Kitchen cabinet refinishing cost in Luxembourg (2026)

A €1 400 net project at TVA 17 % lands at €1 638 all-in; the same project under the TVA 3 % super-reduced regime for a primary-residence renovation lands at €1 442 — always compare on the TTC figure because painters quote net by default.

What drives the per-front cost:

• Lacquer system — water-based at €25–€35/front versus 2K polyurethane at €40–€60/front for the same coat thickness. 2K is mandatory for a kitchen — water-based alone will not stand up to five years of cleaning agents, fingerprints and splashes.
• Colour count — a two-colour split (wall units one tone, base units another) adds €120–€200 over a single-colour scheme because the workshop runs a full masking cycle twice.
• Sheen level — matt or satin is the default; a high-gloss finish requires extra coats and polishing at +15–25 % over standard
• Heavily worn fronts — deep scratches, water swelling at edges, old varnish in poor condition all add prep hours; a realistic project file expects €80–€180 of incidental prep on a ten-year-old kitchen

The threefold spread from entry-level to premium is driven by prep intensity, the lacquer system and the colour complexity.

The six drivers that matter:

• Workshop spray versus on-site brush. A workshop cycle — fronts removed, sprayed in a dust-free booth, cured for 24 hours between coats — is the professional default and the reason a 2K polyurethane lacquer can cure to a 2H-3H pencil hardness. On-site brush painting of an installed kitchen is €300–€500 cheaper but will not survive three years of daily cleaning.
• Number of coats. Two coats is the minimum for a kitchen; three coats (primer + two top coats) is the quality standard and adds €80–€140 on a medium kitchen.
• Front material. Melamine needs a specific bonding primer at €6–€10/front extra. Solid wood accepts paint cleanly. MDF is the easiest substrate. Previously lacquered wood needs full de-gloss at €4–€8/front.
• Colour change magnitude. White-to-white touch-up is straightforward. Dark oak to light grey requires extra primer to hide wood tannin bleed and a third coat — €200–€400 extra.
• Door removal and refit. Mechanical labour (screw out 28 doors, number them, rehang with shim adjustment) is included. Replacing worn hinges while fronts are off is a logical side-order at €120–€220 extra on a 28-front kitchen.
• Colour-match sample board. A pre-production A4 sample in the exact lacquer on the exact substrate — under €50 — is worth paying for. Trying to colour-match later costs multiples.

A tight scope is the single best predictor of a clean result. Read it line by line before signing.

Included in a typical €1 200–€1 700 refinishing quote:

• Removal of doors, drawer fronts and visible end panels to the workshop
• Degreasing with a proprietary kitchen-grease remover
• Sanding to the correct grit for the substrate
• Minor filling of dings, dents and small screw-hole errors
• Two-component polyurethane primer
• Two top coats of 2K polyurethane lacquer in the agreed RAL
• Oven-cured between coats (or temperature-controlled drying for 24 hours)
• Reinstallation at the client's home with hinge re-adjustment
• Written care instructions (no abrasive cleaners, no silicone polish, no 40 °C water on the fronts)

Usually not included — expect a separate line:

• New hinges or drawer runners — €120–€220 on a medium kitchen
• New handles — €80–€240 depending on brand and quantity
• Carcase front-frame repaint (visible edges on open-front cabinets) — €90–€180
• Replacement of a front that is beyond refinishing — swollen melamine, deep water damage — €80–€160/front to swap a single door
• Touch-up visit at 6 months for chip or scuff — €80–€120
• Cooktop or sink reseal disturbed during removal — €60–€100

Red flags in a quote:

• No mention of a two-component (2K) system — water-based household paints will peel at six to twelve months
• No workshop spraying — brush-on-site cannot match workshop finish
• One-coat-only headline price — two coats minimum is the kitchen standard
• No drying / curing time between coats — rushed cures fail at year one

Three paths lead to a visually fresh kitchen. Refinishing is the fastest and cheapest — but not always the right call.

