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How much to remove built ins?

E B
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago

Just closed on a house that has built ins with glass shelves and some kind of metal or laminate doors. They are white but very discolored. They are not at all our style, and we are getting quotes to paint them for several thousands. I'd rather just get rid of them but have no idea how to do that. Who does that kind of work? How much should it cost?


This is the only picture I have currently - from the listing so not my stuff and more flattering than they appear in person. There is a wood base that attach them to the wall but then the doors appear to be this metal or laminate material.



Edited to add: It is my first time posting here, so apologies if this is the wrong topic area.

Featured Answer
  • PRO
    Michelle Scott for Ethan Allen - Laguna Niguel, CA
    2 years ago

    If the flooring under the cabinet is different/non existent, then you could get new doors and face frames for the base units - remove the upper units, add a top - and have some nice storage space in that room. If that's your television wall, having the run of cabinetry there with different doors will give you space for electronics, and other things. If the flooring goes all the way under the cabinetry - then have them removed. You will have to repair the drywall - but then you aren't trying to make something that doesn't work fit in with your things.

    Comments (30)

    • jck910
      2 years ago

      Pricing depends on location. Post a picture maybe someone on here can tell how they are installed on give you better advice

    • E B
      Original Author
      2 years ago

      Thank you. Just added photo.

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    • shirlpp
      2 years ago

      I assume that you want to remove the doors and glass and bring it back to a blank wall?


    • E B
      Original Author
      2 years ago

      Yes, just restore it a "regular" wall.

    • shirlpp
      2 years ago

      From the photo the unit looks shallow. IMO a handyman who works with doors, trim and electric should be able to do the job. I was on a site today looking for a handyman and 2 wanted $50.00 per hour and another wanted $150.00 per hour - go figure.

      E B thanked shirlpp
    • houssaon
      2 years ago
      last modified: 2 years ago

      How handy are you? You could take the doors off by unscrewing the hinges, The shelves should be easy to remove. Carefully pry the molding off. Then brake down the boxes. You might have to have the drywall repaired.

      Maybe once you take the doors off, you can use the units as bookcases.

      E B thanked houssaon
    • Mama Cita
      2 years ago

      Keep n mind that the flooring underneath will need to be addressed.

      E B thanked Mama Cita
    • kudzu9
      2 years ago

      Agree with Mama Cita: you could find a different tone in the floor under the cabinets as the finish -- if there is one -- has been protected from sun and wear for many years...or you could find no finish on the floor at all, or you could find only sub-flooring. Dismantling the cabinets is the easy part; dealing with the floor and the part of the ceiling that is now concealed will be harder. I'm not saying that you shouldn't do it, but don't be surprised at what you find.

      E B thanked kudzu9
    • FREDA HICKS
      2 years ago

      Maybe you could just remove the glass doors, replace glass shelves with wooden ones and paint the entire unit a color you like. What is inside of the middle section? Maybe you vould remove those doors and add a fireplace and TV. Pricing varies with the handyman/contractor, so get several quotes and referrals. Do what you can yourself and pay to have the rest done.

      E B thanked FREDA HICKS
    • Donald
      2 years ago

      What is your style? These seem really style unobtrusive except for the color which is easily changed.

      E B thanked Donald
    • E B
      Original Author
      2 years ago

      Really helpful comments. Thanks, everyone. To address some of the questions:

      - The base / sides appear to be wood but all the doors and inner cabinet walls (if thats sense) are some kind of metal or even hard plastic? Maybe some plywood in there. I can't tell, but it looks kind of cheap.

      - I wasn't sure if those materials listed above could even be painted. So far one painter quoted us 7K (!!!) to paint the whole thing and another said he wasn't "sure" if they could be painted (?)

      - The pic is flattering. I think leaving them as is is not a realistic option. Parts appear white, parts appear beigey / yellow.

    • E B
      Original Author
      2 years ago

      Oh, and all the floors need to be refinished anyway. They're in rough shape. So we're already paying to deal with that.

