Cabinet Painting › Hiring & other rooms
How to Choose a Kitchen Cabinet Painter
The best cabinet painting companies near you hold a CSLB license, explain their prep and primer step by step, spray the finish rather than brush it, and put a warranty in writing. Compare quotes on what's included, not just the total. You can check any California contractor's license at cslb.ca.gov.
Cabinet painting is mostly prep. The finish coats are what you see, but the cleaning, sanding and primer underneath decide how long it lasts. That's also the part that's hardest to judge from a quote or a photo.
Use this guide when you compare cabinet painters near you. The best cabinet painting companies near you will be glad to answer every one of these questions. The questions below separate companies that know cabinets from general painters who mostly do walls.
Questions to ask
Put the same questions to every company on your list. The best cabinet painting companies will give clear, specific answers, and you can compare them side by side.
- What's your prep process? Listen for degreasing, scuff-sanding every surface and a bonding primer. If the answer is just "a light sand and two coats," ask which primer they use and why.
- Do you spray or brush? Sprayed finishes have no brush marks and look closest to factory cabinets. See spray vs brush cabinet painting for the differences.
- Do the doors come off? Doors and drawer fronts should be removed and labeled, not painted in place on their hinges.
- What paint do you use? It should be a cabinet-grade enamel made for hard use, not wall paint. A good company will name the product on the quote.
- How long will my kitchen be out of use? Get a specific number of days, not "about a week or two."
- What's the warranty, and what does it cover? Get it in writing.
- How will you protect my kitchen? Counters, floors and appliances should be covered and the work area masked off.
Red flags
- No license number on the quote or website, or reluctance to give one.
- No mention of primer, or a plan to paint straight over glossy, lacquered or laminate surfaces.
- Brushing and rolling everything with no plan for avoiding brush marks.
- A price far below everyone else with no clear reason. Very low prices usually come from skipped prep or fewer coats.
- Vague scope. The quote doesn't say whether frames, end panels and drawer fronts are included.
- Pressure to sign on the spot, or to hand over a large cash payment before any work starts.
- No written warranty.
- Promising to paint anything. A painter who knows cabinets will tell you when peeling thermofoil or water-swollen doors can't simply be painted over.
Get your cabinet price
$2,500–$4,500 for an average kitchen, 3–4 days, 2-year warranty. Send photos and we reply the same day.
Get a free quoteComparing quotes
Two quotes for the same kitchen can look far apart until you line them up item by item. Check that each one covers:
- The number of doors and drawer fronts, and the price per piece if listed.
- Cabinet frames, end panels and trim, which are often priced separately.
- Prep steps and the type of primer.
- The number of finish coats and how they're applied.
- The paint product name.
- The timeline and how long the kitchen is out of use.
- Warranty length and terms.
For reference, our pricing is $80 per door and $50 per drawer front, with frames, end panels and trim priced on top. A small kitchen with under 20 doors and drawers starts from $2,000, an average kitchen with 20–35 runs $2,500–$4,500, and a large kitchen is $4,500 and up. The work takes 3–4 days and carries a 2-year warranty. Our cabinet painting cost guide breaks this down further.
License and insurance in California
In California, cabinet painters should hold a license from the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). You can look up any license number at cslb.ca.gov to confirm it's active and see which business it belongs to. Make sure that name matches the company you're dealing with.
Ask for proof of liability insurance as well. If something in your home is damaged during the job, you want to know the company carries coverage for it.
Proper Reglazing LLC is a licensed California contractor, License #1127360, based in Palo Alto and serving the San Francisco Bay Area. If you want a kitchen cabinet painting company that will answer every question above, send photos of each wall of cabinets and a rough count of doors and drawers. We usually reply with a price the same day. Start on our cabinet painting page or call (650) 660-3050.
Common questions
How do I find a good cabinet painter near me?
Look for a CSLB-licensed company that sprays its finishes, explains its prep and primer, and offers a written warranty. Compare at least two detailed quotes.
Is a regular house painter fine for kitchen cabinets?
Some are, but cabinets need different prep, a bonding primer and a sprayed enamel finish. Ask specifically about cabinet experience and how they handle doors and drawer fronts.
Why are cabinet painting quotes so different?
Quotes vary with prep, primer, number of coats, spraying vs brushing and whether frames and panels are included. Line them up item by item before comparing totals.
How do I check a contractor's license in California?
Enter the license number or business name at cslb.ca.gov. The lookup shows whether the license is active and who it belongs to.