.
FAQs – Cabinet Installation Cost
How much does cabinet installation cost in San Bruno?
Cabinet installation in San Bruno costs $4,000 to $13,000 for a full kitchen, with most jobs around $7,500. Stock cabinets land near the bottom of that range and semi-custom KraftMaid or Wellborn lines push toward the top. Labor alone for a standard layout runs $1,800 to $3,500. Call (866) 472-1908 for an exact quote; estimates are free.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace kitchen cabinets in San Bruno?
Refacing or repairing existing cabinet boxes generally costs $2,500 to $5,000 and makes sense when the boxes are solid and only the doors and finish are dated. Full replacement at $4,000 to $13,000 makes more sense when the boxes are sagging, water-damaged, or the layout needs to change. On pre-1960 San Bruno homes, we often find water damage behind the sink base that refacing won’t fix. We’ll tell you which one your kitchen actually needs during a free walk-through.
How much does it cost to install cabinets yourself versus hiring a contractor in San Bruno?
DIY cabinet installation saves the $1,800 to $3,500 labor line but rarely saves as much as homeowners expect once you factor in tools, wall repair, and the countertop fabricator requiring a level, set cabinet box before templating. Cabinet installation in San Bruno also involves coordination with plumbing and electrical if anything is moving, which is work our licensed specialty trades handle under our contract. Call (866) 472-1908 if you want to compare a real number to your DIY plan.
Do I need permits for cabinet installation in San Bruno?
Cabinet replacement in the same footprint usually doesn’t require a building permit in San Bruno. If the job moves plumbing, electrical, or a gas line, the licensed trade pulling that work handles the permit, and that’s part of the reason we coordinate the plumber and electrician rather than leaving it to the homeowner. If you’re adding an island with a sink or moving a gas range, ask about permit requirements before the design is finalized. Our free estimate covers what’s needed for your specific project.
Can you install cabinets and countertops in the same project in San Bruno?
Yes, and it’s usually the better value. Cabinet installation runs $4,000 to $13,000, countertop installation runs $2,000 to $6,500, and doing them in one sequenced job avoids a second tear-out and a second round of scheduling. We coordinate the countertop fabricator after the cabinet boxes are set and level. Call (866) 472-1908 to scope both in one estimate.
What’s Included in a San Bruno Cabinet Installation Estimate
A real estimate should itemize: tear-out and disposal of old cabinets, wall repair and blocking, cabinet boxes and fronts, hardware, trim and toe kick, and any plumbing or electrical relocation. It should name the cabinet brand and line, not just call it “premium.” It should state whether countertops and backsplash are in scope or priced separately. And it should say what happens if wall repair turns out to be more than the estimate showed.
That last point matters in San Bruno more than in most Bay Area cities. The housing stock here spans 1940s bungalows through 1970s tracts, and the wall condition behind old cabinets varies block by block. We scope wall repair into the initial estimate rather than treating it as a surprise change order. When we bring in KraftMaid or Wellborn for cabinet boxes, Cambria, Silestone, or Caesarstone for counters, or Kohler and Grohe for the fixtures, those brand and line choices are named in writing before work starts.
Book a Free Cabinet Installation Estimate in San Bruno
If you’re ready to price a cabinet installation or a larger kitchen remodel, call (866) 472-1908. We’ll walk your kitchen, measure the actual walls, talk through stock versus semi-custom from KraftMaid or Wellborn, and give you a written estimate that names the brands and items in scope. One contractor, every phase: cabinets, countertops, backsplash, and the trades that connect them. Serving San Bruno and the surrounding Peninsula, with free estimates and upfront pricing on every job.
Pricing reflects the San Bruno market as of 2026. San Bruno Construction offers free estimates – call (866) 472-1908.
Written by the team at San Bruno Construction, serving San Bruno, CA.
What Our Customers Say
"Ground up build. Permits, foundation, framing, all of it, and he ran the schedule tightly enough that the subs were never tripping over each other. Finished within a month of a fourteen month estimate."
— Andres Herrera"Weekly site meeting, every week, with a written summary afterward. I always knew where the money and the schedule stood."
— Tim Pruitt"He was upfront about a soil issue that added cost early rather than absorbing it and surprising us at the end."
— Nathan Barrett