Kitchen cabinets in Ottawa typically cost $6,000 to $35,000 or more installed for an average kitchen, depending on whether you choose stock, semi-custom, or custom. As a rough guide: stock cabinets (including flat-pack lines like IKEA) run $6,000–$14,000 installed, semi-custom $12,000–$25,000, and full custom $20,000–$45,000+. Cabinets are almost always the single largest line item in a kitchen renovation, so understanding what drives their price — construction quality, materials, door style, and level of customization — is the key to budgeting the whole project. This guide breaks down Ottawa ...
Cabinet pricing falls into three tiers, and the installed cost for an average Ottawa kitchen (roughly 10–15 linear feet of cabinetry) breaks down like this: • Stock / flat-pack (IKEA and similar) — $6,000–$14,000 installed • Semi-custom (better boxes, more size and finish options) — $12,000–$25,000 installed • Full custom (built to your exact layout and finishes) — $20,000–$45,000+ installed • Cabinet refacing (new doors/fronts over existing boxes) — $5,000–$12,000 • Cabinet repainting (existing doors, professionally sprayed) — $3,000–$7,000 These figures include the cabinets and professional installation but not countertops, appliances, or backsplash. Larger kitchens, tall pantry units, islands, and specialty storage push costs higher. Get itemized quotes, because the same kitchen can vary by $15,000+ between the low and high tiers.
Within any tier, cost is driven by box construction (particleboard vs. plywood), door material and style (thermofoil and laminate at the low end, solid wood and premium MDF higher), hardware quality (basic vs. soft-close, dovetailed drawers), finish (stock colours vs. custom paint or stain), and features like pull-outs, lazy Susans, and integrated organizers. Two 'semi-custom' quotes can differ substantially based on these choices, so compare specs, not just labels.
The three tiers trade off price, flexibility, and construction quality, and the right choice depends on your layout and budget. Stock cabinets come in fixed sizes and a limited range of styles and finishes; they're the most affordable and fine for straightforward layouts, but you fit your kitchen to the available sizes and use filler panels for gaps. Semi-custom starts from standard cabinet lines but allows more sizes, door styles, finishes, and modifications — the sweet spot for most Ottawa kitchens, balancing cost with a fitted look. Custom cabinets are built to your exact dimensions and specifications by a cabinetmaker, ideal for unusual layouts, specific storage needs, or a particular aesthetic, at the highest price. For most standard Ottawa kitchens, semi-custom delivers the best value: noticeably better construction and fit than stock, without the premium of full custom. Custom earns its cost when your kitchen has awkward dimensions, you're reconfiguring the layout, or you want something a catalogue can't deliver. Our custom cabinetry guide covers that decision in depth.
The construction detail that most affects durability is the cabinet box material. Plywood boxes are stronger, hold screws and hardware better, and resist moisture — important under sinks and in Ottawa's humidity swings. Particleboard (or MDF) boxes are cheaper and standard in stock and some semi-custom lines; they're acceptable if kept dry but swell if they get wet. If cabinets are an investment you want to last decades, plywood boxes are worth paying up for.
Solid wood and wood-veneer cabinets cost more than thermofoil or laminate, and the wood species and door style drive the difference. Painted MDF and thermofoil doors are the budget-to-mid options; solid maple, oak, cherry, and other hardwoods sit higher, with premium species and detailed door profiles at the top. A raised-panel solid-wood door in a premium species can cost several times a flat thermofoil door in the same layout. Door style also affects price beyond material: flat-slab and simple Shaker doors are the most economical to produce, while raised-panel, beaded, and intricate profiles cost more. Finish adds another layer — stock colours are cheapest, custom paint or stain matching adds cost. If you want the warmth of real wood, expect to be in the semi-custom or custom tiers; genuine solid-wood cabinetry is rarely a bargain-stock proposition.
Refacing and repainting are cost-saving alternatives to replacement that work only when your existing cabinet boxes are structurally sound. Refacing replaces the doors, drawer fronts, and visible box faces with new material while keeping the existing carcasses — typically $5,000–$12,000, roughly half the cost of new cabinets. Repainting keeps everything and professionally sprays the existing doors and boxes a new colour, the cheapest refresh at $3,000–$7,000. The catch is that both only make sense if the boxes are worth keeping. If your cabinet layout works and the boxes are solid plywood or well-built, refacing or repainting is smart value. But if the boxes are aged particleboard that has swelled or sagged — common in older builder-grade kitchens — you're investing in a failing foundation, and full replacement is the better spend. Have a cabinetmaker or contractor assess the boxes before choosing refacing over replacement.
