THE QUOTE PROCESS
First off, lets start with the quote process. I always give free estimates, so it can't hurt to ask! I will need several pictures of the kitchen as well as a count of the doors and drawers. I also need to know if the drawer face comes off and if any repairs are needed or if you have any damaged areas. The reason I need to know if the drawer face is removable is because it saves me time in painting the drawer, as I don't need to wrap the drawer to prevent overspray getting inside the drawer. If the drawer face comes off it saves me time which means it saves you money, but if it doesn't come off that's okay too.
A general idea of how you want your cabinets refinished is good to know. Its helpful if you have inspiration pictures too. You don't need to know the exact color, just in general are you thinking white or a lighter color or going dark or maybe a two tone look? Staining is an option as well but does come with a bigger price tag.
My estimate always includes the cost of supplies - paint, primer, sealer, sandpaper, cleaning supplies, etc. The quote does not include additional costs such as if you wanted to change out the hardware or if you need to fill any holes to allow for new hardware, matching a specific color from a certain brand, etc. I am always willing to provide those estimates if you let me know upfront. If you just want a basic quote to get started I can give you the standard price and we can go from there.
DISCOUNT AVAILABLE
The quote you receive will have two different pricing options. I offer a discount for the homeowners if they choose to remove the doors and drawers and then do the installation themselves. This saves me time and of course saves you money. I'm more than happy to remove the doors and drawers for you if you select that option, but I will say that the majority of my clients are willing to do it themselves to save on the cost. Its easy enough to do and I help walk you through how to label each door and drawer so that you can identify where it goes when its time to install. Basically, you would just use painters tape to number each door and drawer and apply it to the removable item, and also painters tape with the coordinating number which would remain on the permanent structure somewhere inside the cabinet or drawer frame.
If you decide to move forward with the quoted price, we will set a date to meet in person in your home. We will review the contract together, look at sample boards, take before pictures, and collect a $500 deposit fee which is required in order to get you on the calendar. Once I receive the deposit this is when the date is confirmed. This ensures that your date gets locked in, and gives both of us an agreement that the work will be started then. Of course I understand if an emergency comes up and it needs to get moved, but please keep in mind that cabinets require a large block of time in my calendar and its harder to move dates around at the last minute.
I use General Finishes enduro poly commercial grade products, and stick with their milk paint line of colors. The most popular cabinet colors are White Poly (true white), Antique White (offwhite) and Alabaster (a mix of true white and Antique white). Most of my clients choose one of the white colors for their main cabinets, and use other colors as an accent for the island or similar. If you can't decide on the spot, you can keep a few of the sample boards which are actual oak cabinet doors so that you can see the color in different light throughout the day. Color matching to any Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore is always an option as well.
Also its important to note that I can not completely eliminate the grain in oak, but the painting process does a very good job of filling in the grain. This will be shown to you on the sample cabinets.
IN HOME PAINTING
I always hand paint the frames of the cabinets, unless requested to have them sprayed. The advantage is that its costs less, and you are able to keep your items in your cabinets - I just ask that you push everything back out of the way. To prepare for my arrival, it is helpful if you are able to move any items out of the way that may be in the way of the painting the cabinets. Removing larger items from the countertops is helpful. If you can relocate the refrigerator, stove and range that is a huge help. If not, I can work around it and we can discuss in detail at the consultation.
When I arrive I will start by either removing and labeling the cabinet doors or if you have already done this I will load them into my vehicle. Next I get to work on cleaning the cabinets. Prep is an important step in the paint adhering, so I make sure the cabinets are clean. Then I sand the cabinet frames in order to give the paint a better grip. The cabinets are once again cleaned and wiped down. At this point, I start taping off any areas that need to be protected from paint. Once all of the prep work is done, the priming process starts. In general, the second day will be priming. The third day will be painting. The fourth day will be painting and touch ups/tape removal. In total, as a minimum there are 2 coats of primer and 3 coats of paint applied. On the final day at your home when the painting is done I remove all the tape and clean up any areas. It is helpful if you have any additional wall paint on hand, I can touch up any spots that the tape may have removed if any.
I am typically in home for 3-5 days. Your cabinets are still usable during this time but won't have any doors on them. The paint is dry to touch after an hour or two. They will need a full 28 days for the paint to fully cure however.
