Medicine Cabinet Install
Handis medicine cabinet install is the over-the-vanity mirror-and-storage swap in three variants from $250 surface-mount to $700 recessed with a quality cabinet — the upgrade that closes the storage gap above the bathroom sink without touching the vanity itself. The 1992 flush-mount mirror that everyone in the house has stopped using because the silvering is fogged. The 1996 surface-mount medicine cabinet that sticks 18 inches into the room and reads as bulky in a small bathroom. The clean recessed cabinet you saw in a Pacific Northwest home tour blog and decided your bathroom needed. Three install variants — surface-mount (the simple swap, no wall cutting), recessed into the stud cavity (the framed-in install that sits flush with the drywall for the built-in look), and recessed with a hardwired LED light bar (recessed install plus the licensed electrician for any new circuit). Total install time runs 1 hour for a surface-mount swap to a full day for a recessed install with drywall patch.
Service
What Does a Medicine Cabinet Install Include?
Medicine cabinet installation is the over-the-vanity mirror-and-storage upgrade in three variants — surface-mount on the existing wall (the simple swap with no wall cutting), recessed framed into the stud cavity between two studs (flush with the drywall for the built-in look), and recessed with a hardwired LED light bar (recessed plus a licensed electrician for any new circuit) — from $250 for a surface-mount swap to $700 for a recessed install with a quality cabinet and drywall patch. The work breaks into the three install variants, plus the shared steps every variant gets — cabinet centered on the vanity below, leveled with a 4-foot reference, anchored into stud or rated toggle.
Variant 1 — Surface-Mount on the Existing Wall
The simple swap. The new medicine cabinet hangs on the existing wall with no wall cutting — you replace a flat mirror or an older surface-mount cabinet with a new one. We locate the studs behind the wall with a stud finder, hang the cabinet on a French cleat or directly into the studs with rated lag screws where the studs land, or use rated heavy-duty toggles (Toggler Snaptoggle 75-lb minimum) where the studs do not align with the cabinet's hang rail. Total install 1 to 2 hours. From $250.
Variant 2 — Recessed Into the Stud Cavity
The framed-in install. We locate the studs behind the existing wall, cut a clean drywall opening between two studs at the cabinet width plus 1/8-inch reveal on each side, build a wood box from 1x6 pine or poplar stock that fits between the studs at the cabinet's depth, set the box plumb and level, mount the cabinet inside the box with stud-anchored screws, and patch the drywall back in around the cabinet with three-coat joint compound and a feather-sand transition. The cabinet sits flush with the drywall on every side and the patch is invisible after paint. Total install 4 to 6 hours including drywall patch time. From $450.
Variant 3 — Recessed with a Hardwired LED Light Bar
The recessed install plus a hardwired LED light bar — either a top-mounted LED above the cabinet or an integrated LED on the inside of the cabinet that lights the mirror face. The hardwired light bar requires a 120V circuit at the cabinet location. If the bathroom already has a wall-circuit junction box where the cabinet will go (a common setup if the existing vanity has a wall-mounted light fixture above it), the existing circuit feeds the new light bar and the install fits in handyman scope. If there is no existing circuit and a new one has to be pulled in from the bathroom panel, the new electrical routes to a licensed Washington L&I electrician on a coordinated subcontract. From $700 with quality cabinet and the existing-circuit path.
Stud Cavity Check — Why We Confirm Before Cutting
A recessed cabinet only fits if the wall has a clear stud cavity at the install location with no in-wall obstructions — no plumbing supply lines on the wet wall, no ductwork in the cavity, no horizontal blocking row at the cabinet height. We do a stud-and-cavity check on the booking call (a photo of the wall plus a measurement to the nearest plumbing fixture is usually enough) and a final verification on arrival with a stud finder and a thin pilot hole before any drywall is cut. If the cavity is occupied (a plumbing supply, a vent stack, an HVAC duct), we route the install to a surface-mount variant or relocate the cabinet to a clear stud bay.
