How Long Does a Kitchen Cabinet Installation Take in Pinellas County?

Hi everyone, Nikki Grassmann here from Crowned Cabinets in Dunedin, Florida! One of the biggest anxieties homeowners face during a remodel is the “kitchen-less” period. We all rely so heavily on our kitchens for coffee, meal prep, and family gathering that being without it feels like camping in your own living room. Understanding the timeline of a cabinet installation is essential for your peace of mind and for planning your life during the transition. While the actual act of hanging cabinets on the wall is relatively quick, the entire process from demolition to a fully functional kitchen involves several distinct phases that dictate the overall schedule.

The journey usually begins with demolition and site preparation, which typically takes one to two days. During this time, your old cabinets are removed, and the walls and floors are inspected. In many Pinellas County homes, especially older ones, we often find that floors aren’t perfectly level or walls aren’t perfectly plumb. Preparing the space correctly—which might include minor electrical or plumbing adjustments to match your new layout—is the most critical step to ensure your new semi-custom cabinets sit perfectly. Once the site is ready, the physical installation of the cabinet boxes begins. For a standard-sized kitchen, this phase generally takes two to four days. Our team focuses on securing the base cabinets first, ensuring they are perfectly level for your new countertops, followed by the wall cabinets and any full-height pantry units.

The phase that often surprises homeowners is the countertop transition. In a high-quality remodel, we cannot template for your new stone countertops until the base cabinets are permanently installed and leveled. Once the cabinets are in place, the countertop fabricator comes out to create a precise digital template. In our area, the fabrication of quartz or granite typically takes anywhere from seven to fourteen days. During this window, your kitchen will look nearly finished, but you won’t have a sink or a cooking surface. This is the “waiting game” of a kitchen remodel, and it is the best time to plan for takeout or utilize a temporary kitchenette in another part of the house.

Once the countertops are installed, we return for the finishing touches, which usually take another one to three days. This is when the kitchen truly comes to life. We install the decorative crown molding, the toe kicks, and the light rails. We also attach all your cabinet hardware—the knobs and pulls—and make the final minute adjustments to the hinges and drawer glides so that every door hangs perfectly straight and every drawer closes with that satisfying, soft-close silence. Simultaneously, your plumber and electrician will return to reconnect the sink, dishwasher, and appliances.

When you look at the big picture, a professional cabinet installation in Pinellas County generally means your kitchen will be “under construction” for about three to five weeks from start to finish. While the cabinets themselves go up in the first week, the wait for countertops and the final detail work accounts for the rest of the time. At Crowned Cabinets, we believe in being candid about these timelines because a beautiful, durable kitchen shouldn’t be rushed. By knowing what to expect, you can navigate the process with confidence, knowing that the temporary inconvenience will result in a heart of the home that serves you perfectly for decades.

Until next time, this is Nikki Grassmann reminding you that your kitchen is the heart of your home and the heart of your kitchen is great cabinets.

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Kitchen Cabinet Refacing vs. Replacement in Clearwater: Which Option is Best?

Hi everyone, Nikki Grassmann here from Crowned Cabinets in Dunedin, Florida! If you are living in Clearwater or the surrounding areas, you know that the kitchen is more than just a place to cook; it is the hub of the home where we gather and entertain. Eventually, every kitchen reaches a point where it needs a refresh, and that is when homeowners face the big question: should you reface your cabinets or replace them entirely? This decision is significant because it impacts your budget, your timeline, and the ultimate functionality of your space. Understanding the difference between these two paths is the best way to ensure you are happy with your investment for years to come.

Cabinet refacing is essentially a facelift for your existing kitchen. During this process, we keep your current cabinet boxes in place and remove only the doors and drawer fronts. We then apply a matching veneer or skin to the exterior of the cabinet boxes and install brand-new doors, drawer fronts, and hardware. This is a popular option for people who generally like their current kitchen layout and have cabinet boxes that are still in excellent structural condition. It is a fantastic way to update the style and color of your kitchen without the mess and duration of a full demolition. Refacing can often be completed in a fraction of the time it takes for a full remodel, making it a convenient choice for busy households.

However, refacing has its limitations. It does not address any underlying structural issues or layout problems. If your current cabinet boxes are made of low-quality particle board that has begun to sag or swell due to our Florida humidity, refacing is simply putting a bandage on a larger problem. Furthermore, refacing does not allow you to change the footprint of your kitchen. If you have always dreamed of adding a larger island, moving your sink, or extending your cabinets to the ceiling to create more storage, refacing will not get you there. You are essentially locked into your current arrangement, just with a prettier exterior.

