You don’t need finished plans or a designer’s drawing to get a cabinet quote. A few photos and some rough numbers are enough to get started, and the better you measure your kitchen for cabinets, the more accurate your first quote will be. Grab a tape measure and give yourself about 30 minutes.
What you’ll need
- A tape measure (a 25-foot one is easiest)
- Something to write on: paper, or the notes app on your phone
- A second person to hold the other end of the tape, if you can find one
How to measure your kitchen for cabinets
- Walls: Measure each wall that will get cabinets, from corner to corner. Take the number at about counter height, since that’s where it counts. A standard countertop sits about 36 inches off the floor.
- Ceiling height: Measure from floor to ceiling in two or three spots. Floors and ceilings aren’t always perfectly level, so a couple of readings help. Note any soffits or bulkheads too.
- Windows and doors: Write down the width including trim, how far each one is from the nearest corner, and how high the window sill sits off the floor.
- Appliances: Note the width of your fridge, range and dishwasher, and where each one sits now. If you’re replacing any of them, jot down the new sizes as well.
- Sink: Measure from the corner wall to the center of the sink.
- Everything else on the walls: Outlets, switches, vents, and any pipes coming through.
Quick tip: Measure each wall twice. If the two numbers don’t match, write both down. It usually means the walls are a little out of square, and that’s good for us to know early.
Take a few photos
Stand back and take a straight-on photo of each wall, then one of each corner. Get close-ups of anything odd, like a vent in a strange spot, an angled wall or a soffit. Photos often show us things a tape measure can’t.
Make a quick sketch
Draw the room from above, like a floor plan, and write your measurements on it. Neatness doesn’t count and it doesn’t need to be to scale. We just need to see where the walls, windows, doors and appliances are.
Ready to send your measurements?
Send photos and rough measurements for a free, no-obligation quote.
Do you need to measure your kitchen for cabinets perfectly?
No. Rough numbers are fine for a first quote. If you have a budget range in mind, tell us. It helps us point you to the right cabinet line from the start. Before anything gets ordered, we confirm all sizes and specs with you.
Have questions first? Our FAQ covers costs, lead times and installation, or you can see how a project works from start to finish on our Our Process page.
