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"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn) 06/30/2016 at 10:22 • Filed to: None

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We are starting the process of getting our kitchen remodeled, and we contacted a contractor/designer to see if she could help. Her reply:

For a complete overhaul - removing soffits, putting in new cabinets, counters, flooring, appliances,plumbing fixtures, removing wallpaper and re-doing wall, new lighting,new countertops you’re looking at a ballpark of $45,000 to $55,000.

That’s 1/3 of what we paid for the entire house.

We will likely be getting the cabinets and counters from IKEA, so my thought now is to hire somebody to demo the kitchen, which includes removing the soffits over the cabinets and removing the wall over the bar at the kitchen entrance. Then get IKEA to install the cabinets and counters, get a plumber to hook up the appliances, and save the floor for last. I want to remove the popcorn on the ceiling, and I can scrape that and hire somebody to skim it. The light fixtures I can hang myself. My concern is being without a kitchen for days on end, but if I can get IKEA in right after the demo, then we should be good to go. Any thoughts, Oppo?

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:29

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Personally I like the way that kitchen looks. Why not just go for updated counter tops and appliances? It would be 1/20th the cost and be a world of difference.

Ditch the wallpaper, paint, get a nice back splash and if need be get new doors on the cabinets but those looks fine.

Ash78, voting early and often > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:29

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First, your kitchen doesn't look that bad. Some new quartz counters, more modern door hardware, and appliances ($5k - $8k?) would probably be all you'll need. It sounds like it's a $150k house, so I'd be a little reluctant to go too far with the remodel. If you're staying there 10+ more years and can make use of it, then maybe consider it. But anything less than that, I'd consider resale value above all — what do other houses in the area have?

vondon302 > Ash78, voting early and often 06/30/2016 at 10:31

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Ditto

PartyPooper2012 > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:32

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I can’t even begin to catch my breath at how many gasps I had reading your post

1) popcorn ceiling might have asbestos in it from back in the day. I would suggest having it tested before going in to scrape it off

2) demoing isn’t all that hard. You can demo it all in a weekend. Get a dumpster. Chuck it all.

3) The hard part is re-walling the whole thing... drywall, insulation, updating electrical, plumbing and any other crap that lives in the wall.

4) depending on the make and model of your floor, that too may have some asbestos in it. Be very careful with that stuff.

5) check with town people to see if they need any permits - insulation in some places needs to be inspected by building inspector for example. Demo sometimes needs permits. Dumpster may need permits depending if you leave it in the street or driveway.

6) Ikea isn’t the best stuff on earth. I would hate for you to get that installed and then a year or 3 later it bubbles up, laminate comes loose and you have to redo your kitchen. Cabinets arent super expensive. hanging them up and making them custom sized is.

I priced out my kitchen a while back. estimates came from 10k (shady carpenter) to 60K from some company that does this for a living. Those estimates did not include any of the plumbing, wiring or any excess that may be uncovered later.

Think about your floor for instance. are you sure its only 1 layer of linoleum. Could there be few? Whats under that? Do you need to re-do your subflooring.

All those things considered, you want a company that will do it well and quick... otherwise you will be without a kitchen for a LONG LONG TIME. You want someone who has people - electricians, plumbers, sheet rockers. all of them. otherwise, you’ll be left scrambling to find someone to do something original contractor doesn’t do

Good luck, pal

Jcarr > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:34

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My parents just did some work on their kitchen. It was remodeled in 1989 shortly after we moved in and hasn’t had much more than paint and some new vinyl floor since.

All they ended up doing this time was new paint, cleaning and refinishing the existing cabinet fronts (similar to yours), adding hardware to the cabinets, new vinyl tile flooring, a copperish tile backplash, and painting their countertops with a special paint. They did all the work themselves and it looks incredible.

R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:34

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loooool that contractor tax tho.

