Reply to Can't pull trigger on kitchen remodel

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]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.[/quote]

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.[/quote]

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! [/quote]

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.[/quote]

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.[/quote]

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