Start with the finished door area
A price per square foot needs the width and height of the actual door or drawer front. The cabinet opening is a different measurement: overlay, inset clearances and the selected hardware can change the size you order. Confirm the finished dimensions before entering them.
Area in square feet = width × height ÷ 144
For an 18-inch-wide, 30-inch-high door: 18 × 30 ÷ 144 = 3.75 square feet.
For millimeters, first divide each dimension by 25.4 to convert to inches, then use the same formula. A 457.2 × 762 mm door has the same area as the 18 × 30 inch example. Select the correct unit in the builder; avoid putting inches in a millimeter field.
A worked example with illustrative rates
DoorQuoteKit’s starting Shaker rate is $10 per square foot. The unfinished demo finish uses a multiplier of 1 and a $7 charge per piece. These values demonstrate the calculation; they are not a market-price survey or an offer to supply cabinet doors.
| Step | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Area of one door | 18 × 30 ÷ 144 | 3.75 sq ft |
| Area charge per door | 3.75 × $10 × 1 | $37.50 |
| Per-piece charge | $37.50 + $7 | $44.50 |
| Four-door subtotal | $44.50 × 4 | $178.00 |
| Minimum adjustment | $350 − $178 | $172.00 |
| Estimated order total | $178 + $172 | $350.00 |
The $350 demo minimum applies once to the complete unfinished order, rather than separately to each row. Other sizes in that same order contribute to the subtotal before the adjustment is calculated. The builder rounds each per-piece price to cents before multiplying it by quantity.
Which inputs change the price?
- Finished width and height: changing either dimension changes the area.
- Quantity: counts physical pieces; a pair of doors is two pieces.
- Style: each configured style has its own square-foot rate.
- Finish: the chosen finish supplies the multiplier, per-piece fee and order minimum.
The demo uses one finish for the order and lets you choose a style for each row. If a supplier quotes different materials, thicknesses, edge profiles, size surcharges or other rules, ask whether those requirements fit the configured calculator. Do not assume a simple area rate includes every option.
Compare the whole estimate
A lower square-foot rate can still produce a higher final quote when fees or minimums differ. Give each workshop the same finished dimensions, quantities, style, material and finish specification. Ask for line prices and a separate explanation of any minimum adjustment.
DoorQuoteKit does not add shipping, tax, hinges, hinge boring, installation or other hardware. Confirm those costs, production limits and lead times with the supplier. Its estimate becomes an order only after that supplier accepts the measurements and final pricing.
Keep a useful measurement record
Enter your rows or paste a spreadsheet into the free builder. Inches accept decimals and mixed fractions such as 18 1/2; millimeters use decimals. Label each location so two similar fronts do not get confused. Export CSV or print to PDF for supplier review. A saved quote file reopens with the calculator’s current rates, so keep a PDF when you need a record of an earlier estimate.
Workshop owners can configure their approved pricing and request a customer widget for their own website. The installation service is separate from the cost of cabinet doors: see the $349 workshop setup and its included scope.
For workshop owners: learn how to add a cabinet-door quote calculator to your website, using your approved prices.