Good luck getting one worth a damn to do any work. Galley kitchens are tough to work in for everyone (owners, renovators, etc)

ttyymmnn > Ash78, voting early and often 06/30/2016 at 10:34

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Other houses are all over the map on interiors, but the neighborhood was built about 30 years ago and all the houses are of comparable size (covenants have ruled out anybody buying a home and razing it to rebuilt a McMansion). We’re not looking to make a showcase home, but we’re also sick of contractor’s grade apartment-level fixtures. The cabinets will be replaced, along with the countertops. That is non-negotiable. And we will likely be living here indefinitely. It’s a bit small for our family of 5 (1455 sq ft), but we make it work.

ttyymmnn > Jcarr 06/30/2016 at 10:35

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The cabinets and counters are non-negotiable. They’re old and they suck.

Ash78, voting early and often > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:38

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Thanks for the detail...that said, a down-to-studs kitchen remodel is rarely under $40k, which still sounds nutty to me. But if this is your “forever home” I think you should get a couple more quotes and pitch the idea of mixing some DIY in there, too (eg “How much if I handle the demolition myself?”). There’s no rule saying you can’t use multiple contractors or handymen. It’s a little more convenient to stick with one company, but if it saves you thousands of dollars, I’d just do it. Just set up a temporary kitchen in your EIK or dining room — like a couple hotplates and tables — in the interim! Don't forget to approach your bank, too. A lot of places do home renovation loans and you'll get a much better rate than with a credit card or other options. Also, most can be had with a fixed rate, unlike HELOCs.

DutchieDC2R > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:40

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Ive watched ‘Demolition’ (the movie) yesterday and if there’s one thing I’ve learned from that movie, it’s this: do the demo yourselves. There’s suposedly no better feeling than destroying stuff. Also, if you can make a skateboard out of the remaining Ikea parts, youve messed up. So far my advice.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:40

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My mom redid her kitchen about a year ago, granite counter tops, new appliances new custom cabinets etc... the existing floor was kept because it was nice. All told about $18,000. It is really nice and she had to do much of the design herself. There are many custom cabinet shops that will assist you with design, then they have like 4 levels of quality, then they build it to fit your kitchen, and they will fuck it up because the people who they send out don’t know how to measure. So if you have someone helping out with the design double or tripple check their measurements.

I’ve looked at Ikea stuff and it doesn’t seem to bad, certainly do a cost comparison.

ttyymmnn > PartyPooper2012 06/30/2016 at 10:41

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Thanks for the long answer.

1. No idea about the popcorn. House is ~30 years old. I know a guy in the neighborhood who did his ceilings. I can ask him.

2. I won’t be demolishing this myself.

3. I’m going to hire somebody to do the drywall.

4. No idea about the floor, but I think it’s original and is laid down on concrete slab.

5. My understanding from others who have done similar projects is that no permits are required as long as plumbing/electrical is left in place. We are not moving any appliances, and new ones will take the place of old.

6. I would hate that too.

I’m torn between hiring a contractor and trying to get this done myself. I have a good friend who did this same process to two homes (he lives in one, rents the other), and can offer guidance. He did much of the work himself, though.

Thanks again.

ttyymmnn > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 06/30/2016 at 10:42

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Cabinets are crap, and replacing them is non-negotiable. Backsplash and countertops are one continuous sheet of whatever-the-stuff-is that is glued to the wall. That will have to get ripped off.

PartyPooper2012 > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:43

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hanging cabinets isn’t hard. demoing isnt hard. none of it is hard.

hard part is getting it to line up :)

ttyymmnn > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 06/30/2016 at 10:43

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We had Sears price out a kitchen a couple of years ago and it was in the same price range.

Jcarr > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:44

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Check out our kitchen. Built in 1959, lived in by the original owners until we bought it in 2013. We’re still a few years away from being able to afford a gut and remodel.

We have redone some of the bedrooms, though.

ttyymmnn > DutchieDC2R 06/30/2016 at 10:44

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I will not be assembling the cabinets, or hanging them, myself. I’ll let somebody on their payroll screw them up so I don’t have to pay to replace them.

