Kitchen Remodel Bucket list Reality Check Costs/Tips/Warnings?

[skyking1]

Thank you, @Surewhitey
I did our kitchen and home remodel myself, with the exception of the doors and drawer faces.
One thing I did that I would not change is drawers down below. Everything is a drawer below the countertop with the exception of a pair of doors and a huge double level lazy susan at the end of a peninsula.
I wanted to avoid those 'caves' down low that are not accessible. It worked out well. We have huge pan drawers next to the stove, the undersink recycle bins and trash are drawers.

 

[pb4uski]

Having had zero experience with gas stoves, I do fret. Open flames bother me--especially inside a house! And how do the flame starters work? We are not still in the days of needing matches to light a stove are we? What happens if one forgets to turn off a burner after cooking?

They all have electronic ignition today. To light the burner you turn the knob to "light" for a couple seconds... you'll hear some clicks as the electronic ignition operates and then you'll hear the burner light and you turn it to whatever volume you want.

Go to 1:20 mark.

For both gas or electric you can forget to turn the burner off and the result is the same.

The thing that I like about gas is for the cooktop is that it is much more immediately controllable compared to and electric range.

 

[RetireeRobert]

They all have electronic ignition today. To light the burner you turn the knob to "light" for a couple seconds... you'll hear some clicks as the electronic ignition operates and then you'll hear the burner light and you turn it to whatever volume you want.

Go to 1:20 mark.

For both gas or electric you can forget to turn the burner off and the result is the same.

The thing that I like about gas is for the cooktop is that it is much more immediately controllable compared to and electric range.

Thanks for the gas tutorial.

Believe it or not, I grew up (in the post WWII years) in a home with electric stove, spent my college/young adult years in only apartments with electric stoves, and have been in homes since with only electric stoves. So, it is a "technology" that has passed me (or I passed it) by. Although all geographic areas where I lived, gas was available as far as I know. Maybe the economics of gas vs hydro power electric in the NW was different in those days, so most went with electric back then.

Thanks again. More new learning in my seventies!!

 

[Sunset]

.... We got the side by side unit and I still regret it after 15 years.

I just found out, our side by side is 25 years olds, so you only have another 10+ yrs

 

[Sunset]

Thanks for the gas tutorial.

Believe it or not, I grew up (in the post WWII years) in a home with electric stove, spent my college/young adult years in only apartments with electric stoves, and have been in homes since with only electric stoves. So, it is a "technology" that has passed me (or I passed it) by. Although all geographic areas where I lived, gas was available as far as I know. Maybe the economics of gas vs hydro power electric in the NW was different in those days, so most went with electric back then.

Thanks again. More new learning in my seventies!!

Interesting,

My friends had gas for the stove as they were richer than us, we just had electric. I used electric for the first 2/3 of my life.

It felt like such an upgrade to get a gas stove !

I like the gas stove for the instant flame control, and I like electric as I could make a big pot of sauce/chili and set it on extremely low (1) and leave the house for hours. I won't leave the house cooking on flame.
Each has an advantage.

 

[RetireeRobert]

and I like electric as I could make a big pot of sauce/chili and set it on extremely low (1) and leave the house for hours. I won't leave the house cooking on flame.
Each has an advantage.

I do like to make big pots of beef stew with Swedish dumplings every once in awhile. Set it on the burner for three or four hours to simmer, and I go upstairs to surf the web or watch TV and let it cook. Or sometimes leave the house.

So, yes, leaving a gas flame going uwatched/attended all that time would make me nervous as well, while "simmer" level on electric does not make me nervous.

 

[oiseux]

The technology is amazing. Much faster to add or slow the heat than gas, a nice numeric display of heat setting so no flame-peeping to figure out heat level. Much less risk of personal burning than a hot electric element surface, and can be wiped clean almost instantly after cooking is done. IMO it is as far above gas as gas is above electric. Try one of those cheap portable units yourself and see. The one we bought and I linked was among the best-rated.

A minor hitch is the pans must be magnetic, but DW went through her (vast) inventory testing with a magnet and found about 80% would work fine. So, costwise, no impact.

I have a gas range in one kitchen and an induction cooktop in another kitchen. I prefer the gas, by far. I think it also depends on the quality of the appliance. I'm comparing a pretty decent gas range to probably a lower end induction cooktop.



To the other poster with concerns over gas, I know the induction will turn off if the pan is left on (and empty) and the gas will shut off if the flame is extinguished.

 

[Winemaker]

I have used gas stoves all my life. Mom used it, I used it when I had my apartment. In my first week in my first house, I replaced our electric cooktop, installed a gas line, and put in a gas cooktop. In our second house we put in a gas stove, although it was built to accommodate both. I converted our first rental, a duplex, with gas water heaters and gas stoves. If the power goes off, one can still use a match or grill lighter to start the burner.