    • Candace
      2 years ago

      Plan on having to repair the drywall behind them - we recently had similar built ins removed and the drywall behind them ended up being a mess - plus there were outlets in the built ins that were either not needed, or in the wrong place that had to be fixed as well. In addition to the drywall and floor issues you may need an electrician to deal with any of those outlets (or to add new ones). It made such a huge difference for the better for us - so I would say yes, even if it does cost a couple thousand $

    • E B
      Original Author
      2 years ago

      It cost you a couple thousand to remove them and deal with all that?!

    • shirlpp
      2 years ago

      When are you moving in?

    • E B
      Original Author
      2 years ago

      Update: We found out that the base is solid wood, all the doors are formica, and the interior parts are a mix of wood and plywood. Any ideas on what that would mean for painting it? We are concerned that the different materials and different starting colors will result in an even worse appearance after being painted (planned color is dark green). Thanks for any input!

    • graywings123
      2 years ago

      $7K to paint it sounds like an estimate to make you go away. Some contractors do that.



    • shirlpp
      2 years ago

      They are not your style, but now you want to paint them dark green.

      I agree with graywinds123. I was given a quote over the phone, but when they sent the paperwork there was a difference. When I asked about it, they said 'oh we did not consider....'.

      I said next!

    • E B
      Original Author
      2 years ago

      Not sure about the tone here, but as I said from the beginning - we do not like them and have been exploring many ways of dealing with that and disguising them including painting or removing or painting some parts and replacing others. That's the "design dilemma."

    • kudzu9
      2 years ago

      I think this project mainly breaks down to two choices: 1) pay a lot of money to paint something you don't like, or 2) pay a lot of money to remove something you don't like and make repairs to what's left. I'm doubtful there is a cheap, esthetic project here.

      E B thanked kudzu9
    • Lyndee Lee
      2 years ago

      I would do some exploratory surgery to find out if the floor under the cabinets is the same material as the rest of the room. If so, I would pay up and have the units removed before the floors get refinished. If the flooring doesn't extend underneath the built in, then remove the formica doors and paint.

      E B thanked Lyndee Lee
    • FREDA HICKS
      2 years ago

      I would try painting the entire parts you want ti keep. If the inside (plywood) does not match the outside walls and shelves you can apply wallpaper or contact paper to the inside, or paint the color of your surrounding walls. You are just going to have to get a few more estimates and decide which option is best for you. EACH CONTRACTOR'S PRICE WILL BE DIFFERENT. If the contractor changes the price on you without you changing the plans, they are probably not the one ti use.

      E B thanked FREDA HICKS
    • E B
      Original Author
      2 years ago

      Thanks to you all for this recent round of helpful comments. We're having someone drill a small hole to scope out what is behind / underneath. If there is flooring, we will probably remove...as of now...but still not totally decided. The other issue is that this was clearly constructed when TVs were boxy and small not flat and wide, so it wouldn't accommodate a newer TV easily and not sure that can be easily fixed.

    • shirlpp
      2 years ago

      No tone intended..........Best Wishes!

    • Helen
      2 years ago

      What do you actually want to do with the wall once the unit is removed.


      Are you going to have a televison mounted on that wall?


      Wall treatments with storage and shelving can be both attractive and functional. The issue is that yours seems to be a product of the 1980's when they did a lot of furniture with that glossy "lacquer" formica and glass shelving. However you could replace it with something that reflected your stye as well as providing function.


      I am not understanding the issue - it's not going to be a $1000 project when everything is done. If you are refinishing the floor, that can be dealt with - worst case scenario is installing wood that feathers into the existing boards Demo is done all the time - drywal is replaced and repaired all the time - cabinet makers can build a custom unit or there are stores that provide semi-custom type of wall units in all kinds of styles.

    • btydrvn
      2 years ago

      Removing it all is the best option…no matter what it costs…anything less will just add another dilemma of how to make what is left useful or aesthetic..

    • btydrvn
      2 years ago

      Unless you are a collector of voluminous things that are meaningful and beautiful …filling the shelves will become a bigger more expensive project than removing it…add to that the room size may not warrant such a big piece as well

    • strategery
      2 years ago

      I would demolish those for free if you lived close by.

    • Steve Grimes
      2 years ago

      Not too difficult to remove them yourself. It shouldn't be difficult to take the doors, shelves out one at a time. Pry the mouldings off and then see whether the cabinets are screwed or nailed into support. Call a junk removal or hauling service to take them away.

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