How Much Does It Cost to Install Cabinet Hardware? [2026 Data]

Cabinet making costs depend on your project and location. Check with a local pro for your specific job.

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Cost Insights:
  • Cabinet hardware materials cost $2 to $50 each, and your choice of finish drives the price for your kitchen update.

  • Your kitchen size sets how many knobs and pulls you need, including every cabinet door and drawer front.

  • You should account for cabinet refinishing at $3,000 if your old cabinets need sanding, repairs, or paint.

  • Hiring a local kitchen remodeling professional keeps your hardware aligned and saves you the hassle of tricky measurements.

In 2026, the nationwide average cost to install cabinet hardware is $300. Most homeowners spend between $100 and $10,000, depending on the number of cabinets, your choice of hardware finish, and whether you hire a pro for installation. Swapping out knobs and pulls is one of the quickest ways to refresh your kitchen, but costs can climb if you choose ornate styles or have a large number of cabinet doors and drawer fronts.

Cabinet Hardware Cost Factors: What Affects the Price?

Your total cost to install cabinet hardware depends on the types of cabinet hardware you choose, with prices ranging from $100 to $10,000 and an average of around $300. Key factors include labor, kitchen size, materials, hardware style, shipping, and any additional prep work your cabinets may need. Costs vary by factor, as the breakdown below shows.

Labor

Labor for a typical cabinet hardware project averages around $300, with a kitchen remodeling pro near you charging $5 to $30 per piece and a handyperson near you running $50 to $100 per hour. Most installations take about three hours, so that hourly figure gives you a reliable baseline when budgeting for a handyperson. If you need custom hardware created and installed, a cabinetmaker will cost more than either of those options.

Kitchen Size

Cabinet hardware costs $2 to $50 each, and an average kitchen of 100 to 200 square feet typically requires 20 to 40 pieces. When you factor in labor, the total for an average-sized kitchen runs $120 to $2,400. 

Cost by Material

6 cabinet hardware materials compared visually, including glass, wood, and stainless steel
Pablo Gatte / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images, KseniBoo / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images, Kseniya Ovchinnikova / Moment / Getty Images, in4mal / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images, Onzeg / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

The material you choose is one of the biggest drivers of your cabinet hardware budget, with costs ranging from $1 and $200 per piece, you need one piece for every cabinet door and drawer front you are upgrading. Reviewing kitchen cabinet terms can help you count exactly how many pieces your project requires before you shop. 

The following table shows how the costs range by material:

MaterialPrice Range per Piece in 2026
Glass$3–$25
Crystal$3–$75
Ceramic$1–$15
Resin$3–$10
Stone$3–$50
Wood$1–$10
Plastic$1–$5
Brass$5–$200
Bronze$10–$200
Copper$5–$200
Stainless Steel$4–$32
Zinc Alloy$5–$100
Iron$1–$200

Cost by Style

At lower price points, style has little effect on cost, but novelty hardware starts at $10 and ornate options start at $20, with both categories climbing well above $200 for premium pieces. Before committing to a look, weigh the pros and cons of matching home hardware versus a mix-and-match approach to find the right balance of aesthetics and budget.

Shipping Costs

Shipping costs depend on where you buy your hardware: major home improvement chains typically offer free shipping or in-store delivery, while boutique custom designers may add a shipping charge to your order.

Additional Costs

Cabinet condition can add meaningful costs beyond hardware and installation: the cost to refinish kitchen cabinets averages $3,000 for sanding, repairs, and painting, while cabinet refacing runs $4,500 to $10,500 when older cabinets need more extensive work. Budget for these possibilities before finalizing your project scope, especially if your cabinets are older and may require refitting alongside the new hardware.

Why You Should Hire a Cabinet Installation Pro

While hiring a cabinet installer near you accounts for 45% to 90% of the total cost of your average installation of $300, it’s a good idea to hire a pro if you want the job to be done right. 

