Blog

  • Home >
  • Blog >
  • Should I Replace or Repaint My Cabinets in the Bay Area?

Should I Replace or Repaint My Cabinets in the Bay Area?

Should I Replace or Repaint My Cabinets in the Bay Area?

Remodeling or redecorating your kitchen usually involves some consideration of the cabinetry. You may find yourself scratching your head about whether to repaint your old cabinets, or just replace them altogether. Both options are attractive for different reasons, and weighing the pros and cons of each can be helpful.

Despite what some may say, replacing your cabinets with cheap cabinets will not boost your home value. Quality is important in this department. Its’ also important to note, that most cabinet sets only come with the cabinet part of the set. In other words, anticipate spending extra on the knobs, hinges, installation and handles. The installation process is also an expenditure, typically requiring filler strips (strips of rubber or wood) to ensure that the cabinets rest flush against your walls.

However, if you are interested in replacing old cabinets there are some cost cutting possibilities. The first that comes to mind is simple: don’t replace it, just reface it! Refacing can be a great solution for those who may be looking to just spruce a worn out looking set of cabinets. Reface the front and the sides with veneer upgrade the hardware and the crown molding, and they’ll look like new!

Another way to remodel without spending a hefty sum on brand new cabinets is to buy unfinished cabinet and do to the staining yourself. Yes, this DIY approach will greatly diminish costs--BUT it’s also important to bear in mind that if you’re unskilled and inexperienced in staining, the results may end up looking less than professional.

As far as painting goes, it’s almost guaranteed to be easier on the wallet. It’s certainly more affordable, but that doesn’t make it any less involved of a process. Repainting cabinets usually requires a lot more prep work than just popping the lid off of a can and dunking a roller. If the job is going to last and be beautiful, the cabinets must be cleaned, primed, sanded, painted, and finally finished with sealer. Without priming and sanding the paint will corrode and eventually chip away. Also, we at MB Jessee prefer to spray cabinets. This makes them look almost factory finished. This approach should only be handled by a professional painting company.

Another reason that painting can be a great option is that it gives you a great deal of control over coordinating the color and look with your home décor. However, if you’re interested in increasing the market value of your home, stick with neutral colors. All in all, if your present cabinets are solid wood and not in disrepair, painting instead of replacing may be the better choice value-wise.

Please contact MB Jessee if you think you could use assistance with your cabinet or kitchen projects! As well as being a fully outfitted painting company, we’re always available to help with painting ideas, and to give creative painting tips.

Request an Estimate

Serving the San Francisco Bay Area

Files must be an image (.jpg or .png). Limit 2 images.

Why People Hire Us

Fully Licensed and Insured

Fully Licensed and Insured

Clear Communication

Clear Communication

Peace of Mind

Peace of Mind

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

One-Stop Shop for Painting and Carpentry

One-Stop Shop for Painting and Carpentry

Experienced Oversight and Job Leadership

Experienced Oversight and Job Leadership

Our Credentials

Best of Oakland 2018 BBB American Society of Interior Designers ASID Leadsafe Certified Firm EPA NARI Member Nolan Summit Services Inc

Customer Reviews

“I highly recommend MB Jesse Painting to anyone looking for a professional team that does an impressive job. They are on time, efficient and clean up well each and every day they are on site. They pay attention to detail and listen to the needs of their clients. In addition, they give back to the community. A Five Star team all the way around.”

— Erin Troy

“The kitchen looks NEW! You guys are amazing.”

“Thank you for the support you have given the Women's Cancer Resource Center over the past year!”

— Margo - Director Women's Cancer Resource Center

“It was a great experience working with MB Jessee. The crew was careful and thorough as they painted the house, sealed stucco cracks, repaired dry-rotted wood, stained the deck, etc. Robert, Gersson, Jose, and all of the people involved in the process from the estimate to the job completion were friendly and professional.”

— Mike C.
Livermore, CA

“Dear Matt,You must be so proud of your men! They were fantastic to have around. Polite, courteous and hardworking. I am so pleased with the outcome of our home--in fact, I couldn't be any more pleased than I am!”

— Mrs. S
San Leandro

“MB Jessee just finished our exterior and we couldn't be happier with our experience. The foreman (Pedro) and lead painter (Ricardo) were incredible to work with: they communicated scheduling clearly, Ricardo was a joy to be around every day, the showed up early every day, were incredibly tidy and did great paint work. The final walkthrough experience was incredible. Pedro pointed out items I missed demonstrating a clear desire to complete another quality project. I highly recommend them. As others have noted they definitely aren't the cheapest but you quickly realize that you're getting what you pay for. The 3-year guarantee is also a nice touch since there are likely touch-up items that will show up after the job is done.”

— Joshua J.
Oakland, CA

“Just wanted to let you know that the crew was great to have around the house for the past two weeks. All three of them were professional, courteous, and attentive to my thoughts/concerns and were extremely knowledgeable. They paid great attention to the detail and it shows.”

— Mark & Roberta Gross

“Awesome work by highly experienced, professional painters. They were: Conscious about the amount of time it would take. Ours had a lot of pre-work and took 3 weeks. Accommodating when we added a few last-minute changes Understanding when a heatwave hit and we remove some of the plastic sheeting over windows, which they had to put back up the next day. Accessible, especially the on-site crew (Hi Jose & Victor!) -- always answering questions and checking in. The end result is a perfect paint job that makes our 94-year-old house look brand new. I would definitely hire MBJ again”

— Stacey R.
Oakland, CA

“The finish on my kitchen cabinets had failed, becoming tacky and grimy around the handles. M B Jessee gave me a reasonable quote, far below some others, and did an outstanding job, striping the original varnish and refinishing with a new lacquer finish. The cabinets look like new. Work was done 1 day faster than estimated. The crew was extremely hard-working, considerate, and neat. Highly recommend M B Jessee.”

— Thama B.
San Francisco, CA

“In September, MBJessee finished painting two sides of our 3-story condominium building (six owners). We were impressed by the professionalism of the company and every one of its workers, Matt Jessee couldn't have been more helpful in planning the project. His painters were well-trained, easy to communicate with and eager to please. In addition to painting the stucco, they made extensive repairs on windows and frames, which will save us considerable money in the future. They finished earlier than anticipated, with as many as five men working on the job, and the scaffolding came down the next day. All of us were delighted with the results. Now my husband and I are looking forward to having MB Jessee paint our own apartment later this month. Matt and Gustavo (who will be our crew leader again) have explained how they will work to make the painting proceed smoothly while we're living here, and they have been endlessly patient with our protracted decision-making process. If you look at their website, you'll learn that MB Jessee is an exemplary company that takes good care of its workers as well as its customers, and contributes public service projects to the community. All in all, we can't recommend MB Jessee highly enough.”

— Jayne W.
San Francisco, CA

“Matt, We are very happy with how all of the painting worked out. We were extremely impressed with the quality of the work in the bathroom. I liked working with Victor, he and Marvin were extremely conscientious about doing a great job, not just the minimum. I know the front door took a lot longer than you'd expected. But they did it PERFECTLY. We never thought it could turn out like that! Thanks again for the great work. We'll be calling you again in the future!”

— Craig
Alameda, CA

“The people at M.B. Jessee are great – from the painters to the office staff to Matt. Talk about leadership from the top.”

— Kevin Ames, Mark Becker Homes