Pixel > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:47

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Looking at the kitchen layout, I’d consider swapping the location of the fridge & the counter beside it. Then that counter won’t be hemmed in on both sides by big “monoliths” that block light & movement, and the kitchen will feel a big bigger & brighter as more light will get in from that angle.

ttyymmnn > Ash78, voting early and often 06/30/2016 at 10:48

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We’re going to be paying for this with money from my wife’s inheritance. Not that we have tons, but I think we can do this without financing (hopefully). I have no experience with this sort of thing, but my take is that getting a contractor means that they coordinate all aspects of the job so you don’t have to. Theoretically, this means that the job gets done as quickly as possible. But I’ve heard plenty of horror stories. My thinking is that if I can get the demo and install done as close together as possible, then the rest of the cosmetic stuff can be done at a more relaxed pace, though we hope to have this done by Dec. 1.

BorkBorkBjork > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:48

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I’m in the middle of home renovations, so I have a little advice.

#1: Do all the demo yourself. It is easy, kinda fun, and saves you a shit ton. You could get that whole kitchen ripped out in a day. Popcorn ceilings are just as easy, and you can typically find/rent a removal tool that attaches to a shop vac at your local Home Depot.

#2: When you hire a General Contractor, they rarely do all the specialty work themselves. Cabinets, countertops, and usually plumbing are done by separate companies. Of course, there is a markup attached to that. By getting quotes directly from cabinet companies, stone companies, and just regular plumbers you can save thousands.

#3: Find individual craftsman to make your cabinets for you. Going with a big name, like Kraftmaid, will cost nearly 5X (or more) what a custom cabinet maker will charge.

This all depends on what your time is worth to you. Doing it with a general contractor will save you time, but doing it piecemeal will save you money. Pick your poison

ttyymmnn > Pixel 06/30/2016 at 10:49

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Now that’s something I hadn’t thought of, and I like that idea. A lot.

cazzyodo > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:49

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My buddy finally got around to doing his kitchen...he did it all himself but it literally took him almost a year because of life.

They did IKEA cabinets and counters. IKEA installed the counters and lower cabinets then they hung the rest themselves. He scraped the popcorn ceiling and did some sort of crazy intricate roof. Tiled himself as well. Looks great but my GOD it was involved.

Pick and choose your battles. In some cases it obviously makes sense to pay someone but you can save some coin if you feel competent enough in certain areas.

ttyymmnn > Jcarr 06/30/2016 at 10:51

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Dat carpet doe! Awesome! Those look like all-wood cabinets. Ours have particle board floors and are sagging, the corners don’t line up. Basically, they are shit and always have been. They are gone. That HW floor looks great, though.

ttyymmnn > PartyPooper2012 06/30/2016 at 10:51

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Right. Which is why, if I pay somebody else to do it, it’s their responsibility not mine. I’m willing to pay for that.

ttyymmnn > BorkBorkBjork 06/30/2016 at 10:54

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Thanks for the reply. I will likely do it piecemeal myself, though I’m not done looking for a contractor. I’m on our neighborhood message board, and there are numerous craftsmen who live in the neighborhood, along with a retired handyman could help with, or at least advise on, the demo. That’s the direction I’m leaning now. Though if I do it myself, I wish I had started a month ago. Doing it in the fall will be harder, but perhaps tradesmen won’t be as busy then.

Jcarr > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:54

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Yeah, they built the house with incredible oak floors and immediately put carpet down. The downside was that they slathered glue everywhere so I scraped my ass off getting all of the pad up. The upside was that there was essentially brand new hardwood underneath. Never dinged, never sanded.

Meatcoma > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:55

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Demo is the best part to do yourself as it usually saves a ton of money. It’s also fun!

TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:55

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That’s not outrageous if you want a fully custom kitchen, from scratch. Sadly.

ttyymmnn > cazzyodo 06/30/2016 at 10:55

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I’m no handyman, but I can swing a sledge. Finished work will have to be done by somebody who knows what he’s doing.

ttyymmnn > TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! 06/30/2016 at 10:56

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There’s really nothing custom, though. Once the old kitchen is demo’d, the rest should be plug-and-play. It’s just the trade work I need help with.

cazzyodo > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:56

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Every bit adds up.

