Cabinet painting is its own trade. Someone who does beautiful walls may not have the spray equipment, the process or the coatings that cabinets need. A few conversations will tell you a lot.
Look at their cabinet work, specifically
Ask for photos of cabinet projects, ideally close-ups of door edges, inside corners and the flat panels in raking light. Brush marks, drips and rough edges show up in close-ups, not wide shots. Reviews that mention cabinets are worth more than general painting reviews.
Ask about their process
A good pro will happily walk you through it. Listen for:
- Doors and drawers removed and labeled
- Thorough degreasing before sanding
- A bonding primer, and a stain-blocking primer where needed
- A cabinet-grade topcoat, usually sprayed
- A clear plan for cure time before normal use
If the answer is "a couple of coats of good paint," keep looking. Our guide to what a quality job involves goes through each step.
Insurance and paperwork
Ask whether they carry liability insurance, and ask for a certificate. Requirements for contractor registration vary by state and city, so ask what applies where you live.
Get a written estimate that spells out what's included: which cabinets, both sides of doors or just the fronts, interiors, grain filling, new hardware holes, the products, and the timeline. That makes estimates comparable and avoids surprises.
Warranty
Ask what happens if the finish chips, peels or yellows, and for how long. A pro who stands behind the work will put that in writing.
Red flags
- No photos of cabinet work, only walls and exteriors
- Plans to paint without removing doors or cleaning first
- Can't tell you which primer and topcoat they use
- A price far below everyone else's without a clear reason
- A large deposit demanded before any schedule is set
Compare like with like
When estimates differ a lot, it's usually because the jobs differ: one includes door backs and interiors and the other doesn't, or one is sprayed in a shop and the other brushed on site. Ask each pro the same questions and the differences become clear.
Ready to talk to someone? Find a member near you.