Cabinet Installation Jobs
Kitchen Cabinet Installation
Kitchen installs usually start with the uppers, while there are no base cabinets in the way. A ledger board screwed to the wall holds them at height. Standard practice puts uppers about 18 in. above the counter, or 54 in. from the floor, over base cabinets that are 34½ in. tall and 24 in. deep. Over a cooking surface, the 2021 IRC wants 30 in. of clearance to combustible material and cabinets, unless the cabinet bottom is protected or a listed hood covers it. Bases go in from the high point of the floor, shimmed level front to back and side to side, so the countertop sits flat. HomeGuide's national range for installing kitchen cabinets is $4,500 to $15,000 total, or $150 to $500 per linear foot with the cabinets.
Bathroom Vanity Installation
A vanity is a small install with tight tolerances. The back panel or bottom gets cut around the drain and supply lines, the cabinet is leveled and screwed to studs, and the top goes on with the sink centered on the drain. A floating vanity hangs from blocking or a cleat in the wall, which has to be in place before the drywall is finished, or the wall gets opened. Swapping a vanity on the existing plumbing is cabinet work. Moving the drain or adding a second sink is plumbing work. HomeGuide puts a vanity install at $400 to $4,000 depending on size and whether it's custom. The bathroom vanities page covers box materials that hold up near water.
Laundry and Garage Cabinet Installation
Laundry and garage cabinets are mostly wall-hung, so the fastening is the job. Every box should be screwed through its hanging rail into studs, not drywall anchors, because a loaded cabinet of detergent or tools is heavy. Over a washer and dryer, leave room for the dryer vent and the water valves, and keep the doors clear of the machine lids. Garage installs often hang cabinets high enough to park beneath or set them on legs or a base to clear the slab. HomeGuide puts laundry cabinet installs at $300 to $2,000 and garage cabinets at $300 to $3,000. Summer heat in a garage is hard on finishes; garage cabinets covers materials.
Installing Cabinets You Already Bought
If you've bought ready-to-assemble or big-box cabinets, a cabinet maker can assemble and install them. Ask before you order, not after. An installer will want the layout drawing, the cabinet list and the fillers, and will check that the order fits the room before the boxes are opened. Flat-pack boxes go together with cam locks and dowels. Particleboard sides hold screws less well than plywood, so fastening into studs through the back rail matters more. Let boxes sit in the house for a few days first: the USDA Wood Handbook recommends conditioning particleboard at 30% to 40% relative humidity for interior use, and St. George's hourly humidity averaged just 17% in June over 2021-2025. Boxes shipped from somewhere more humid need that time to settle.
Why St. George homeowners call St. George Cabinet Makers
- Estimates are free, and you're under no obligation to hire
- Measured on site and drawn before you commit
- Written price with species, finish and hardware listed
- One local cabinet maker per request, not a call list
- You pay nothing for the referral itself
Permits for Cabinet Work in St. George
Utah sets building codes by state law, and the version in force adopts the 2021 International Residential Code. That code's section R105.2 lists cabinets and countertops as finish work that doesn't need a building permit. Utah's statewide amendments to R105.2 change other items on that list, such as retaining walls and decks, and leave the cabinet line alone.
The exemption covers the cabinets, not what's behind them. Under R105.1 a permit is required to install, alter or replace electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems. So a like-for-like cabinet swap is usually finish work, while moving a sink, running a gas line to a new range location, adding circuits or taking out a wall needs a permit. The City of St. George Building Department takes permit requests through its CityInspect online portal. Confirm with the city before work starts.
New counters also bring outlet rules. Every counter wall space 12 in. or wider needs a receptacle within 24 in. of any point along it, and island counters need at least one. Plan them with the layout. If the house was built before 1978 and the job disturbs painted surfaces, lead-safe rules apply as well; see cabinet refinishing.
Cabinet Installation Costs
HomeGuide's national installation labor estimate is $40 to $80 per hour, or $50 to $300 per linear foot, depending on the layout and how much customization the job needs. Taking out old cabinets adds $15 to $20 per linear foot, about $300 to $600 for an average kitchen, and many installers include removal and disposal in the bid. Some charge $50 to $150 just to measure. Priced by the box instead, HomeGuide gives $250 to $600 per cabinet installed, which is handy for a laundry room or a short vanity wall where linear footage is small. Custom pantry cabinets run $1,000 to $5,000 installed in the same guide. Get the per-foot or per-box price and what it includes in writing, so two bids are comparable.
Checklist for an Installation Quote
- who measures and confirms the cabinet order fits the room
- removal and haul-off of old cabinets, and repair of the wall behind them
fastening method
Screws into studs through the hanging rail, and blocking for floating units- how fillers, end panels and scribe moldings are fitted
- crown, light rail, toe kick and any trim work
- plumbing and electrical disconnect and reconnect, and who holds those permits
- countertop template timing, if the top comes from another shop
- final hinge and slide adjustment, and a walk-through punch list
A bad install shows up as doors that won't stay aligned. If that's what you're living with now, cabinet repair may be the faster fix.