My buddy is pretty good at these things already, had the tools and wanted to learn. I’d like to think I’ll do the same some day but I need to factor in laziness.

Breaking stuff is fun, though.

The Dummy Gummy > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:57

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We designed our new kitchen and used home depot. The cabinets all have the soft close mechanism and you’d never know it was a box brand set up. Our cost was around $20-25k I believe (including all brand new appliances; which were a bit excessive [bosch dishwasher, wine fridge, double oven, floating hood, fridge with a reduced width, microwave]). I’d have to look at receipts on that number, but that would be the ballpark. Now it all depends on your location, but I’m in NJ which costs are near the highest so you can probably adjust down from that pending where you are. There is definitely an opportunity to save about $3-5k on appliances alone. I also had double the counter space you have in the picture so you could adjust down again for that. and all of our ‘floating’ cabinets on the wall have glass doors so again you could adjust down for that. One final cost was lighting under the floating cabinets.

TL;DR I paid $20-25k on a home, but you could definitely find opportunity in cost savings compared to my cost and pay half of what I paid.

ttyymmnn > Jcarr 06/30/2016 at 10:57

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It was a different era. Cheap carpet was new and wonderful. Now people want those HW floors. Did you refinish the floor yourselves?

Pixel > Jcarr 06/30/2016 at 10:58

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Check out http://retrorenovation.com/ , they love kitchens like yours. Even if you decide to rip it out people on the forums there might be interested in the cabinets(especially that glass one).

ttyymmnn > The Dummy Gummy 06/30/2016 at 10:59

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We’re in Austin. And we’re not planning to spend tons on appliances, though we are looking to upgrade the ones we have.

Thanks.

TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 10:59

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It is never plug and play.

The cabinets are ~20K.

The new appliances are ~8-10K

New flooring is 2-5K

That is without moving any plumbing, or adding electrical, or removing walls. Construction is expensive, but if you are willing to do some of the work yourself, you can save a lot of money.

Life and Times of Magoo: The People's Champ > Jcarr 06/30/2016 at 10:59

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Seriously, what on earth is that carpet? In the picture it almost looks like grass growing.

Jcarr > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 11:00

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Yep, we did 3 bedrooms right after we moved in and before our son was born. The labor was exhausting, but it really wasn’t that difficult. Watched lots of YouTube videos.

TheRealBicycleBuck > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 11:02

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A thousand stars for Goatboy. Demo is easy and lots of fun. Just be sure to turn off and disconnect the correct valves/breakers/etc. before you tear into anything that requires power, water, or gas. After that, get a couple of pry bars and go to town.

You may be able to get someone else to do part of the work if you donate the cabinetry. Sometimes local salvage/recyclers/Habitat for Humanity chapters will come into your home and take out the cabinets for you.

Jcarr > Pixel 06/30/2016 at 11:02

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I’ll check that out. We also have a vintage Hotpoint electric oven and range.

Jcarr > Life and Times of Magoo: The People's Champ 06/30/2016 at 11:04

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Glorious shag. 2 of the others had it as well:

The Dummy Gummy > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 11:05

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So I posted without reviewing because I’m the work. The numbers (edited now) should have read 20-25, not 30-35.

Austin would definitely be way cheaper than what I paid. I know Waco is far, but try that couple on HGTV (Chip & Joanna Gaines). Everything they do is insanely cheap. For $40-50k you could do your whole house ha. Best of luck!

ttyymmnn > TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! 06/30/2016 at 11:06

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Well, plug-and-play is more a figure of speech. But somebody isn’t coming out with plywood and a table saw to build them on site. I also don’t see playing $2000 ea. for fridge, stove and dishwasher. Also, there shouldn’t be any plumbing/wiring to move. Everything is going back where the old thing was.

ttyymmnn > TheRealBicycleBuck 06/30/2016 at 11:10

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That’s a good thought, but I was considering hanging the old cabinets in the garage, assuming I can get my garage cleaned out though. That might be harder than the kitchen remod.

ttyymmnn > The Dummy Gummy 06/30/2016 at 11:10

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Thanks!

