Most Atlanta kitchens in 2026 spend between $6,000 and $45,000 on cabinets installed, and the spread comes down to three choices: cabinet grade (stock, semi-custom or custom), box construction, and who installs them. Cabinetry is normally the single largest line in a remodel — 30-40% of the total budget, per the 2026 Atlanta cost guides published by TCW Homes and InDesign Kitchen & Bath.
What do cabinets cost by grade?
The table below reflects the Atlanta market for a typical 10x12 kitchen (roughly 20-25 linear feet of cabinets), installed. Small galley kitchens land under these ranges; large kitchens with islands and tall pantry walls land over.
| Cabinet grade | Typical installed cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Stock / RTA | $6,000 – $15,000 | Fixed sizes in 3-inch steps, limited finishes |
| Semi-custom | $12,000 – $30,000 | More sizes and finishes, some modifications |
| Full custom | $25,000 – $45,000+ | Built to your walls, any finish or combination |
A fourth number matters as much as the grade: box construction. Two doors can look identical in a showroom while one hides particleboard and the other is plywood. We wrote a separate plain-language guide on that: plywood vs MDF vs particleboard.
What pushes the price up?
Four things move a cabinet quote more than anything else. Tall ceilings — 42-inch or stacked uppers add boxes and finish work. Islands, which are furniture pieces wearing a cabinet badge. Inset doors, where every reveal is hand-fitted (we explain why on our inset cabinets page). And paint-grade custom colors, which add finishing steps a stocked color skips.
In the Alpharetta kitchen we rebuilt, the owners put their budget into full-height white shaker cabinets and a microwave drawer in the island — and skipped glass doors and interior accessories. That is the trade we see working again and again: spend on boxes and layout, save on add-ons you can retrofit later.
What should a cabinet quote show you?
A quote you can trust is itemized: cabinets by line and finish, hardware, delivery, installation, and any electrical or plumbing work listed separately. One number scribbled on a card is how surprise costs get in. Every Center Cabinet quote is written and itemized — that is a company rule, not a favor.
If a quote is far below the ranges above, ask two questions: what is the box made of, and who replaces a damaged part, from where, and how fast. The answers usually explain the price.
What we’d tell a friend
Set your cabinet budget as a share of the whole project — 30-40% — before falling for any door style. Then choose the best box construction you can afford in that share, because doors can be repainted later; a sagging particleboard box cannot. When you are ready for numbers on your own kitchen, send photos through the free design and quote and you will get an itemized answer, not a range.