Can't pull trigger on kitchen remodel

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:10:11 here.

OP, what conditions are your csbinet boxes? Are they solid, high quality wood?

If they are in good condition, you can remove the doors, strip them down, then just order new doors, drawer fronts, hinges and hardware online. That might save you money as well.

Lipstick on a pig. Cabinets are the most important thing in a kitchen. Besides, the new cabinets aren't doors anymore, they're 100% drawers.

Actually, some of the older cabinets are much nicer quality workmanship and wood than newer cabinets. If they are solid wood the boxes can easily be refinished without compromising beauty.

Drawers only may work well for you but they are impractical for many. A mix of drawers and cabinets might not be trendy or the flavor of the day, but they are very functional and make much more sense in terms of storage and usage.

I disagree about drawers. We have all drawers and one corner cabinet and one trash pullout and it's wonderful. I have dishes in drawers and pots and pans. Much easier to access and I don't have to squat and dig through the cabinets, nothing falls out of I open the door. Of course for some that may not work. I suggest taking stock of all your kitchen supplies before ordering cabinets and not just getting the same things you have now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hire an electrician yourself. Hire a handyman to do the cabinets, tile and other work, order the granite directly from a shop. You do not need a GC for all that. Yes, Home Depot, Lowes, and other shops have much cheaper cabinets.

And don't do it all at once.

We did a major renovation of our basement, but we DIY'd it and just did a little bit at a time. Demo one month, studs the next, wiring another month. We picked up bargains as we saw them, even if we knew we weren't getting to those part until the end (like flooring and fixtures). We hired in a few things, like plumbing and ductwork, and mixed others, like running our own wires and hiring an electrician to do the final hook ups.

By doing it this way (bits and pieces) we were able to spread everything out in a way that we just paid out of pocket, only touched savings once (for a couple thousand and we paid it back the next month or two), and we never noticed the money leaving the account because it was all manageable. If we were purchasing something big, like floors or wires, we just skipped eating out a bit to stay on budget.

Now, I do not recommend stretching a kitchen reno out over two-three years, but you can break it down over months to makeit more budget friendly.

For example, start with recessed lighting. Go find and Angie's list deal, and get that done first.

Over the next couple of months, watch for sales/clearance of fixtures, faucets, garbage disposal, and appliances. When you see a good deal, buy it and store it in your basement or garage. Just do one every couple of months, unless you find a huge bargain you can't pass up. Or bargain shop the little fixtures and small appliances in advance, then do the cabinets/countertops/floors, and add the big appliances one at a time.

Do your own painting and wall prep. That will save a lot.

If you are worried about money, don't do everything at once.

What did you do for cooking/food?

I would bite the bullet and not stretch it out over months unless you have an in-law suite or kitchenette. I'm only 3 weeks into my kitchen remodel (with fridge, microwave, Instant Pot in basement) and cannot imagine purposely stretching it out to save a bit of money. OP, better to save and wait a bit and do it all at once. Think about the reality of functioning without a kitchen day-to-day, and decide how long you really want to put up with that!

You didn't read my post. We did this for a basement and not only saved a ton but also did not feel the pinch.

As I said, I would not recommend stretching it out like we did for a kitchen, but I would recommend doing it in bits and pieces like doing tue lights separately, spending a few months picking up different fixtures and supplies as they come on clearance or sale, then doing the cabinets/counters together using things you have picked up along the way, then updating appliances (again, on sale).

OP does not need to do it all at once and at $50K if he can be patient and a smart shopper.

I still don't think it's worth stringing it out past the time necessary to reno the kitchen. OP should buy everything himself and try to find good prices, but time it such that once demo happens, install and finishing can happen quickly. It's probably not worth the $500-1000 or whatever small sum he might save by waiting for sales that might never appear. The best thing to do would be to avoid a full service reno company, shop around for appliances (visiting the warehouses) and look for savings there, and get IKEA cabinets during the sales. These three things could save him at least $15k. He isn't going to save much waiting around to get deals on lighting, tile, etc. It may have made more sense for your basement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:10:11 here.

OP, what conditions are your csbinet boxes? Are they solid, high quality wood?

If they are in good condition, you can remove the doors, strip them down, then just order new doors, drawer fronts, hinges and hardware online. That might save you money as well.

Lipstick on a pig. Cabinets are the most important thing in a kitchen. Besides, the new cabinets aren't doors anymore, they're 100% drawers.

Actually, some of the older cabinets are much nicer quality workmanship and wood than newer cabinets. If they are solid wood the boxes can easily be refinished without compromising beauty.

Drawers only may work well for you but they are impractical for many. A mix of drawers and cabinets might not be trendy or the flavor of the day, but they are very functional and make much more sense in terms of storage and usage.

I disagree about drawers. We have all drawers and one corner cabinet and one trash pullout and it's wonderful. I have dishes in drawers and pots and pans. Much easier to access and I don't have to squat and dig through the cabinets, nothing falls out of I open the door. Of course for some that may not work. I suggest taking stock of all your kitchen supplies before ordering cabinets and not just getting the same things you have now.

