A tired kitchen has three ways forward: respray what's there, replace the doors, or rip it out and start again. They differ in price by a factor of ten, and the right answer depends on what your existing kitchen is made of, not just your budget. This guide compares all three honestly — the same advice we give on painting and decorating survey visits across South Bucks.
Realistic ranges for a typical 10–15 unit kitchen in the Gerrards Cross, Beaconsfield and High Wycombe area:
| Option | Typical Range | Disruption |
|---|---|---|
| Respray existing doors & units | £1,500 – £3,500 | 3 – 5 days, kitchen stays usable |
| Replacement doors on existing carcasses | £2,500 – £6,000 | 2 – 4 days once doors arrive |
| Full new kitchen (mid-range, fitted) | £12,000 – £25,000+ | 2 – 4 weeks without a kitchen |
The pattern is clear: a respray typically costs 15–25% of an equivalent new kitchen, and replacement doors sit in between. The catch is that each option only makes sense in the right circumstances — which is where the material of your existing doors comes in.
Done properly, very. A professional kitchen respray uses a two-pack (2K) polyurethane or catalysed lacquer system — the same chemistry class as factory finishes — applied over methodical preparation: every surface degreased (kitchen grease is the number-one cause of failure), abraded to give the primer a key, and primed with a dedicated adhesion primer before colour coats.
That preparation is the difference between a finish that shrugs off daily knocks and one that chips at the handles within months. It's also why a DIY brush-and-tin job on kitchen doors rarely lasts: domestic satinwood over a quick sand is not the same system. Cure time matters too — sprayed doors handle gently for the first days while the finish reaches full hardness, and we'll tell you exactly when normal service can resume.
Because doors are sprayed off site or in a fully masked area with extraction, the mess in your home is minimal — the same philosophy as the dustless sanding we use on woodwork preparation.
A typical respray sequence: survey and colour choice, then doors and drawer fronts removed and labelled on day one. Fronts are prepared and sprayed while frames, end panels and cornices are masked and finished in place. Refitting with adjusted hinges closes the job — usually three to five days in total, and the kitchen keeps working throughout because the carcasses, worktops and appliances never move.
Compare that with two to four weeks of takeaways during a full replacement and the appeal is obvious — a large part of why respraying has become the default first question in the family homes around Gerrards Cross. The honest caveat: a respray changes colour and finish, not geometry. New worktops, sinks or layout changes push you toward the replacement options, and a survey visit will tell you quickly which side of the line your kitchen sits on.
Dan surveys the kitchen, tells you straight whether it's a respray candidate, and quotes in writing — see the full painting & decorating service for what's included.