How Much Do Custom Kitchen Cabinets Cost in NYC? What Drives the Price
Our published per-foot starting prices for custom kitchen cabinets in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, the seven things that move the number, and what sits outside a cabinet quote.
"How much will custom cabinets cost?" is the first question almost every Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens homeowner asks, and the honest answer is: it depends on a handful of things you can actually see and control. This guide lays out how Green Cabinets NY prices custom kitchen millwork, which line items move the number, and what sits outside a cabinet quote so you can budget a NYC kitchen without surprises.
Green Cabinets NY is a custom millwork business, home-based in Bushwick and working by appointment only across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. There is no walk-in shop or showroom; measures and sample visits happen in your kitchen. For the bigger picture, start with our borough pages for Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, plus NYC kitchen cabinet installation.
Our published starting prices
As a starting point, our custom cabinetry typically runs about $350 per linear foot for full kitchens and vanities, $225 per linear foot for base cabinets, and $125 per linear foot for wall cabinets. A typical NYC kitchen lands between $8,000 and $25,000+.
Those are planning numbers, not a quote. Two kitchens with the same footage can price very differently once door style, finish, tall units, and building logistics are on the table. The sections below explain why.
What actually drives the price of custom cabinets in NYC
1. Linear footage and cabinet mix. Base runs, wall runs, and tall units (pantry, oven, or fridge towers) are priced differently. A galley with a single base run and open shelving costs far less than an L-shape with stacked wall cabinets to the ceiling. Floor-to-ceiling and bulkhead work in prewar apartments adds boxes and scribe time — see bulkhead kitchen cabinets for prewar NYC apartments.
2. Door style. Slab and slim shaker doors are usually the most efficient. Full shaker with a wider rail, inset construction, or applied moldings take more labor per door. Our shaker vs slim shaker guide covers the look and the tradeoffs.
3. Wood species and finish. Paint-grade doors, rift white oak, walnut, and other veneers sit at different price points, and a sprayed painted finish has its own labor. Humidity in NYC apartments also matters for which finish you choose — read painted vs wood veneer cabinets in NYC humidity and browse the wood species guide.
4. Box and drawer construction. Box material and drawer quality change both cost and lifespan. Dovetail drawer boxes and heavier soft-close slides cost more than basic drawers but hold up to daily NYC kitchen use.
5. Hardware and inserts. Soft-close hinges and slides (Blum vs Hettich), pull-out trash and recycling, toe-kick drawers and pantry pull-outs, and corner mechanisms are each line items. They are often the best money in a small kitchen, because they turn dead space into storage.
6. Panels and integrated appliances. Panel-ready fridges and dishwashers need matching panels and careful reveals. A range hood or mantle surround or a kitchen island with finished ends adds custom pieces beyond the basic runs.
7. The apartment itself. Out-of-square plaster walls, sloping floors, radiators, and exposed risers all mean more scribing and fillers. Brownstones, prewar co-ops, and lofts each have their quirks — our Park Slope brownstone and Upper East Side co-op write-ups show what that looks like in practice.
NYC building logistics that affect cost
Building rules can shape a cabinet budget as much as the cabinets do. Walk-ups with tight stairs need modules sized to fit the stoop and landing. Elevator buildings may require freight reservations and fixed delivery windows — see freight elevator kitchen cabinet delivery. Co-ops and condos often ask for a certificate of insurance, limited work hours, and hallway protection. Our guides to Manhattan co-op alteration agreements and condo board renovation rules explain what to ask your managing agent. This is general information, not legal advice; you own the board submission, and we support it with drawings and COI when asked.
If you are living in the apartment during the work, plan for phased installs and daily cleanup — occupied-unit install logistics walks through it.
What is usually not in a cabinet quote
A custom millwork quote covers the cabinetry we design, build, and install. Delivery inside Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens is included in our millwork quote. These items usually sit outside it, so budget for them separately:
- Countertops and backsplash (stone fabricators template after cabinets are set)
- Plumbing, electrical, and gas work by licensed trades
- Appliances themselves (we build the panels; you buy the units)
- Demolition, wall repair, flooring, and painting
- Building fees, freight charges, and board or managing-agent fees
Knowing this up front makes it easier to compare quotes fairly. A low number that leaves out install, panels, or fillers is not the same scope as a complete millwork quote.
How to get an accurate quote faster
- Send photos and rough dimensions of each wall, plus ceiling height and where the window, radiator, and appliances sit.
- Pick a direction on doors and finish — even "slim shaker, painted" narrows the range a lot.
- List must-have inserts like trash pull-outs, a pantry tower, or panel-ready appliances.
- Share building rules you already know: freight, work hours, COI requirements.
- Book a by-appointment measure. Samples come to you. After a signed design, cabinetry typically takes about 4–6 weeks to fabricate before install.
For a bathroom, you can price and plan a vanity layout yourself in our online vanity designer. Designer images are layout previews, not photos of finished jobs; real work is in our case studies.
FAQ
How much do custom kitchen cabinets cost per linear foot in NYC?
Our starting point is about $350 per linear foot for full kitchens, $225 per linear foot for base cabinets, and $125 per linear foot for wall cabinets. Door style, finish, and tall units move the final number.
What does a typical NYC kitchen cost in custom cabinets?
Most kitchens we quote land between $8,000 and $25,000+, depending on size, cabinet mix, finish, and building logistics.
Are countertops included?
No. Countertops, plumbing, electrical, and appliances are separate trades. We coordinate timing so the stone fabricator can template once cabinets are installed.
Is delivery included?
Yes, delivery inside Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens is included in our millwork quote. Building freight or board fees are separate.
Can I get a price without a site visit?
Photos and rough dimensions get you a ballpark. A by-appointment measure in your kitchen is what turns it into a firm quote.
Get a quote for custom kitchen cabinets in NYC
Ready to price your kitchen? Email orders@greencabinetsny.com or call (718) 804-5488. Include your borough and building type (co-op, condo, brownstone, or townhouse), photos of each wall, rough dimensions, the door and finish direction you like, and any building rules you know. Read more about us or browse the blog. We reply with a ballpark and next steps for a by-appointment measure.