I have 2 gas fireplaces in the house, and will put a third one out on the deck next year when we BTD on a rebuild.

I have a 4 unit townhouse apartment building that I wish I convert to gas but gas was never put in when the building was built in 1978, because we were running out of fossil fuels back in the '70s. I am always replacing burners and oven elements there.

 

[folivier]

And most of the people who went through hurricane Ida and had power outages of a week or longer (some still without power) and have electric stoves wish they had gas.
Just another point to consider.

 

[OldShooter]

I have a gas range in one kitchen and an induction cooktop in another kitchen. I prefer the gas, by far ....

For what reasons?

 

[pb4uski]

And most of the people who went through hurricane Ida and had power outages of a week or longer (some still without power) and have electric stoves wish they had gas.
Just another point to consider.

I do like to make big pots of beef stew with Swedish dumplings every once in awhile. Set it on the burner for three or four hours to simmer, and I go upstairs to surf the web or watch TV and let it cook. Or sometimes leave the house.

So, yes, leaving a gas flame going uwatched/attended all that time would make me nervous as well, while "simmer" level on electric does not make me nervous.

Good point... if the power is out I think I would need to manually light the burner, but at least I coudl use it.

I don't worry at all about leaving soups or stews on a slow simmer for long periods of time on the gas cooktop... do it all the time.

And to be clear, since we are in the boonies, ours is propane rather than natual gas.

 

[Koolau]

The only fridge set up I ever lusted after was one where a few of the drawers in the cabinet WERE the fridge and freezer. Not certain exactly how it was plumbed but it obviously had a compressor elsewhere (under cabinet?, outside? utility room??) and cooling units built into the cabinet - sort of like a split AC unit I guess. Anyway, it was in a fancy smancy show home and we found out it was incredibly expensive. I'll never do another remodel, but if I did, I think I'd BTD and install one of these. Oh, DW loved it more than I did.

DW was the one who insisted on the side-by-side fridge/freezer we have now. It works and is probably big enough for two. But, now DW wishes she had the fridge on top, freezer drawer on the bottom. When the S-B-S dies, I'm guessing we'll BTD and get what she wants. If mamma ain't happy...

 

[Aerides]

It's not that I prefer side by side to top and bottom or vice versa. It's that I want more refrigerator space, so I'd actually prefer that we had a dedicated fridge the same size as our current refrigerator/freezer unit (42" x 72") and an entirely separate freezer about the same size. We should have built the kitchen that way, but if the space wouldn't work, I'd put a separate freezer in the garage in order to have a larger refrigerator in the kitchen. Heck, my ideal refrigerator would be 48" x 72" of nothin' but fridge.

Ok you had me almost sold on this idea, but then I was like... but wait the convenience of ice from the freezer....that's something I would not want to go out to the garage for every time.

Then I realized this would make the perfect justification for a really good stand alone ice maker, the kind that makes pellet ice (the good ice) and now I'm sold again and have filed this idea away in my future kitchen ideas.

 

[Koolau]

A minor hitch is the pans must be magnetic, but DW went through her (vast) inventory testing with a magnet and found about 80% would work fine. So, costwise, no impact.

DW's favorite cook-ware is multi-metal. I'm sure it's got lots of copper for even heat spreading, but I believe it has stainless steel as well. SO, if I simply place a magnet against it and the magnet sticks, we're good??

 

[OldShooter]

DW's favorite cook-ware is multi-metal. I'm sure it's got lots of copper for even heat spreading, but I believe it has stainless steel as well. SO, if I simply place a magnet against it and the magnet sticks, we're good??

That's my understanding. DW did the magnet work. She is happily using the magnetic-verified pans on our little demo induction burner and I haven't heard of any issues. When she cooked her test meal at our friends' place on their induction cooktop there was no discussion of issues with pans.

I don't know if some magnetic pans will work better to absorb energy of if they are all the same. Time will tell, but if we have to buy a few pans that's a tiny percentage of our total cost anyway.

 

[CRLLS]

Good point... if the power is out I think I would need to manually light the burner, but at least I coudl use it.

I don't worry at all about leaving soups or stews on a slow simmer for long periods of time on the gas cooktop... do it all the time.

And to be clear, since we are in the boonies, ours is propane rather than natual gas.

We are very comfortable with our gas appliances. I am more concerned about electric fires than I am about a house fire from gas appliances. Strange since I am equally confident in house wiring. I have seen more bad switches and outlets that could start fires than anything else gas related.

I have manually lit our gas stove during extended power outages. What we cannot do is use the gas oven since it has electric controls for setting the oven temperature.

I have even manually lit our gas fireplace once or twice for heat. Our gas water heater is self powered control so we could have hot water. Then again we have a well so that really doesn't apply.

 

[Sunset]

I do like to make big pots of beef stew with Swedish dumplings every once in awhile. Set it on the burner for three or four hours to simmer, and I go upstairs to surf the web or watch TV and let it cook. Or sometimes leave the house.

