Custom built-in cabinetry typically costs $3,000 to $15,000+ per unit in Southern California. A single bookcase, window seat or bank of mudroom lockers sits at the lower end, a media wall or office wall falls in the middle, and full closet systems or multi-wall libraries run to the top of the range or above it.
A single piece such as a bookcase, a window seat with storage or a small pantry unit typically runs $3,000 to $6,000 in paint-grade or veneer construction with standard hardware. A feature wall, like an entertainment center, a home office wall with a desk and upper storage, or cabinetry around a fireplace, usually costs $6,000 to $15,000. A full walk-in closet system, a dry bar with glass display, or a multi-wall library in solid hardwood with custom doors and lighting goes past $15,000.
Size is the biggest driver, since cost scales with how much wall the piece covers and how tall it runs. Material comes next: paint-grade MDF costs the least, hardwood-veneer plywood sits in the middle, and solid hardwood such as walnut costs the most. Raised panels, glass inserts and inset doors take more time than flat slab or Shaker doors. Soft-close hinges, full-extension slides, pull-outs and LED lighting add cost per opening, and matching an existing stain takes sample boards and extra shop time.
We work with existing outlets and walls, so plug-in LED lighting and hidden cord paths are part of the design. A bar with a sink or new hardwired circuits would need a permit and is outside the projects we take on, which is why we build dry bars. We keep our projects within the scope that does not require a building permit, and we tell you at the first visit if what you have in mind would need one. Every built-in is priced in a written estimate after a free in-home consultation and measure.
Answered by Legacy Construction & Design · CA License #790442 · October 2026