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HiringCabinet Refinishing

Is it better to paint or replace kitchen cabinets?

Paint them if the boxes are sound and you like the layout: painting changes the look, not the structure. Replace them if the boxes are water-damaged or sagging, or the layout does not work. Replacement that moves plumbing or wiring needs permits and a licensed contractor, and in a pre-1978 house, lead-safe work.

Free to ask. Local shops send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.

By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished

Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.

Step by step

Read when to stop and call a pro, further down this page, before you start.

  1. Step 1: Test the boxes

    Press on shelves and sides and open every door and drawer; swollen particleboard, soft spots or sagging bottoms point toward replacement.

  2. Step 2: Decide whether the layout works

    If you want a different layout, more storage or a moved sink, painting will not deliver it.

  3. Step 3: Find out the age of the house

    If it predates 1978, the old finish may contain lead, which affects both options.[3]

  4. Step 4: Ask whether plumbing or wiring changes

    Moving a sink or adding circuits can require a permit, so check with your local building office before you commit.[2]

  5. Step 5: Get comparable written bids

    Ask for a painting bid and a replacement bid on the same specifications.[1]

  6. Step 6: Check the licence before signing

    Look up the business with DPOR.[1]

The short answer

Paint when the cabinets are well built, the boxes are sound and the layout works for you. Replace when the boxes are failing, the layout is wrong, or you are already redoing the room around them. Painting changes how cabinets look; it does not change how they are built, how they are arranged, or how much they hold.

Kitchen with newly finished cabinets, a microwave, new flooring and freshly painted walls
Photo: Tomwsulcer, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Paint if

  • The boxes are solid. Doors that are dated, stained or the wrong colour are a finish problem, and a finish problem is a painting problem.
  • You like the layout. The sink, the work triangle and the storage already suit how you cook.
  • The surfaces can be painted. Solid wood and sound factory finishes take a bonding primer well. Peeling thermofoil needs more care; see how to paint kitchen cabinets.
  • You want to keep costs and disruption down. Painting leaves the countertop, sink and plumbing alone, and the kitchen is usable again in days. See what painting costs in Virginia.

Replace if

  • The boxes are damaged. Water-swollen particleboard under a sink, sagging bottoms, loose backs and broken drawer boxes do not recover with paint.
  • The layout is the problem. Too few drawers, a corner you cannot reach, an appliance that does not fit, or a sink you want moved.
  • You are remodeling anyway. New counters, flooring or appliances often tip the decision, because the cabinets would be disturbed regardless.
  • You want different features. Soft-close hardware, pull-outs and taller uppers can be added to some cabinets, but a new set builds them in.

A middle path exists: keep the boxes and replace or refinish only the doors and drawer fronts. It is worth asking for as a separate line in bids.

What replacement can trigger

Replacing only the cabinets is simple: the Uniform Statewide Building Code lists "Installation or replacement of cabinetry or trim" among its exempt ordinary repairs.[2] Moving what is behind them is not. The code requires a permit for installations or alterations involving the "water supply and distribution system, sanitary drainage system, or vent system," and for "electric wiring."[2] Swapping a plumbing fixture is lighter: the code also exempts "Replacement of plumbing fixtures and well pumps in all groups without alteration of the water supply and distribution systems, sanitary drainage systems, or vent systems."[2] Confirm with your county or city building office before you start.

A kitchen that mixes trades also changes whom you hire. Virginia's contractor board says that where a remodel involves plumbing, electrical and carpentry work under one contract, "a licensed general building contractor should be hired."[1]

Lead in older homes

EPA says that if your home was built before 1978, "it may have lead-based paint; the older your home, the more likely it has lead-based paint."[3] Both options disturb paint, painting by sanding and replacement by removal. In general, "anyone paid to perform work that disturbs paint in housing and child-occupied facilities built before 1978 must be certified in lead-safe work practices."[4] EPA also says that in general "the RRP Rule does not apply to homeowners doing RRP projects in their own pre-1978 homes,"[4] but it still advises lead-safe practices.

Comparing the bids

Ask for a painting bid and a replacement bid on the same specification. Virginia's contractor board warns that when "one bid is based on installing prefabricated cabinets in standard sizes while another is based on installing custom-made cabinets, the prices will not be comparable."[1] Its advice: "Make sure all bids are based on the same set of specifications."[1] Virginia law also provides that "no person shall engage in, or offer to engage in, contracting work in the Commonwealth unless he has been licensed."[5]

Stop and call a pro if

  • The cabinet boxes have water damage. Find and fix the leak before you paint or replace anything.
  • Replacing the cabinets means moving plumbing or wiring. Check permit requirements with your building office and hire a licensed contractor.[2]
  • The house predates 1978 and you are paying someone to sand or remove cabinets. Hire a lead-safe certified firm.[4]
  • A bid asks for most of the money up front or the business has no licence number. Look it up with DPOR before signing.

Getting help in Virginia

Browse cabinet refinishing and painting pros, or see more painting answers.

When you are ready, describe your kitchen and local pros will quote either route.

Common questions

When is painting cabinets not worth it?
When the problem is not the finish. Water-swollen particleboard, sagging shelves, broken drawer boxes and a layout you dislike will all still be there under fresh paint. If the boxes are structurally sound, painting is usually the smaller job; if they are failing, painting only delays the replacement.
Do I need a permit to replace kitchen cabinets in Virginia?
The building code lists installation or replacement of cabinetry or trim among its exempt ordinary repairs, but it requires a permit for installations or alterations involving the water supply and distribution, sanitary drainage or vent systems, and for electric wiring. Replacing a plumbing fixture without altering those systems is also an exempt ordinary repair. Your locality's building office has the final word.
Can I keep the boxes and replace only the doors?
Often yes, if the boxes are sound and the layout works. Replacement doors and drawer fronts, with or without painted boxes, sit between painting and full replacement in effort. Ask for it as a separate line in written bids so you can compare it.
Which option is easier to compare when I get quotes?
Neither, unless the bids are written to the same specification. Virginia's contractor board points out that a bid for prefabricated cabinets in standard sizes and one for custom-made cabinets will not be comparable. Ask every contractor to quote the same scope.
Does an old house change the decision?
It can. If the house was built before 1978 the cabinets may carry lead-based paint, and paid work that disturbs it must be done by someone certified in lead-safe work practices. Tearing out and sanding both disturb paint, so ask about lead whichever way you go.

Sources

  1. [1] What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor, Virginia Board for Contractors, DPOR. Checked October 27, 2026.
  2. [2] 13VAC5-63-80. Section 108 Application for permit (Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code), Virginia Administrative Code, Virginia General Assembly. Checked October 27, 2026.
  3. [3] Renovation, Repair and Painting Program: Do-It-Yourselfers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Checked October 27, 2026.
  4. [4] Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Checked October 27, 2026.
  5. [5] Va. Code § 54.1-1103, Necessity for license, Code of Virginia, Virginia General Assembly. Checked October 27, 2026.

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