+1. Drawers are incredible. I have yet to find a single instance of a cabinet being better than a drawer. Even my plates are great in my drawers (we have peg dividers). We were able to fit 4x more in our kitchen with drawers versus what we had with cabinets.

[Anonymous]

OP, how large is your kitchen? And are you moving plumbing around?

Curious about what your 50k estimate covers -- if it's simple rip and replace, that is too high.

[Anonymous]

op here. A few answers to questions:

1. the house is a sfh, 2000 sq ft worth about $500K without the kitchen remodel, so $50K (10% of house value) to me is really the very top of what should be spent on any one reno. I don't have delusions about the resale value and would be doing this largely for family enjoyment. I can't imagine the redone kitchen would add more than $10-15K to the value.
2. Here is what the $50K includes:
-Kitchen is 12X20, so on the larger size. I'm not sure of the linear feet of cabinets exactly, but I would guess at least 60 feet (counting uppers and lowers separately). In addition to pull and replace, adding a 6 foot island and built in desk area/shelves. Cabinets are semi-custom upgraded to all plywood (no MDF).
-No appliances are being moved
-Grade A/B granite countertops
-Hardwood floor installation in the 12X20 kitchen in addition to an adjacent foyer that is about 8X6
-Recessed lighting
-Painting and drywall

Most of the estimates have had between 2500-4000K just to demo the kitchen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:op here. A few answers to questions:

1. the house is a sfh, 2000 sq ft worth about $500K without the kitchen remodel, so $50K (10% of house value) to me is really the very top of what should be spent on any one reno. I don't have delusions about the resale value and would be doing this largely for family enjoyment. I can't imagine the redone kitchen would add more than $10-15K to the value.
2. Here is what the $50K includes:
-Kitchen is 12X20, so on the larger size. I'm not sure of the linear feet of cabinets exactly, but I would guess at least 60 feet (counting uppers and lowers separately). In addition to pull and replace, adding a 6 foot island and built in desk area/shelves. Cabinets are semi-custom upgraded to all plywood (no MDF).
-No appliances are being moved
-Grade A/B granite countertops
-Hardwood floor installation in the 12X20 kitchen in addition to an adjacent foyer that is about 8X6
-Recessed lighting
-Painting and drywall

Most of the estimates have had between 2500-4000K just to demo the kitchen.

Can you not do this? It took DH and I a weekend to unscrew cabinets. It really wasn't hard AT ALL. And we were able to post the cabinets to craigslist, get a few hundred dollars for them and they were picked up the next day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:op here. A few answers to questions:

1. the house is a sfh, 2000 sq ft worth about $500K without the kitchen remodel, so $50K (10% of house value) to me is really the very top of what should be spent on any one reno. I don't have delusions about the resale value and would be doing this largely for family enjoyment. I can't imagine the redone kitchen would add more than $10-15K to the value.
2. Here is what the $50K includes:
-Kitchen is 12X20, so on the larger size. I'm not sure of the linear feet of cabinets exactly, but I would guess at least 60 feet (counting uppers and lowers separately). In addition to pull and replace, adding a 6 foot island and built in desk area/shelves. Cabinets are semi-custom upgraded to all plywood (no MDF).
-No appliances are being moved
-Grade A/B granite countertops
-Hardwood floor installation in the 12X20 kitchen in addition to an adjacent foyer that is about 8X6
-Recessed lighting
-Painting and drywall

Most of the estimates have had between 2500-4000K just to demo the kitchen.

Can you not do this? It took DH and I a weekend to unscrew cabinets. It really wasn't hard AT ALL. And we were able to post the cabinets to craigslist, get a few hundred dollars for them and they were picked up the next day.

Or you could hire a day laborer or two for $50 an hour at your local 7-11 or Home Depot...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:op here. A few answers to questions:

1. the house is a sfh, 2000 sq ft worth about $500K without the kitchen remodel, so $50K (10% of house value) to me is really the very top of what should be spent on any one reno. I don't have delusions about the resale value and would be doing this largely for family enjoyment. I can't imagine the redone kitchen would add more than $10-15K to the value.
2. Here is what the $50K includes:
-Kitchen is 12X20, so on the larger size. I'm not sure of the linear feet of cabinets exactly, but I would guess at least 60 feet (counting uppers and lowers separately). In addition to pull and replace, adding a 6 foot island and built in desk area/shelves. Cabinets are semi-custom upgraded to all plywood (no MDF).
-No appliances are being moved
-Grade A/B granite countertops
-Hardwood floor installation in the 12X20 kitchen in addition to an adjacent foyer that is about 8X6
-Recessed lighting
-Painting and drywall

Most of the estimates have had between 2500-4000K just to demo the kitchen.

