THE ESTIMATING ANSWER
For eighteen doors and six drawers, start with a defined scope and measurement basis. Count fronts, exposed frame area and removable hardware; record the existing finish for adhesion preparation. Specify coating, color, primer and whether new hardware is included as separate choices. Price the listed tasks separately and state the condition that would require a revision: Peeling laminate or oil contamination may require more preparation than the base allowance.
This guide uses eighteen doors and six drawers as a worked, fictional job. Its matching itemized estimate and PDF let you trace the advice to actual document lines. The role considered here is painter. Confirm the site conditions, product selections and your own costs before preparing a client quote.
1. Define the measured job
Prepare and coat 18 kitchen cabinet doors and six drawer fronts, with frames finished in place. Existing boxes remain. Count fronts, exposed frame area and removable hardware; record the existing finish for adhesion preparation. Record the measurements and existing condition in the estimate before turning quantities into line items. The scope should make clear why this is a separate project from a broader renovation or maintenance quote.
Measurement basis: Count fronts, exposed frame area and removable hardware; record the existing finish for adhesion preparation.
2. Build a product and labor schedule
Specify coating, color, primer and whether new hardware is included as separate choices. This example has 7 distinct lines, including masking and door schedule, remove and label fronts, degrease and sand. Use actual supplier prices and labor inputs for a customer job; the displayed amounts are fictional document inputs.
Selections to confirm: Specify coating, color, primer and whether new hardware is included as separate choices.
3. Sequence the work and handoffs
Label each front before removal and plan off-site or staged curing before rehang. Show which task depends on access, a selected product or another trade. If that dependency is still open, label the price preliminary and identify the information needed before a firm quote.
Work sequence: Label each front before removal and plan off-site or staged curing before rehang.
4. Set a change boundary
Peeling laminate or oil contamination may require more preparation than the base allowance. The example excludes cabinet replacement, internal box painting or countertop changes. Record the discovery, agree the revised work and update the estimate before adding it to the job.
If the job changes: Peeling laminate or oil contamination may require more preparation than the base allowance.
Worked project calculation
The example line for remove and label fronts is 24 each × $18.00 = $432.00. This line is one part of the complete 7-item estimate and uses a fictional unit rate.
The paired estimate has 7 separate lines. For this fictional job, multiply each quantity by its unit price and add the line amounts to get $5,476.00. The sample PDF uses these exact values, with tax and markup left at zero so the arithmetic is visible. This total is an illustration, not a regional price or an offer to perform the work.
| Cost line | Quantity | Unit price | Line amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masking and door schedule | 1 job | $260.00 | $260.00 |
| Remove and label fronts | 24 each | $18.00 | $432.00 |
| Degrease and sand | 16 hours | $48.00 | $768.00 |
| Primer and coating allowance | 1 job | $520.00 | $520.00 |
| Coat doors and drawers | 24 each | $95.00 | $2,280.00 |
| Frame coating in place | 1 job | $640.00 | $640.00 |
| Rehang and adjustment | 24 each | $24.00 | $576.00 |
| Illustrative subtotal | $5,476.00 | ||
Scope and pricing boundaries
Prepare and coat 18 kitchen cabinet doors and six drawer fronts, with frames finished in place. Existing boxes remain.
Outside this example: No cabinet replacement, internal box painting or countertop changes.
Separately identify supplier allowances, labor, subcontracted work and site-specific risk where they apply. Before giving a selling price, decide how your own overhead, profit and any applicable tax will be handled. Do not copy the fictional rates into a real quote without checking your own measurements and supplier or subcontractor figures.
Before you send the estimate
- Count fronts, exposed frame area and removable hardware; record the existing finish for adhesion preparation.
- Specify coating, color, primer and whether new hardware is included as separate choices.
- Label each front before removal and plan off-site or staged curing before rehang.
- Peeling laminate or oil contamination may require more preparation than the base allowance.
Read the complete kitchen cabinet painting PDF example to see how the scope, individual prices and exclusions appear in a client-facing document. If a condition is still unknown, write that boundary into your estimate and revise the affected line once it is resolved.
Questions about this estimate
Which quantity controls this kitchen cabinet painting estimate?
Count fronts, exposed frame area and removable hardware; record the existing finish for adhesion preparation.
When should this kitchen cabinet painting quote be revised?
Peeling laminate or oil contamination may require more preparation than the base allowance. No cabinet replacement, internal box painting or countertop changes.
TURN THIS EXAMPLE INTO YOUR OWN ESTIMATE
Build a kitchen cabinet painting estimate for your project
Use Estimates on iPhone or Android to draft a scope with AI assistance or enter each line yourself. Review quantities, rates, exclusions, and client details before exporting a PDF. The example is free to inspect; some app features may require an in-app purchase.