Centered to the Vanity Below, Leveled to a Cross-Reference
Every medicine cabinet — surface-mount or recessed — centers horizontally on the sink below and levels to a single horizontal reference line snapped on the wall (laser or chalk). The cabinet bottom typically sits 6 to 10 inches above the countertop, with the exact height confirmed against the homeowner's preferred reach. On a double-vanity install, two medicine cabinets level to the same horizontal reference and center over each sink — the matched-pair look that reads as intentional instead of accidental.
How a Medicine Cabinet Install Works
Five sequential steps from cabinet dimension confirmation through final paint touch-up — covering the surface-mount and recessed paths on every Handis install.
Confirm Cabinet Dimensions and Stud Cavity on the Booking Call
We confirm the cabinet width, height, and depth, the install variant (surface-mount, recessed, or recessed with LED), and verify the wall has a clear stud cavity at the install location. Photo of the wall plus a measurement to the nearest plumbing fixture is usually enough. If the cavity may be obstructed (plumbing wet wall, vent stack), we plan for a surface-mount fallback before arrival.
Locate Studs, Mark the Install Position, Center on Vanity
Stud finder run across the wall to confirm the stud locations match the cabinet width on a recessed install. Horizontal reference line snapped on the wall (laser or chalk) for the cabinet bottom. Cabinet centered horizontally on the sink below. Mark the perimeter for a recessed cut.
Surface-Mount Install — Hang on Cleat or Stud-Anchored Lags
Surface-mount variant only. French cleat installed on the wall stud-anchored with lag screws, or direct stud-anchored mounting with the cabinet's built-in hang rail. Where studs do not line up with the rail, rated heavy-duty toggles (Toggler Snaptoggle 75-lb minimum) at the rail. Cabinet hung, leveled, and verified plumb. 1 to 2 hour install.
Recessed Install — Cut Drywall, Frame Box, Set Cabinet Plumb
Recessed variant. Clean drywall cut at the cabinet width plus 1/8 reveal on each side, between two confirmed-clear studs. Wood box built from 1x6 pine or poplar stock sized to the cabinet's depth, fitted between the studs, secured to the stud edges with finish screws. Cabinet set inside the box, plumb and level, anchored to the box with finish screws.
Patch Drywall, Feather-Sand, Paint Touch-Up
Recessed install only. Three-coat joint compound on the drywall transition around the cabinet — first coat to fill, second coat to feather, third coat to flatten. Feather-sand transition with 220-grit between coats. Final paint touch-up from your existing bathroom wall paint (if available) or a color-matched primer and topcoat we mix on site. Cabinet face sits flush with the drywall, the patch is invisible after paint.
Medicine Cabinet Install Pricing
Final pricing depends on the install variant, the cabinet brand and finish, whether the recessed install requires routing around in-wall obstructions, and whether a new electrical circuit is needed for a hardwired LED variant. Cabinet supplied by the homeowner. Request a free estimate for an accurate quote.
Send us a photo of the wall and the cabinet spec — we will confirm surface-mount or recessed and quote the install before booking.
Why Handis for Medicine Cabinet Installs
Most medicine cabinet installs we field are surface-mount swaps that the homeowner could technically do in an afternoon — and many do. The recessed install is a different job entirely. Cutting drywall between two studs, framing in a wood box that holds the cabinet plumb against an out-of-plumb wall, patching the drywall back in with a three-coat mud that feathers invisibly, color-matching the paint touch-up — those are the steps that separate a recessed cabinet that reads as built-in from one that reads as cut in. We have framed enough cabinet cavities to know exactly where the wet-wall plumbing usually sits, where the vent stack runs in a typical Pacific Northwest framed wall, and how to plan the cut so the patch is invisible. The surface-mount variant exists for the bathrooms that do not need or do not warrant the recessed look; the recessed variant exists for the bathrooms that do.
Stud-cavity check before any drywall is cut
A recessed install only works if the stud cavity is clear — no in-wall plumbing supply on a wet wall, no vent stack in the cavity, no horizontal blocking at the cabinet height. We check on the booking call with a wall photo and a measurement to the nearest plumbing fixture, then verify on arrival with a stud finder and a thin pilot hole before any drywall cut. If the cavity is occupied, we surface the issue immediately and route to a surface-mount variant or a different wall location.
