Trying to budget a project using a "per linear foot" price is frustrating. The numbers you get are inconsistent and incomplete, making it impossible to create an accurate budget for your client.

From a Chinese factory, a basic custom cabinet starts around $80 per linear foot, while premium options can exceed $300. This price only covers the product and doesn’t include shipping or installation.

Buyers often ask me for a per-linear-foot price. As a manufacturer in Foshan, I can tell you this number is just a starting point, not the final quote. There are too many variables behind that single foot of cabinet: the materials used, the complexity of the design, the quality of the hardware, and the finish applied. A smart buyer like Jacky uses this metric for a rough initial estimate, but knows the real work is in breaking down the details to understand where the value lies. My job is to help you see beyond that one number to build a complete and accurate budget.

What is the average price per linear foot for custom cabinets?

You need a reliable number to start your budget. However, "average" prices you find online are often misleading and don’t match the specific quality and features your project demands.

There is no true "average" price. A basic melamine cabinet from a Chinese factory is about $80-$120/ft, a mid-range lacquer one is $150-$250/ft, and a premium solid wood version is $300+/ft.

The idea of an "average" price is dangerous because no two custom projects¹ are the same. The cost per linear foot is a direct result of your choices. Here at my factory in Foshan, we can build a cabinet to meet almost any price point, but it requires adjusting the components. A simple MDF cabinet with a basic melamine finish and standard Chinese hardware will be very affordable. If you change that to a plywood box, a solid wood door, a multi-layer lacquer finish, and premium soft-close hardware² from a brand like Blum, the price can easily double or triple. The final cost is a sum of these parts. To give you a clearer idea, let’s break it down into tiers.

This table shows why asking for an "average" price doesn’t work. The real question is, which tier of quality and features does your specific project require?

How much are Home Depot cabinets per linear foot?

You are comparing your sourcing options. Big-box stores like Home Depot seem convenient, but you’re unsure how their pricing and quality stack up against sourcing directly from a factory.

Home Depot cabinets range from around $100 per linear foot for their basic in-stock lines to over $350 for semi-custom options. These prices typically do not include installation or higher-end features.

I often have clients compare my factory-direct pricing to what they see at big-box retailers. It’s a valid comparison, but it’s important to look at the total picture. Home Depot and similar stores have a few main categories. Their cheapest in-stock lines are designed for immediate pickup and DIY installation. They are usually made from lower-grade particleboard and have limited size options. Their semi-custom and custom lines offer more variety in styles and sizes, but the price increases significantly, often exceeding the cost of a higher-quality, fully custom product sourced directly from an overseas factory. When you source from a factory like mine, you’re not paying for the retailer’s marketing, showrooms, and overhead. For the same price as a mid-range Home Depot cabinet, you can often get a fully custom cabinet³ with superior materials like all-plywood construction and better hardware, tailored exactly to your client’s space. This is the strategic advantage of direct sourcing for a professional buyer.

How to price custom cabinets?

You need a reliable method for pricing out a kitchen. Relying solely on the linear foot metric feels risky, and you want to ensure your final quote to the client is both competitive and profitable.

Price custom cabinets by breaking the project into components: cabinet boxes, doors, hardware, countertops, and labor. Calculate the material cost for each, add factory labor and overhead, then factor in shipping and installation.

At Boke Furniture, we don’t give a single, vague price. We show our clients how we build it. The professional way to price a custom cabinet job⁴ is to deconstruct it. First, we calculate the total square meters of material needed for the cabinet boxes (carcasses). Then, we calculate the material needed for the doors and drawer fronts, which is often a different, more expensive material. We add the cost of all the hardware—every hinge, slide, and handle has a specific price. The finish is priced per square meter based on its complexity (e.g., a 7-layer lacquer costs more than a simple melamine). Finally, we add the cost of factory labor, packing, and our margin. This detailed breakdown creates a transparent "ex-factory" price. This method is far more accurate than a simple linear foot guess. It allows you to see exactly where the money is going, so you can make intelligent adjustments—like switching a door style or hardware brand—to meet a specific budget without sacrificing quality where it matters most.

How much do kitchen cabinets cost for a 12×12 kitchen?

You have a standard kitchen size and need a realistic budget. You want to avoid the sticker shock that comes from a simple linear foot estimate that doesn’t account for a real-world layout.

For a 12×12 kitchen (approx. 25 linear feet), factory costs from China would be $2,000 for basic, $4,000 for mid-range, and $7,500+ for premium. This excludes shipping, duties, and installation.

A standard 12×12 L-shaped kitchen layout⁵ contains about 25 linear feet of cabinetry, including both base and upper cabinets. Using this as an example, we can apply our tiered pricing to see a realistic budget range. A basic, builder-grade package with melamine doors might cost around $2,000 – $3,000 at my factory. A more popular mid-range option with plywood boxes, lacquered MDF doors, and soft-close hardware would be in the $4,000 – $6,000 range. For a premium kitchen with solid wood doors, custom organizers, and top-tier imported hardware, the factory price could easily be $7,500 or more. However, the most important lesson I teach my clients is that this is not the final cost. I have seen many buyers focus only on the low factory price and get a shock when the total cost is 50% higher. You must add international shipping, import duties and taxes, and local installation to this factory price to get your true, total project cost.

Conclusion

The "per linear foot" price is only a rough starting guide. To control your budget effectively, you must understand the material, hardware, and logistical costs that make up the final number.