Cabinet install labor calculator: per linear foot, per box and extras
Put in the linear feet of base and wall cabinets, the number of tall cabinets and the extras the job needs, with your own rates. The calculator prices each line as quantity × rate, the way Cabinet Project keeps labor on a quote, and shows the same boxes priced per box so you can see which method this kitchen favors.
The quantities and rates filled in are examples to show the math, not a market average. Set yours from your own crew's hours. Nothing you type leaves this page.
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| Line | Qty | Rate | Total |
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Where the numbers come from
Linear feet are the widths of the boxes on a run divided by 12, base and wall counted apart. If you have the box list, the linear feet calculator adds them for you; if you only have wall lengths, it takes out the openings and the corners. Tall cabinets are priced each because an 84-inch pantry is one heavy box whatever its width.
Per linear foot pays the same for six wide boxes and eighteen narrow ones on the same run; per box pays three times more for the narrow run. The comparison line shows which way this job leans. The method is explained with a worked wall in pricing cabinet install labor by linear foot, by box, or both.
Tax on labor
Labor is untaxed unless you tick the box. Many states do not charge sales tax on installation stated separately on the invoice, some do. It is a default, not tax advice: confirm with your state's Department of Revenue. Cabinet Project uses the same default: each labor rate has its own taxable switch, and new US companies start with their state's base sales tax rate for the cabinets.
Labor on a real quote
In Cabinet Project each company keeps its own labor rates, by linear foot or each: base, wall, tall, per box, crown, filler, demo, haul and custom. They sit as their own lines next to the boxes, so the cabinet price stays list × multiplier and the homeowner sees what the install costs. The crew then gets the job on the install schedule, with the punch list on the phone. Built for installer crews, in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Questions
How much should I charge per linear foot to install cabinets?
There is no honest national number: it depends on your crew's hours, your area and the kitchen. Time a few of your own jobs, divide the labor cost by the linear feet, and add your margin. This calculator only does the math once you have your rates.
Is it better to charge per box or per linear foot?
Per linear foot is easier on a first visit; per box follows the number of units the crew hangs. Each underpays a different kind of kitchen, which is why the calculator shows both side by side.
Should crown molding be priced separately?
Yes. Crown, fillers and panels, demolition and haul-away are different work from setting boxes, so they read better on their own lines and can be dropped without repricing the rest.