Box framed in 1x6 stock — cabinet plumb against an out-of-plumb wall
A wood box built from 1x6 pine or poplar stock fits between the studs at the cabinet's depth, holds the cabinet plumb on every side, and gives the drywall patch a clean substrate to die into. The cabinet anchors to the box with finish screws (not directly to the drywall or to the stud, which is usually slightly off-square at the cavity edge). The box does the work of holding the cabinet square in a wall that is not.
Three-coat mud, feather-sanded, invisible after paint
Drywall patches around a recessed cabinet get three coats of joint compound — first to fill, second to feather, third to flatten — with 220-grit feather sanding between coats. The transition from new patch to existing drywall fades over a 6 to 8 inch zone on every side. After primer and color-matched paint, the cut perimeter is invisible at conversational distance and hard to find under direct light.
Centered to the vanity below, leveled to a single reference
Every cabinet — surface-mount or recessed — centers horizontally on the sink below (or both sinks on a double-vanity install) and levels to a single horizontal reference snapped on the wall with a laser or chalk line. The cabinet bottom typically sits 6 to 10 inches above the countertop. The matched-pair look on a double vanity comes from leveling both cabinets to the same reference, not just individually plumb.
Heavy-duty anchors only — no wall plugs from the cabinet kit
Surface-mount and recessed cabinets both anchor into the stud whenever the stud is behind the install. Where the stud does not line up with the cabinet's hang rail or the recessed box, we use rated heavy-duty toggles (Toggler Snaptoggle 75-lb minimum) or stud-anchored lag screws into a French cleat — never the wall plugs that come in the cabinet hardware kit. Wall plugs in drywall hold a picture frame; they fail under a loaded medicine cabinet's weight within a year.
Insured, background-checked, 30-day workmanship guarantee
Every Handis tech carries liability insurance and has cleared a background screening before the first job. The 30-day workmanship guarantee covers our scope — cabinet hang, recessed box framing, drywall patch, and paint touch-up. If the cabinet loosens, the box pulls away from the studs, the drywall patch cracks at the transition, or the paint touch-up flashes a color mismatch within 30 days, we come back and fix it at no extra charge. The licensed-electrician portion (on any hardwired LED variant requiring a new circuit) carries the electrician's own L&I trade warranty on the circuit scope, named on the quote.
Estimate
Tell us the cabinet brand and dimensions (width, height, depth), the install variant you want (surface-mount, recessed, or recessed with LED light bar), and whether the wall already has an electrical circuit at the install location if you want a hardwired LED. Send a photo of the wall too — we use it to confirm the stud cavity is clear before booking. We send a clear estimate with the licensed-electrician portion called out separately if a new circuit is needed.
Customer Reviews
Medicine cabinet install reviews from real Handis customers.
Recessed medicine cabinet in our 1962 Bellevue split-level master. Old surface-mount stuck 18 inches into the room. The tech ran a stud finder, confirmed the cavity was clear, cut the drywall, framed the box from 1x6, set the cabinet plumb against a wall that was definitely not. Drywall patch on every side, paint touch-up the next morning. You cannot see the cut.
Simple surface-mount swap in our hall bath — old fogged mirror out, new mirrored cabinet from Pottery Barn in. The tech ran a French cleat into two studs, hung the cabinet, leveled it to the sink center below. 75 minutes total. Best $250 spent on this bathroom in years.
Recessed Robern cabinet with a hardwired LED light bar in our master. The existing wall already had an electrical junction box from the old vanity light, so the LED tied into that circuit — no electrician needed. Handis framed the cavity, set the cabinet, patched the drywall, color-matched our wall paint. Cabinet sits flush with the wall, LED lights up the mirror face like a magazine photo.
Double recessed install above our 66-inch double vanity — two recessed cabinets framed into two separate stud cavities, leveled to the same horizontal reference line so they read as a matched pair. The patches on every side are invisible after paint. Better-looking install than the contractor who did the rest of the bathroom.
We thought we wanted recessed in our 1929 Wallingford house but the wet-wall plumbing was right where the cavity would go. The tech caught it on the stud check before any drywall came out, recommended the surface-mount variant on a French cleat for the look we wanted, and the cabinet stands clean against the wall without sticking out as much as the old one. Honest call on the booking visit saved us money and a bad cut.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about bathroom medicine cabinet installation.