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 11:11

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My wife and I recently decided we are not going to build our dream kitchen for this very reason. We’re going to repaint and resurface the cabinets, and at best get new floors, but we don’t want to spend a large value of the house on the kitchen, when we live in an area where that will not significantly increase the value of the home.

Boxer_4 > Jcarr 06/30/2016 at 11:12

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Is it wrong that I like your kitchen (and the before picture of the bedroom)?

Jcarr > Boxer_4 06/30/2016 at 11:15

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Nope, different strokes for different folks.

Stapleface > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 11:15

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Are you going with the same basic layout in the kitchen? For as “big” as that kitchen is, you seem to have minimal counter space. Any way you can extend that further? If you’re going with the same shape as before, demo really isn’t that difficult. Countertops pry up, and cabinets just unscrew from the walls. Even though the cabinets may be crummy, keep them for the garage. You can never have enough storage (if you have the room)

I redid my kitchen when I moved into my house 6 years ago. One of the smartest things I did was I got an electrician in there and had him go nuts with outlets. I don’t have a need to have ten things plugged in to my kitchen at once, but I’m sure glad I had the extra outlets added.

I'm not very handy, but I did a fair amount of the work myself. I demoed and removed wallpaper, leveled the floor, and then once the cabinets and countertops were in, I put in the tile backsplash. I can't imagine how much I saved by doing what I could myself.

Life and Times of Magoo: The People's Champ > Jcarr 06/30/2016 at 11:15

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Sweet lord haha

Jcarr > Life and Times of Magoo: The People's Champ 06/30/2016 at 11:18

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Yep. It worked out perfectly, though. The house is super solid structurally (houses built from the 40s to 60s always seem to be), but it was very outdated so we got a 3000sf, 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house with a 2 car garage and nice yard for only $173k.

BREADwagon > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 11:20

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Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but depending on where you live, $40g isn’t unreasonable at all. $50 is pushing it, though. I know in the tri-state area, that’s about right for a proper job with demo, pretty good cabinetry, granite countertops, tile backsplash, new sink, all MEP (w/ new fixtures and devices), drywall, painting and stone tile floor with licensed guys. You can definitely save $10g without much effort by sourcing cheaper cabinets, countertops, backsplash, fixtures and flooring (for a total of $30g). Construction is getting hot these days, and contractors know they can get top dollar compared to a few years ago.

A couple of things, that soffit may have plumbing in it, so you may need to put part of the soffit back. If there isn’t a bathroom above, then it could be decorative. The light on the soffit has a jbox and associated wiring that would need to be moved too, so you need a licensed electrician and plumber.

Obviously, all in wall plumbing and electrical needs to be done before the wall can be closed up with new board, which needs to be done before you hang the cabinets and do backsplash tile.

Floors should be done prior to the bottom cabinets being installed. It’s not the end of the world, but you usually want the finished floor to go under the edge of the cabinet base, and stove/washing machine. Usually you want the flooring to go to the wall under the fridge so you can roll it out. Doing the flooring after the rest of the kitchen is complete is not the best way to do it, but if the budget doesn’t allow it...it’s not the end of the world. Same thing goes for installing flooring on the existing floor without removing the old floor. It’s not preferable, but definitely cheaper.

+1 for the possibility of asbestos in the ceiling and floor tile. Asbestos floor tile (VAT) is not the end of the world, you just need to keep it wet and prevent it from shattering. Depending on where you live, you may be able to just leave it and cover it with a new floor. The ceiling on the other hand...there’s no way to remove it without making dust. Get that checked, regardless of what you decide to do.

Also +1 for permitting.

