If you have had kitchen cabinet refacing done, does it really cost less?

We just bought a new home, and the cabinets look dirty and dated. The structure is sound and drawers move beautifully. I want to update the look by either


1) buying new cabinets from Ikea (which was rated #4 by Consumer Reports)--any ideas about that?


2) Refacing the cabinets


Which one will cost less?


I do plan on buying special cabinets (1 or 2) to add to the existing ones to maximize storage.


Please help because I'm a first-time homeowner, and don't have a clue about this. I've spent 4 weeks just researching, and now my mimd is all muddled.

If you have had kitchen cabinet refacing done, does it really cost less?
It is a lot cheaper in most cases to reface cabinets over buying new. I'm not impressed with the quality of some of Ikea's cabinets. They do use quality glides and hinges, the Euro hinges are durable and long lasting. It is the construction and materials that are known to fail. If the construction of the existing cabinets sound, I would opt for refacing. See whether you can determine the manufacturer of your existing cabinetry. Woodmode, Kraftmaid, Thomasville, Walker Wood products and many other brands leave plates or burn in their names. If you have a quality brand, it is an investment. Some manufacturers carry different door styles (i.e. leaded glass, wood finishes) and drawer fronts that universally fit their bases. Some manufacturers have pop outs where the frame of the cabinet door (where the hinges are) has inserts attached that you remove and replace with other styles. Look on the backside of the doors, if you see little silver diamonds holding in the center section, you have a pop out. If you can find the manufacturer, you may have other options to update the look.
Reply:Refacing them would be the cheapest but if you want to add more you may have to get all new so that they all match. i would check out some places in your area and call and find some prices. its all about location. in middle america refacing is cheaper but it NYC or some thing the labor rate for refacing may be more expensive. but you could possibly sell the cabinets on craigslist or some thing and then buy from ikea. so many things to choose from. hope this helps !