Refinishing wins when:

• The existing fronts are solid wood, veneered ply or good-condition MDF — substrates that take paint cleanly
• The kitchen layout works and the household is not planning to move appliances
• The budget ceiling is €2 000–€2 500 and the household accepts a medium-term fix
• Light-to-light or similar-to-similar colour changes — no dramatic tone swap

Refacing wins when:

• The existing fronts are melamine or heavily damaged — paint will not save them
• The household wants a new-kitchen lifespan (12+ years) without the full investment
• An integrated-handle or push-to-open profile is required — you cannot refinish a profile into an existing flat slab

Replacement wins when:

• Carcases are chipboard that has swollen from a leak
• The layout is genuinely wrong — hob next to fridge, no prep triangle, awkward circulation
• Appliances are 15+ years old and worth swapping in the same project
• A wall is coming down to open to the living room — the services have to move anyway

The decision heuristic in one line: if fronts are in good condition and layout works, refinishing is the best value. If fronts are damaged but carcases are fine, reface. If carcases are failing or the layout is wrong, replace.

Cabinet refinishing on a primary residence qualifies for the 3 % super-reduced TVA rate via the logement.lu mechanism, provided the application is filed before works start. On a €1 400 project the difference between 17 % and 3 % is €196 — not negotiable, not a rounding error.

Rate in practice:

• Refinishing in a principal residence owned and occupied by the household, property older than 20 years or held for more than two years: eligible for TVA 3 % after prior approval from the Administration de l'enregistrement
• Refinishing in a rental property or second home: TVA 17 %
• Refinishing on a commercial kitchen (restaurant, canteen): TVA 17 %
• Refinishing on a new-build under 2 years old: TVA 17 % (outside the renovation window)

What the household must do:

1. File the request for the super-reduced rate with the Administration de l'enregistrement before the works start — 3 to 6 weeks' lead time
2. Supply the Autorisation d'établissement number of the painter and a signed quote
3. The painter invoices directly at 3 %, not 17 % reclaimed later

What a compliant invoice must show:

• Net amount per line
• TVA line at 3 % with the logement.lu approval reference
• Painter's TVA number and Autorisation d'établissement
• Description: "peinture façades de cuisine, résidence principale"

The application is free. If the painter refuses to bill at 3 %, that tells you something about whether they handle renovation paperwork on any recurring basis — worth asking.

Refinishing quotes look superficially similar — "paint the kitchen fronts" — but the finish lifespan can easily vary by a factor of three between bidders.

The six checks that matter:

• Lacquer system. Insist on 2K polyurethane for kitchen work. A bidder who quotes "Farrow & Ball cupboard paint" or any one-component water-based product is not pricing a kitchen-grade finish.
• Workshop versus on-site. The quote should explicitly state that doors are removed and sprayed in a dust-free booth. Brush-on-site in a live kitchen is a red flag.
• Number of coats. Primer + two top coats is the minimum. Three-coat systems (primer + two + clear) on high-gloss finishes are standard.
• Sample board before production. A paid A4 sample in the exact system is worth €30–€50. Without it, colour-matching is a guess.
• Warranty length. Three to five years on the finish is a reasonable declared-painter warranty. Anything under two years is a signal.
• TVA position and regime. All three on net, all three on brutto. If one quotes 3 % and two quote 17 %, confirm everyone knows which regime applies.

A clean briefing pack:

• Front count and visible dimensions
• Target RAL or NCS reference (or at least a physical sample to match)
• Sheen level (matt / satin / semi-gloss / gloss)
• Whether new hardware is in scope
• TVA 3 % or 17 %
• Desired workshop window and reinstall date

What to expect from a live workshop visit:

• A visible compressor-driven spray booth
• Dust extraction
• Temperature and humidity controlled to lacquer spec
• Drying racks for 24-hour inter-coat cycles
• A test board in the exact RAL you are about to commit to

Providers quoting on the same pack typically land within ±15 % of each other. A bigger gap traces back to one bidder pricing in a different lacquer system or skipping workshop cycle — ask before signing.