Hiring a general contractor to deal with all of that is what they are charging you for. If you know construction, you can obviously hire the individual trades and do all the demo yourself...but if you’re not 100% confident that you know construction and the issues you’ll face...just grit your teeth and pay someone who knows what to do.

ttyymmnn > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 06/30/2016 at 11:21

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This is more a quality of life issue than a resale issue. We’re probably going to be in this house for a long time.

ttyymmnn > Stapleface 06/30/2016 at 11:22

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Your experience sounds a lot like what I foresee for us. I think I’m going to hire my local handyman (a retired EE) and have him help with the demo. He can also add an outlet or two.

ttyymmnn > BREADwagon 06/30/2016 at 11:27

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Thanks for the lengthy reply. We’re in Austin. No plumbing in the soffits (afaik), no floor above (single story). I really don’t see this as a complete gutting, though. Shouldn’t need any plumbing/electrical since new appliances are going back where the old ones were. I also plan on hanging a new light in place of the one over the sink, so I’ll be using existing wiring. I’ve got an electrician, but I don't think it would require a permit (fingers crossed). Floor is shitty linoleum sheet.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 11:45

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Ah, understood. Our kitchen is a fucking joke and I would sure love something better...

shop-teacher > Jcarr 06/30/2016 at 11:47

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Sell those cabinets. Some people go batshitcrazypants for that stuff.

shop-teacher > Jcarr 06/30/2016 at 11:49

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Putting carpet immediately over brand new hardwood was basically standard operating procedure in the 50's and 60's. Very strange, but that’s just how they did it.

BREADwagon > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 11:56

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Also, while demo is fun, it’s not free even if you do it yourself. You’ll need to rent at least a 10 yard dumpster and pay for the removal weight (could be included in the rental). If you put the dumpster on your property/driveway you typically wouldn’t need a permit for that, but if you need to put it in the street you definitely would. Everywhere’s different, though.

Also, don’t do what they show on TV by swinging a sledge and destroying everything. If your under a budget, CAREFULLY take off the cabinets and cut/pry off sections of drywall. Same goes for demoing the soffit. You don’t want to have to replace more than you need to.

shop-teacher > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 12:03

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I have a couple things to add.

1. Since you are planning to stay in the house for a long time, don’t get IKEA cabinets. They won’t hold up, in 10 years they’ll look like fried hell.

2. Put the flooring in before the cabinets. Spend the money on a good floor too. Don’t use a laminate floating floor either, they cannot handle the abuse of a kitchen. They’ll look horrible in five years.

I think you’ll be fine without a contractor since you’re not adding or moving plumbing or wiring, but spend some money on those cabinets and flooring.

ttyymmnn > shop-teacher 06/30/2016 at 12:15

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Thanks. You don’t speak highly of the IKEA cabinets. Why? Are you recommending all wood?

Mounta1nK1ng > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 12:35

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Agreed, moving the fridge next to the pantry will open up the other end of the kitchen nicely, and it won’t be so hard to get something out of the fridge while someone is standing at the stove doing some cooking. If you’re going through all this effort, might as well look at modernizing the layout. That’s going to have a bigger effect on functionality than just replacing the cabinets with shinier, newer ones.

shop-teacher > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 12:36

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Yes, all wood. Plywood is fine, but all wood. IKEA cabinets are basically printed paper laminated on top of particle board.

I’m not an Ikea hater, I certainly have some of their stuff, but there is no way I’d put their cabinets in a house where I planned to stay.

Chris Clarke > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 13:14

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We just bought a new/old house to renovate. We gutted the kitchen, tore out a wall. I installed the IKEA cabinets. New appliances. New electric and plumbing. Soapstone countertops. Custom tile backsplash. New window. And I refinished the floors. I think we ended up right around 16k for the kitchen budget.

Its almost finished, but I don’t have a current pic. Your price seems a bit high but maybe cost of living is much higher in Texas than Ohio. This is my third reno. AMA.

ttyymmnn > Chris Clarke 06/30/2016 at 13:19

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First question: Who in their right mind would cover that beautiful brick? I'll have other questions when I get back to my desk.

Chris Clarke > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 13:23

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I think it was built that way. That chimney was purely functional. Now it looks freaking awesome. Thank my wife. Her idea, her hard work opening it up. Here’s how we bought it.

ttyymmnn > Chris Clarke 06/30/2016 at 13:23

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Also, your cost is about what I was hoping to spend. Though I'll let somebody else do the install. I lack the necessary skills.

ttyymmnn > Chris Clarke 06/30/2016 at 13:27

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I don’t dislike that wooden mantel and mirror. However, that black and white tile had to go. The bare brick makes a beautiful focal point. Did you have to point up the mortar?

