We're a cabinet and joinery company, which means you'd expect us to say "always call a professional." We're not going to do that. Some cabinet repairs are genuinely straightforward DIY jobs. Others look simple and are not. The difference matters — because a DIY attempt that goes wrong often costs more to fix than the original repair would have.
Genuinely DIY-Friendly Repairs
These are repairs where a reasonably handy homeowner with the right tools and hardware can achieve a good result:
✓ Adjusting hinges
Modern soft-close hinges have three-way adjustment built in — up/down, left/right, and in/out. If your doors are slightly out of alignment, a Phillips screwdriver and five minutes is usually all it takes. YouTube has clear tutorials. This is the most common call-out we get that didn't need to be a call-out.
✓ Tightening loose handles and knobs
Handle screws loosen with use. The fix is a screwdriver, or if the thread is stripped, a slightly longer screw or a small amount of thread-locking compound. Hardware stores in Joburg stock everything you need.
✓ Replacing handles and knobs (same hole pattern)
If the new handle uses the same screw holes as the old one, this is a simple substitution. The complexity starts if you're changing from a single-hole to a two-hole handle — then you're drilling into cabinet doors, which requires care and the right drill bit.
✓ Lubricating sticky drawers
Old wooden drawer runners can often be fixed with a wax candle rubbed on the runner surface. Drawer runners with metal slides may just need the slide mechanism cleaned and a drop of silicone lubricant.
Where DIY Attempts Go Wrong
✕ Replacing soft-close hinges without matching specs
Soft-close hinges aren't universal. The opening angle, the cup diameter, the mounting plate dimensions — these need to match your existing setup or the door won't fit or function correctly. Buying the wrong hinges (very easy to do at a Builders or Hardware store without knowing what you're looking for) means buying them twice, and sometimes means damaged door holes that need filling before a professional can fit the right ones.
✕ Replacing drawer runners
Full-extension soft-close runners need to be sized correctly for the drawer box dimensions and load capacity. Installing runners that are too short, too long, or incorrectly mounted results in drawers that don't close properly or that fail quickly. Getting the drawer box square and level before fitting runners also requires patience and some carpentry knowledge.
✕ Fixing water-damaged base cabinets
Swollen melamine board can look like it just needs to dry out and be re-glued. Often the board has delaminated internally and will never properly reform. Attempting to glue and clamp damaged board usually results in a visible repair that fails again. Assessment by someone who knows what to look for is worth it before committing to a DIY fix.
✕ Colour-matching and painting cabinet doors
Matching melamine board colour is harder than it looks. The available stock colours at SA hardware chains are limited, and the colour depth and sheen of freshly painted MDF rarely matches aged melamine. A professional finisher can achieve better results, but it's genuinely difficult. We'd rather replace the door with a colour-matched new one than paint an old one and have it look worse.
The Simple Test
Before attempting a repair yourself, ask: "If I get this wrong, what does fixing the mistake cost?" For hinge adjustments, the answer is nothing — you just back out the screw. For replacing runners with the wrong size, the answer might be re-drilling and filling holes, which then needs to be invisible in a kitchen finish. For water-damaged base cabinets, it could be replacing the entire unit.
When the downside risk is significant, a call-out fee is cheap insurance. We charge a fair rate for a site visit and quote, and if it's genuinely a simple DIY fix we'll tell you so rather than charging you labour for something you can do yourself.