If you consider yourself frugal, help advise on home reno

[Anonymous]

I don’t know why people don’t like granite. I’d rather have a lovely granite than the boring old white quartz I have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess I must be a different kind of frugal than DCUM frugal because I wouldn't call someone who would paint someone else to re-stain or paint their cabinets frugal. We refinished ours ourselves.

I'm one of the frugal PPs but even I would pay someone to do this. A good quality refinishing can make all the difference. If I wasn't willing to pay a professional, I'd just not do them at all and live with them.

[Anonymous]

It depends on stain of the cabinets but wood is having a major revival in trends right now. I wonder if you did fresh countertops and lights how far that would get you in liking the space?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is that inflation has driven up prices to staggering levels, OP. It's not that posters on here are telling you to add extra fancy things. It's that the most basic jobs are outrageously expensive these days. You can get a few quotes and see what happens.

I'm frugal, and not planning on renovating anything this year. Hopefully next year with the recession, contractors will lower their prices.

That was a very DCUM reply. Not sure what question you answered but it surely wasn't OP's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our kitchen is the original from 1985 and a couple of years ago after getting kitchen remodeling estimates we came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth it right now. A pull and replace job (not changing layout) with mid-grade materials and appliances from the big box store was going to cost $75K for an average sized kitchen. Though had saved the money, we are frugal and think about the opportunity costs of blowing so much money on a kitchen remodel. We have two young children. $75k invested in a 529 lump sum would be enough to pay for college tuition in state in 15 years. I think you really have to have money burning a hole in your pockets to spend this kind of money on a functional kitchen.

But when you sell the house, it will cost you. You will get less.

Not that much less. And a reno done now in a house sold in 15+ years isn't going to get you that much at all.

[Anonymous]

OP, we have a dark wood kitchen w/ubatubu granite (I had to google it to see what it looks like). We purchased our home in Jan 2014 as well, so I am assuming that your kitchen looks like ours. Anyway, I hate the granite because it is so dark, it is so annoying. You can't see dirt. You can't even see frigging ants walking across your countertop from a distance. That said, it works, so we aren't going to change it.