Can you not do this? It took DH and I a weekend to unscrew cabinets. It really wasn't hard AT ALL. And we were able to post the cabinets to craigslist, get a few hundred dollars for them and they were picked up the next day.

Yeah, 4k for demo seems really steep unless you have both asbestos and lead paint, lol. We were planning to demo ourselves (We watch too much Property Bros, I guess.), but our demo cost was only a few hundred. Decided it wasn't worth the dust/hassle.

Also, it sounds like a package deal where you are given a few options and you choose. I would buy/source everything yourself. You don't want to limit yourself to A/B granite - go to a natural stone yard and pick your specific slab. You can also save money by going appliance shopping at the big warehouses out in Woodbridge, Manassas, etc. You will save money shopping this way and get exactly what you want. The only way I'd go with a pricey all-inclusive reno is if I really had no clue about finishes and needed someone to design the layout, narrow down the finishes for me, and hold my hand during the entire process. That is totally fine if you need that kind of approach. But given that I am picky and wanted to save as money as I could, I picked everything myself and did multiple designs myself using the IKEA kitchen planner. Kitchen is still in progress, but for a 10 x 12 kitchen, it looks like we will be around 30-40k with upper-mid appliances, expensive granite, expensive hardware/lighting/sink, and IKEA cabinets. This included completely reconfiguring the kitchen layout, redoing all plumbing and electrical, and taking down a wall.

[Anonymous]

Check out AJ Madison for appliances. We found they had the best prices by a significant margin.

[Anonymous]

Just be careful about your design choices if you aren't using a kitchen designer. Check on the kitchen pics on Houzz and other similar sites to find a look you like and then try to replicate it.

It's sad but I've seen so many houses on the market lately with ugly kitchens--not because they're old or outdated but because the owners picked a backsplash that clashed with their countertops, a floor tile that didn't work with the rest of the kitchen, etc, etc. Remodeling can be really hard if you don't have a great eye for that kind of thing. It's definitely not my forte, but I know what I like when I see it and I'm good at copying!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:op here. A few answers to questions:

1. the house is a sfh, 2000 sq ft worth about $500K without the kitchen remodel, so $50K (10% of house value) to me is really the very top of what should be spent on any one reno. I don't have delusions about the resale value and would be doing this largely for family enjoyment. I can't imagine the redone kitchen would add more than $10-15K to the value.
2. Here is what the $50K includes:
-Kitchen is 12X20, so on the larger size. I'm not sure of the linear feet of cabinets exactly, but I would guess at least 60 feet (counting uppers and lowers separately). In addition to pull and replace, adding a 6 foot island and built in desk area/shelves. Cabinets are semi-custom upgraded to all plywood (no MDF).
-No appliances are being moved
-Grade A/B granite countertops
-Hardwood floor installation in the 12X20 kitchen in addition to an adjacent foyer that is about 8X6
-Recessed lighting
-Painting and drywall

Most of the estimates have had between 2500-4000K just to demo the kitchen.

Granite has been around for a long time and many varieties are starting to look dated. You might want to think about quartz as an alternative.

[Anonymous]

"100% drawer" lady sounds "unhinged."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:op here. A few answers to questions:

1. the house is a sfh, 2000 sq ft worth about $500K without the kitchen remodel, so $50K (10% of house value) to me is really the very top of what should be spent on any one reno. I don't have delusions about the resale value and would be doing this largely for family enjoyment. I can't imagine the redone kitchen would add more than $10-15K to the value.
2. Here is what the $50K includes:
-Kitchen is 12X20, so on the larger size. I'm not sure of the linear feet of cabinets exactly, but I would guess at least 60 feet (counting uppers and lowers separately). In addition to pull and replace, adding a 6 foot island and built in desk area/shelves. Cabinets are semi-custom upgraded to all plywood (no MDF).
-No appliances are being moved
-Grade A/B granite countertops
-Hardwood floor installation in the 12X20 kitchen in addition to an adjacent foyer that is about 8X6
-Recessed lighting
-Painting and drywall

Most of the estimates have had between 2500-4000K just to demo the kitchen.

Go to Home Depot with basic measurements and have them price out a few cabinets. You don't need all plywood. Just at the sides you will see and sink base. No one will see the insides and it is not worth the extra money. We got ours from Just Cabinets as they were a little cheaper. Buy your own cabinets.

Go directly to a few granite shops. You can go to the huge warehouses and actually pick out the exact slab you want. Much cheaper and more selection. Plus its cool to see the slabs.

Call an electrician directly and do it directly. Better quality work too. We just used Yi Chang off Yelp (he's in Silver Spring) and he is wonderful.

Hire a handyman to remove the cabinets if you cannot. You may be able to find someone off Craig's List if the old ones are ok for free in exchange for the cabinets. Or, remove them and do a bulk pick up or craig's list/freecycle or donate them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"100% drawer" lady sounds "unhinged."

I posted once, but there were at least 2 other people who wrote that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"100% drawer" lady sounds "unhinged."

I admit, I loled.