Here’s why it’s ideal to hire a cabinet hardware pro

Many tradeoffs come when you choose to hire a cabinet installer, including the following:

  • Having a pro do the installation can free up several hours that would’ve been spent gathering materials and tools, figuring out the learning curve of installing cabinet hardware, and completing the project. 

  • If you don’t already have tools on hand, you’ll have additional expenses on top of the hardware materials, like a power drill, drill bits, a level, screwdrivers, a measuring tape, a utility knife, and a crowbar.

  • Installing new cabinets can be a potentially dangerous job to DIY, especially if you’re not used to lifting heavy cabinets or if you need to use a saw to resize the cabinets. 

  • While it may seem straightforward, properly aligning cabinets and ensuring you have the correct equipment and tools to finish the job isn’t always easy. Your pro likely uses a template to avoid misalignment and mis-drilling your cabinets and hardware.

  • Making frequent DIY mistakes can be costly since incorrectly drilling or placing the cabinets and hardware can damage them and lead to needing replacements or repairs. 

If you want to DIY a cabinet hardware installation

If you still want to DIY part of the project, there are ways you can help your pro with the installation, including:

  • Removing old cabinets yourself

  • Disposing of debris on your own

  • Painting or finishing the cabinets

Tips to Reduce Cost While Installing Cabinet Hardware

While you can’t change the price of labor for a pro to install cabinet hardware, you can save costs in other ways, including:

  • Match hardware hole sizes: If you’re replacing old cabinet hardware with new knobs and pulls, it will cost less to match the hole sizes already in your cabinets than to create entirely new hole templates.

  • Measure properly: measure your cabinetry and purchase handles, knobs, and pulls that will fit correctly. Otherwise, you may have to fix and repaint your cabinet doors to install the right size. 

  • Shop around: Get at least three quotes from kitchen cabinet pros to ensure you get the best price possible.

  • Pick affordable finishes: Choose hardware finishes that will age well, last long, and don’t break your budget.

Next Steps: Finalize Your Project With a Pro
  • Consider the type of hardware you want to install since some types, like precious and ornate ones, are harder to install than basic hardware.

  • Count the number of cabinets you need to install, and take measurements of the sizes so that your pro can offer you an accurate estimate for the hardware over the phone. 

  • Ask your installer about other kitchen and bathroom renovations, like painting the cabinets, installing new countertops, or adding a new backsplash.

  • Discuss the timeline for the installation since renovating a kitchen can affect your ability to use the space. 

How Angi Gets Its Cost Data

Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects. 

Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to [email protected]. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Installing cabinet hardware can take anywhere from a few hours to a full day. The total time depends on several factors, including the number of cabinets, whether you hire a professional or do it yourself, and the complexity of the job. For a DIY installation in an average-sized kitchen, you should allow for 2 to 5 hours. The project could take longer if you need to fit specialty hinges, use custom screws, or if the cabinets require significant prep work like sanding, refinishing, or repainting.

Yes, you can replace old kitchen cabinet hinges with soft close, and it’s a great DIY project you can likely tackle in a weekend. Installing soft close hinges first involves removing the cabinet doors and old hinges with either a screwdriver or power drill. The next step involves drilling a new hole for the new hinges, following the manufacturer’s instructions. It’s a fantastic way of upgrading standard cabinet hinges and giving a more custom feel without the expense of replacing your cabinets.

The 1/3 rule is a design guideline used by interior designers and cabinet installers to select appropriately sized pulls for cabinets and drawers. The rule suggests that for a balanced and cohesive look, a cabinet pull should be approximately one-third the height of the cabinet door or one-third the width of the drawer face. This guideline helps create a symmetrical appearance because the human eye tends to follow the length of the pull across the cabinet face.

While the 1/3 rule is a helpful starting point, it is not the only option. If a measurement falls between available pull sizes, it's generally best to size up. For an ultra-contemporary aesthetic, you can also opt for full-width pulls that span the entire drawer.

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