Quick decision guide: repaint if the doors and boxes are in good shape and you just want a new colour; reface if the boxes are sound but the doors are dated or damaged and you want a new style; replace if the boxes are failing, the layout doesn't work, or you're reconfiguring the kitchen. Repainting and refacing also keep the same layout — if you want to change where cabinets go, you're replacing regardless.
IKEA cabinets are a legitimate budget choice with real trade-offs versus local custom shops. IKEA's flat-pack kitchen system is well-engineered, uses a hanging-rail install, offers soft-close hardware even at its price point, and comes in at the low end of the cost range — often $6,000–$12,000 in cabinets for an average kitchen, plus assembly and installation if you don't DIY. The limitations are fixed sizing (you work within IKEA's dimensions and use fillers), a defined range of door styles and finishes, and boxes that are particleboard rather than plywood. Local custom and semi-custom shops cost more but give you exact sizing, a much wider range of materials and finishes, plywood box options, and cabinetry built for your specific kitchen — plus a local maker to deal with for service and adjustments. The honest answer on which to choose: IKEA suits simpler layouts and tighter budgets where the fixed sizes work; local custom suits awkward spaces, higher-end finishes, and buyers who want cabinetry that will last decades and fit perfectly. Many Ottawa homeowners also use third-party doors on IKEA boxes to get a custom look at a mid-range price.
Start from your total kitchen budget and remember cabinets usually consume 30–50% of it, then choose the tier that fits. Get itemized quotes that specify box material, door style and material, hardware, finish, and included features so you're comparing like for like — a headline price means little without the specs behind it. Ask about lead times, since semi-custom and custom orders take weeks to build and are often the pacing item for the whole renovation. When hiring, verify the installer's experience and, for custom, review previous work from the cabinetmaker. Confirm who's responsible for measuring (a template mistake is expensive), how modifications and change orders are handled, and what the warranty covers. If cabinets are part of a full kitchen renovation, coordinate with your general contractor so cabinet delivery, countertop templating, and plumbing/electrical line up — mis-sequenced trades are the most common cause of kitchen-renovation delays.
For an average kitchen, installed cabinets run roughly $6,000–$14,000 for stock/flat-pack, $12,000–$25,000 for semi-custom, and $20,000–$45,000+ for full custom. Cabinets are usually 30–50% of a kitchen renovation budget. Size, box material, door style, and features drive the range, so get itemized quotes for an accurate figure.
Solid-wood and wood-veneer cabinets cost more than thermofoil or laminate, and species and door style matter. Real-wood cabinetry generally lands in the semi-custom or custom tiers — think $12,000–$45,000+ installed for an average kitchen. A raised-panel door in a premium hardwood can cost several times a flat thermofoil door in the same layout.
Refacing (new doors and fronts over existing boxes) costs about $5,000–$12,000, roughly half of new cabinets, and is worth it only if your existing boxes are structurally sound and the layout works. If the boxes are aged particleboard that's swollen or sagging, refacing invests in a failing foundation — full replacement is better value. Have the boxes assessed first.
Stock cabinets come in fixed sizes and limited styles at the lowest price. Semi-custom starts from standard lines but allows more sizes, styles, and modifications — the value sweet spot for most kitchens. Custom is built to your exact dimensions and specs by a cabinetmaker, best for unusual layouts or specific needs, at the highest cost.
IKEA cabinets are a solid budget option — well-engineered, soft-close hardware included, and low cost — but they use fixed sizing, particleboard boxes, and a defined range of styles. They suit simpler layouts and tighter budgets. Local custom shops cost more but offer exact sizing, plywood boxes, wider finishes, and cabinetry built for your kitchen. Some owners fit custom doors to IKEA boxes for a middle path.
Ottawa has a number of local cabinetmakers and semi-custom shops serving kitchen renovations. When choosing one, review their previous work, confirm who measures and templates, ask about box construction and lead times, and check the warranty. Our custom cabinetry guide covers what to look for and how custom pricing works in detail.
Cabinets typically consume 30–50% of a kitchen renovation budget, making them the single largest line item ahead of countertops, appliances, and labour. Because they're such a big share, the tier you choose — stock, semi-custom, or custom — largely sets the budget for the whole project, so decide on cabinets early.
Semi-custom and custom cabinets typically take several weeks to build after your order is finalized, and they're often the pacing item for the whole kitchen renovation. Order early — before demolition if possible — and build the lead time into your project schedule so trades aren't left waiting on cabinet delivery.