Chris Clarke > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 13:29

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Its was roughly $2k more dollars to have the cabinets assembled and installed. I’m like an IKEA master so I opted to do it myself plus a six pack with my brother-in-law. I can break the cost down more specifically if you’d like. We used an IKEA kitchen planner. My wife had the basic concept drawn up, then the planner came out and took measurements and made sure we got all the exact sizes and pieces. That fee was rolled into the final price I think. We got something like 14 cabinets plus a large butcher block for the peninsula. I think we just topped $4k and got a gift card for 15%.

ttyymmnn > Chris Clarke 06/30/2016 at 13:30

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Do you remember the cost of the kitchen planner?

Chris Clarke > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 13:34

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The mantel is nice and would’ve like to use it, but just didn’t work with the layout. The tile is actually from a local place that’s kind of famous for tile. I only had to point a few places and there was a large hole on the kitchen side where there must have been on old stove pipe. I had to custom cut a few bricks to fill that in.

Chris Clarke > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 14:03

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The planner cost $199 upfront then we got a $199 gift card at the time of purchase.

ttyymmnn > Chris Clarke 06/30/2016 at 14:16

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Eminently reasonable. Thanks.

itranthelasttimeiparkedit > ttyymmnn 06/30/2016 at 21:27

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I can’t measure or cut to save my life, I’m 95% of the way through doing a remodel myself. Wood floors are easy, get the snap together kind. Cabinets are easy, just measure 3x before you buy/cut. The plumbing part can be harder but still not too bad.

ttyymmnn > itranthelasttimeiparkedit 06/30/2016 at 21:54

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I’m going to have somebody else hang the cabinets. That way, if they’re not straight, it’s not my problem, it’s theirs.

ttyymmnn > shop-teacher 10/19/2016 at 16:58

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I looked back at this post I made about the kitchen plans, and re-read the comments. The contractor that I hired (he’s not really a contractor, since he’s doing almost all of the work) told us up front that he would not install IKEA cabinets for exactly the reasons you state. We went all in on custom cabinets. They were expensive, as you would know, but I am glad we went that route.

shop-teacher > ttyymmnn 10/19/2016 at 17:50

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That’s a smart place to spend some money. There are parts of a house where you can cut some corners, and it’s no big deal if you shop smartly (things like light fixtures and stuff). Cabinets aren’t one of them :)

My dad is a residential contractor, and depending on the job, he will often do most of the work himself. I’d still say he was a contractor though. Your job is one where he’d do most of the work as well, and coordinate with the subs who did the rest.

ttyymmnn > shop-teacher 10/19/2016 at 17:55

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I’m paying a lot of money to sit at the computer and watch this guy (who only has one hand) and his assistant work. And it’s worth every single penny. I’m sure that he isn’t the cheapest by any stretch, but he is meticulous, thorough, does beautiful work, and he cleans up after himself every day. He even vacuumed my living room when he was done sanding the drywall. And he keeps his trailer in my garage so I don’t have a pile of construction trash in my driveway. Did you see the update I posted today?

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/kitchen-update-1787991757

shop-teacher > ttyymmnn 10/19/2016 at 18:01

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The good ones are never the cheap ones. Maybe 15 years ago now, my dad put a HUGE addition onto an already big house in an expensive area. When my dad presented the estimate, the home owner said, “Wow! That’s really expensive.” Dad just looked him right in the eyes and said, “Yeah, it is.” The place turned out beautiful.

ttyymmnn > shop-teacher 10/19/2016 at 18:31

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I charge $200 to play trumpet at a wedding. I’ve had plenty of wedding parties balk at that amount. But hey, if you want to hire a high school kid for $75, go for it. You’ll get what you pay for.

shop-teacher > ttyymmnn 10/19/2016 at 21:40

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Exactly!