OFFSITE PAINTING
After the cabinet doors are removed, I take them to my workshop for the prep work and painting. I do this because my workshop is equipped with my spray booth and cabinet door drying rack. The doors are first prepped (clean, sand, clean) and then the inside of the cabinet doors are sprayed with two coats of primer and three coats of paint. After sufficient drying time, they are flipped and the same process is used on the door fronts. Spraying the doors leaves a nice smooth finish.
Once both sides of the doors have been painted, I contact the homeowner to arrange a day and time to drop off and install if necessary. The doors typically take about 7 days to finish once they are removed from the home.
When I drop off the doors and drawers I always bring touch up paint for the homeowner in case something happens down the road or in the time it takes for the paint to cure. Its helpful to know that you are able to touch up anything in case life happens. I will also provide door bumper pads, as the previous ones are always removed before painting (and in most cases they are brown anyway) so new white or clear pads are provided.
I will also ask if I can take pictures once its all put back together. This is optional, but always nice to see the difference in before and after pictures!
Having your cabinets painted is a great way to update your home! Its also helpful to know that the process doesn't take as long as you may think, and having your cabinets refinished can be affordable. I hope this post answers any questions you may have, or helps to understand the process better.
Edit: New services offered include replacement doors and drawers and/or concealed hinges. Ask me if this is an option for your home! Also, another option is being offered where you can save money on your cabinet refinishing by painting the frames yourself, with my step by step process and guidance. Learn more about the process in this blog post.
IN HOME PAINTING
I always hand paint the frames of the cabinets, unless requested to have them sprayed. The advantage is that its costs less, and you are able to keep your items in your cabinets - I just ask that you push everything back out of the way. To prepare for my arrival, it is helpful if you are able to move any items out of the way that may be in the way of the painting the cabinets. Removing larger items from the countertops is helpful. If you can relocate the refrigerator, stove and range that is a huge help. If not, I can work around it and we can discuss in detail at the consultation.
When I arrive I will start by either removing and labeling the cabinet doors or if you have already done this I will load them into my vehicle. Next I get to work on cleaning the cabinets. Prep is an important step in the paint adhering, so I make sure the cabinets are clean. Then I sand the cabinet frames in order to give the paint a better grip. The cabinets are once again cleaned and wiped down. At this point, I start taping off any areas that need to be protected from paint. Once all of the prep work is done, the priming process starts. In general, the second day will be priming. The third day will be painting. The fourth day will be painting and touch ups/tape removal. In total, as a minimum there are 2 coats of primer and 3 coats of paint applied. On the final day at your home when the painting is done I remove all the tape and clean up any areas. It is helpful if you have any additional wall paint on hand, I can touch up any spots that the tape may have removed if any.
I am typically in home for 3-5 days. Your cabinets are still usable during this time but won't have any doors on them. The paint is dry to touch after an hour or two. They will need a full 28 days for the paint to fully cure however.
OFFSITE PAINTING
After the cabinet doors are removed, I take them to my workshop for the prep work and painting. I do this because my workshop is equipped with my spray booth and cabinet door drying rack. The doors are first prepped (clean, sand, clean) and then the inside of the cabinet doors are sprayed with two coats of primer and three coats of paint. After sufficient drying time, they are flipped and the same process is used on the door fronts. Spraying the doors leaves a nice smooth finish.
Once both sides of the doors have been painted, I contact the homeowner to arrange a day and time to drop off and install if necessary. The doors typically take about 7 days to finish once they are removed from the home.
When I drop off the doors and drawers I always bring touch up paint for the homeowner in case something happens down the road or in the time it takes for the paint to cure. Its helpful to know that you are able to touch up anything in case life happens. I will also provide door bumper pads, as the previous ones are always removed before painting (and in most cases they are brown anyway) so new white or clear pads are provided.
I will also ask if I can take pictures once its all put back together. This is optional, but always nice to see the difference in before and after pictures!
Having your cabinets painted is a great way to update your home! Its also helpful to know that the process doesn't take as long as you may think, and having your cabinets refinished can be affordable. I hope this post answers any questions you may have, or helps to understand the process better.
Edit: New services offered include replacement doors and drawers and/or concealed hinges. Ask me if this is an option for your home! Also, another option is being offered where you can save money on your cabinet refinishing by painting the frames yourself, with my step by step process and guidance. Learn more about the process in this blog post.
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