Full cabinet replacement, which is what we specialize in here at Crowned Cabinets, involves removing every part of the old cabinetry and starting with a blank canvas. This is the best option if you want to truly transform how your kitchen functions. With a replacement, you have the freedom to optimize your “work triangle,” add modern storage solutions like deep pot drawers or pull-out pantries, and ensure that every inch of your kitchen is utilized effectively. We also ensure that your new cabinets are built with all-plywood construction, which is much more durable and resistant to the moisture we deal with here in the Clearwater area. While a full replacement requires a larger initial investment and a longer installation period, it provides the highest return on value and the most significant improvement to your daily life.

To decide which option is best for your home, start by performing a “health check” on your current cabinets. Open the doors and look closely at the interior boxes. If the wood is sturdy, the shelves are level, and you are perfectly happy with where everything is located, refacing might be a viable path for you. If you find yourself constantly wishing for more counter space, better lighting, or drawers that do not stick, then a full replacement is the right move. Investing in brand-new, semi-custom cabinets allows you to tailor the heart of your home to your exact needs, ensuring that your kitchen is not just beautiful on the surface, but high-performing and built to last.

Until next time, this is Nikki Grassmann reminding you that your kitchen is the heart of your home and the heart of your kitchen is great cabinets.

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Hi everyone, Nikki Grassmann here from Crowned Cabinets in Dunedin, Florida! When you are planning a major kitchen remodel, it is incredibly easy to get swept up in the big-picture decisions like the overall layout or the perfect shade of paint. While those elements provide the foundation of your space, the true transformation happens in the smaller, often overlooked details. These are the finishing touches that elevate a kitchen from looking like a standard assembly of boxes to a sophisticated, custom-designed masterpiece. In our Dunedin homes, where we often have unique architectural character or beautiful natural light, these details are the secret to creating a kitchen that feels perfectly integrated and exceptionally high-end.

One of the most impactful details we focus on is the use of architectural moldings and trim. In a truly custom remodel, cabinets should never simply stop a few inches below the ceiling, leaving a gap that collects dust and breaks the visual flow. We use tiered crown moldings to bridge that gap, extending the cabinetry all the way to the ceiling. This creates a seamless, built-in look that makes your ceilings appear taller and your kitchen feel much more grand. For homes with a more modern aesthetic, a simple, flat “riser” molding can achieve the same clean effect. This small adjustment changes the entire vertical scale of the room, providing a finished, polished appearance that is a hallmark of professional design.

Another detail that makes a massive difference is the treatment of cabinet end panels. In many standard kitchens, the sides of the cabinets are just flat, finished pieces of plywood. To achieve a high-end look, we recommend using “integrated” or “matching” end panels. This means the side of the cabinet is manufactured to look exactly like the door style you have chosen. When you look at the end of a cabinet run or the side of an island, you see the same beautiful recessed or raised paneling rather than a plain flat surface. This creates a sense of furniture-quality craftsmanship and ensures that your kitchen looks beautiful from every single angle, not just when you are standing directly in front of the doors.

The hardware and lighting are often referred to as the jewelry of the kitchen, and for good reason. Choosing the right scale for your cabinet pulls can completely change the personality of the room. We often suggest using longer, more substantial pulls for a contemporary look or delicate, ornate knobs for a classic Florida cottage feel. Beyond the visible hardware, we also look at “light rails”—the small trim pieces at the bottom of the upper cabinets. These are essential for hiding under-cabinet LED lighting strips. By concealing the light source, you get a beautiful, functional glow on your countertops without seeing the unsightly wires or bulbs. This detail enhances both the ambiance of your kitchen during evening entertaining and the efficiency of your workspace during meal prep.

Finally, do not forget the toe kick and base details. While the toe kick is primarily functional, allowing you to stand close to the counter, it can also be a design opportunity. In a luxury Dunedin remodel, we can add decorative base moldings or furniture-style feet to the bottom of an island or a specific cabinet run. This gives the cabinetry the appearance of fine, freestanding furniture rather than a utility fixture. When combined with customized interior details like solid wood drawer dividers or velvet-lined cutlery trays, these external touches ensure that your kitchen is as beautiful in its smallest details as it is in its grandest proportions. These layers of detail are what truly transform a standard renovation into a bespoke kitchen that reflects your personal style and stands the test of time.

Until next time, this is Nikki Grassmann reminding you that your kitchen is the heart of your home and the heart of your kitchen is great cabinets.

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