Cabinet quotation that wins custom work
You buy the board before the first cut, so the deposit matters. List board and hardware, design, workshop hours and install, and take 40% before the wardrobe goes into production.
- Wardrobe sample: board, hardware, workshop and install lines
- LED lighting offered as an option the client can tick
- Free as Word, Excel or PDF, nothing to sign up for
What a cabinet maker quote template should list
This cabinet quotation is written for makers who design, cut, assemble and install custom work: wardrobes, vanities, laundry and media units. Board and hardware, design and measure, workshop manufacture and install each have a line, and internal lighting or extra drawers can be offered as options. Use it as a cabinet maker quote template in the browser or download Word, Excel or PDF.
Custom cabinets are made for one room and one customer, so the quote must fix the design before a single board is cut. Specify carcass and door materials, hardware, internal layout and finish, then separate design, manufacture and install so the customer sees where the money goes.
- Design and measureSite measure, drawings and one round of revisions, priced as its own line so it is paid even if the job stalls.
- Carcass materialMelamine faced board, plywood or MDF, with thickness and color. Say whether backs are full thickness or thin panels.
- Doors and frontsPainted MDF, veneer, laminate or thermoformed, with profile and sheen. This is often the biggest single price difference between two quotes.
- EdgingEdge band type and thickness on visible edges, since thin banding chips and the customer will notice.
- HardwareHinge type, drawer runners (full extension, soft close, load rating), hanging rails and handles by model.
- Internal layoutHanging space, shelves, drawers and accessories, drawn and counted.
- Workshop manufactureCNC or panel saw cutting, edging, drilling, assembly and spraying, by hours or as a fixed price.
- InstallDelivery, fixing to walls, scribing filler panels and adjusting doors on site. Trim and site joinery can go on a separate carpentry quote template.
- Deposit and sign offA deposit and a signed drawing before materials are ordered, because cut board has no resale value.
Sample cabinet quotation with example prices
The sample from Grainhouse Cabinets is a custom built in wardrobe for Farida Osman, 2.4 m wide with hanging space, drawers and soft close doors. Board, edging and hardware are one materials line at $1,650. Labor covers design and measure, 22 workshop hours and 6 install hours at $78. Internal LED lighting is an optional extra. The subtotal is $4,014 before tax with a 40% deposit. The figures are examples only.
| Item | Group | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board, edging and hardware | Materials | 1 set | $1,650.00 | $1,650.00 |
| Design and measure | Labor | 1 job | $180.00 | $180.00 |
| Workshop manufacture | Labor | 22 hrs | $78.00 | $1,716.00 |
| Install on site | Labor | 6 hrs | $78.00 | $468.00 |
| Internal LED lighting | Optional extras (optional) | 1 set | $260.00 | ($260.00) |
| Subtotal before tax | $4,014.00 | |||
| Optional extras, not in the total | $260.00 | |||
5 lines are filled in, from board, edging and hardware to internal led lighting. Put in your own cabinet making rates, then download the PDF.
How to price custom cabinets
Cabinet makers price from a cut list and a time estimate. Count the sheets the design needs after nesting, price hardware by the piece, estimate shop hours per cabinet, then add install. A rate per linear meter is useful for an early budget once you know your own averages.
- Materials plus shop hoursSheets from the cut list, hardware and edging, plus hours for cutting, edging, assembly and finishing. The accurate method for one off pieces.
- Per linear meter or footA rate per meter of base, tall or wall cabinets by finish level. Good for early budgets and for comparing kitchens and wardrobes of similar spec.
- Per cabinet boxA price per standard box size with add ons for drawers and accessories. Suits shops with a set product range.
- Supply onlyFlat packed or assembled cabinets without install, for builders and handy customers. State plainly that install and adjustments are not included.
Board and hardware make up a big share of a cabinet price, so the margin on them matters. The materials markup guide explains the options, and the markup calculator turns a target margin into a markup.
Worked example: costing a 2.4 m wardrobe
Here is a wardrobe the same width as the sample, costed from a cut list. Board prices, hardware and the hourly rate are examples.
- BoardThe nested cut list needs 7 sheets of 16 mm melamine at $88 ($616) and 2 sheets of 18 mm MDF for painted doors at $120 ($240): $856.
- Hardware and edging6 soft close hinges at $9 ($54), 4 pairs of drawer runners at $42 ($168), 8 handles at $12 ($96), hanging rails $40 and 40 m of edge banding at $1.20 ($48): $406.
- Materials with markupCost is $856 + $406 = $1,262. A 20% markup brings it to $1,514.40.
- Shop and install hours20 workshop hours and 6 install hours at $78: 26 x $78 = $2,028.
- Total and deposit$1,514.40 + $2,028 = $3,542.40 before tax. A 40% deposit is $1,416.96, enough to buy every material before cutting starts.
Painted doors take far more time than melamine, and a deep or tall unit may need extra sheets. Run the cut list again after every design change rather than nudging the old total.
Inclusions and exclusions for custom cabinetry
Usually included
- Site measure and shop drawings
- Manufacture to the signed drawing
- Delivery and install
- Door and drawer adjustment at handover
- Removal of packaging
Excluded unless priced
- Removing old wardrobes or cabinets
- Electrical work for lighting or outlets
- Wall, ceiling or floor repairs
- Painting walls around the cabinetry
- Changes after the drawing is signed
Cabinet quote mistakes
- Starting manufacture on a verbal okay, then remaking doors when the customer wanted a different profile.
- Pricing from the design area instead of a nested cut list, which misses waste on odd sized panels.
- Listing soft close without naming the runner and hinge, so a cheaper competitor looks identical.
- Forgetting filler panels and scribe strips for walls that are out of plumb.
- Quoting install hours for a ground floor room when the wardrobe is going up three flights of stairs.
- A small deposit on work that has no value to anyone else once it is cut.
Cabinet quotation questions
How do you write a cabinet quotation?
Measure the space, agree the design and materials, and produce a cut list. Price board, edging and hardware, add design time, workshop hours and install hours, then a deposit, lead time and valid until date. Attach the drawing and have it signed before ordering. The quote writing guide covers the page layout.
How do you put together a custom cabinets estimate?
Early on, multiply the linear meters of cabinetry by your rate for that finish level. Once the design is drawn, replace that figure with a quote built from the cut list and your hours. The estimate maker lets you send a low to high range first, then firm it up.
Why do cabinet makers ask for a large deposit?
Because the board, hardware and paint are bought for one design and cannot be reused. A deposit that covers materials means the maker is not carrying that cost if the customer walks away. The sample uses 40%. Check any local limits on deposits for home improvement work before you set yours.
What finish options should a cabinet quote list?
Name the carcass finish, the door finish and the sheen, for example white melamine carcasses with satin painted MDF doors. Veneer, laminate and thermoformed doors each change cost and lead time, so offer alternatives as optional lines rather than vague wording. Kitchen jobs follow the same logic on the kitchen renovation estimate.
How long is a cabinet quotation valid?
Fourteen to thirty days works for most custom jobs, since board and hardware prices move with supplier lists. If the customer takes longer to decide, update the materials line before accepting the job, and keep the original date visible so there is no argument. Templates for other trades are in the quote template library.
