Think in linear feet
Cabinetry is usually priced by the linear foot, which is the run of cabinets measured along the wall. A modest Front Range kitchen might have 20 to 25 linear feet. A large kitchen with an island and a pantry wall can hit 35 or more. Multiply your linear feet by a per-foot rate and you have a working estimate before a single door style is chosen.
For made-to-order custom cabinetry, plan on roughly 900 to 1,500 dollars per linear foot installed at the high end of the market. Semi-custom sits lower, around 500 to 900. Stock is lower still. The rest of this guide is about what pushes you up or down inside those bands.
What moves the number
Construction type. Inset cabinetry, where the doors sit flush inside the frame, takes the most skill to build and fit, so it costs more than frameless or full-overlay. If you love the tailored inset look, budget for it.
Wood and finish. A painted maple kitchen and a rift-cut white oak kitchen are different budgets. Specialty finishes, hand-applied glazing, and heirloomed or distressed treatments add hand labor, and hand labor is where cost lives.
Storage and inserts. Soft-close is standard on the cabinetry we offer, but pull-out pantries, drawer dividers, spice racks, and integrated appliance panels each add to the total. They also make the kitchen work, so most are worth it.
Size and complexity. More cabinets cost more. So do angled runs, tall pantry walls, and anything that has to work around the quirks of an older Boulder home or a specific architect detail.
What the cabinet number does not include
Cabinetry is one line on a kitchen budget. Countertops, appliances, sinks, plumbing, tile, and lighting are separate. When you compare quotes, make sure you are comparing cabinetry to cabinetry, because a low number often just means something was left out.
Why the cheapest quote rarely wins
The lowest bid usually buys thinner materials, looser tolerances, and a finish that shows wear in a few years. Made-to-order cabinetry backed by a limited lifetime warranty costs more up front and less over the life of the kitchen. For a kitchen you plan to keep, that math tends to favor doing it once.
These figures are ranges, not a quote. The actual number comes from your layout, your selections, and your home. If you want a grounded estimate, the fastest path is a short conversation about your kitchen.