So, yes, leaving a gas flame going uwatched/attended all that time would make me nervous as well, while "simmer" level on electric does not make me nervous.

My solution has been to use my instant pot like a slow cooker if I'm planning to be out for hours and want to simmer some food.

 

[Sunset]

.........

To the other poster with concerns over gas, I know the induction will turn off if the pan is left on (and empty) and the gas will shut off if the flame is extinguished.

Good point, I know gas furnace & water heater does this.
This makes sense for a modern gas stove.

I have probably carried the thought about camping stoves, and they didn't have this feature.

I have accidentally taken a pot off the stove when on low, and forgot to turn off the gas. Then after supper back in the kitchen I notice it's warm by the stove and I see the flame. No harm as there is nothing there to burn, but it made me feel stupid

 

[Andromeda]

I think that using a designer on a limited basis can be very helpful (and save you money) if you're careful about who you hire and what you ask them to do.

For example, I've worked with the same designer three times (over 20 years) to help with colour selection. My husband and I call her the "colour mediator", because when we were getting married and bought a house together, she helped us identify a colour palette that we both liked. (DH disliked my favourite palette, and I thought his preferred palette looked like the colours of stuff you find on the bottom of your shoes when you walk on a muddy path, but she helped us find a range of colours that we both loved.)

We saved money and time because we got our paint choices right the first time, so didn't need to repaint anything. (That was a saving on paint costs and also on painters' time for some rooms.) We also have used the colour palettes when choosing furniture. She also had some great tips we never would have thought of when it comes to adjusting standard paint colours (e.g. get this colour but have the paint shop mix it at 3/4 strength. In addition, when she developed the colour palettes, she took into account the impact of light in the rooms where the paint would be applied - because colours can look very different on a chip versus on a wall in a room.

I imagine a colour specialist could also make a big impact and help you avoid expensive mistakes when you are choosing cabinet colours/stains, countertops and tiles.

Designers also often have discounts lined up with certain suppliers and retailers. This can be a bit hit or miss, and you have to be careful that they're not steering you to a more expensive option. But we have also saved 10-15% on some major purchases (like furniture and custom curtains) when no other discount was available. Sometimes, a designer who doesn't have a discount with particular supplier can arrange to get one set up if you find something you like at a place where the designer doesn't already have a relationship.

I found this designer through Benjamin Moore, which maintained a list of recommended designers with colour expertise.

 

[RobbieB]

Induction pans differ, has to do with the electrical conduction of the material. Heavy cast iron works really good, thin stainless OK and some aluminum pans have as SS disk pressed in the bottom, probably slowest.

My fav is an Element B 1% carbon steel 3mm thick 10 incher. This will get blazing hot real quick with induction. I use it for pan seared scallops and blackening fish. Won't crack either like one cast iron pan that split under high heat. Scared the crap out of me -

 

[Hdhead]

Just completed a major remodel that included tearing out wall to make an open concept instead of the galley kitchen. Worked with the contractor to design the entire project at no extra cost. All high end, Cambria counter tops, top end cabinetry, restaurant quality appliances. Brought propane in house to replace electric stove. Never considered hiring a design consultant. Total cost 80k. Very much worth every penny.
This was in our Florida home, contractor completed the project during the summer when we are up north. Worked out great! Also a desk/office at the far end that you can’t see. Before and after pics:

 

[RetireeRobert]

Just completed a major remodel that included tearing out wall to make an open concept instead of the galley kitchen. Worked with the contractor to design the entire project at no extra cost. All high end, Cambria counter tops, top end cabinetry, restaurant quality appliances. Brought propane in house to replace electric stove. Never considered hiring a design consultant. Total cost 80k. Very much worth every penny.
This was in our Florida home, contractor completed the project during the summer when we are up north. Worked out great! Also a desk/office at the far end that you can’t see. Before and after pics:

View attachment 40301

View attachment 40302

Beautiful! Enjoy.

 

[ncbill]

We are very comfortable with our gas appliances. I am more concerned about electric fires than I am about a house fire from gas appliances. Strange since I am equally confident in house wiring. I have seen more bad switches and outlets that could start fires than anything else gas related.

I have manually lit our gas stove during extended power outages. What we cannot do is use the gas oven since it has electric controls for setting the oven temperature.

I have even manually lit our gas fireplace once or twice for heat. Our gas water heater is self powered control so we could have hot water. Then again we have a well so that really doesn't apply.

FYI, there are gas ranges out there including from major manufacturers that use a battery (usually 9V) to ignite the burners & lights a pilot for the oven which goes out after you turn off the oven.

 

[Lstansbury]

Do not swing the first hammer until 100pct of fixtures cabinets floors etc are delivered and inspected. 6 months to get my flooring

Good to know, thanks

 

[ivinsfan]

HDhead it's really nice but 80K