Remodeling

[Moemg]

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We considered refacing with our recent winter condo kitchen renovation but we didn't like the layout of our kitchen so we went the new cabinet route. One thing that we did find with new cabinets was that a local cabinet manufacturer was a much better value than buying cabinets from Lowes or Home Depot. Saved thousands.

Great tip Thanks !

 

[Music Lover]

I didn't know there was an 8 year "rule"

I remodeled my kitchen 15 years ago...gutted it to the studs and rebuilt including new flooring. It still looks great today and probably will still look great another 15 years down the road. Even the 15 year old appliances all still work and look good.

I'm in the midst of a major reno...adding a ensuite bathroom, a half bath in basement, and refreshing the upstairs bathroom. Once done I plan to leave them for a couple decades.

 

[Walt34]

Not even close.

$100K USD. Molteni from Electrolux

I had to look twice at that stove. It reminds me very much of my great-aunt Nettie's stove. The one that burned coal.

Only hers was more ornate than that one, so fashion still has some catching up to do.

 

[RobbieB]

We did the whole kitchen with new cabinets and all granite, back splashes all the way to the wall cabs. Originals were particle board and one fell right off the wall, thanks for not killing my wife.

New cabs are plywood and solid wood, no composites whatsoever. Pay extra for good stuff, it's worth it!

 

[davebarnes]

We bought our home new 6 years ago. I cannot imagine having to remodel in another 2 years.

We renovated 2/3 of our kitchen after 6-1/2 years in a new house.
1. We hated the microwave over the range.
2. We hated the Whirlpool counter-depth refrigerator.
3. We wanted more BTUs from the hob.

Got a Sub-Zero fridge and wine fridge, Miele ovens (love the speed oven), and a Wolf cooktop.

 

[Teacher Terry]

At one time we lived in a condo with ugly but structurally sound cabinets. We refaced with solid wood and it was much cheaper and was beautiful.

 

[Souschef]

At one time we lived in a condo with ugly but structurally sound cabinets. We refaced with solid wood and it was much cheaper and was beautiful.

Same here. We also replaced the drawers as they were falling apart What a difference!
We had previously replaced the microwave and oven to the GE Adora series

 

[Moemg]

I have always wondered about refacing cabinets .It looks like a great option.

 

[RobbieB]

Yeah we took the cabs to the ceiling also. Nice and clean.

 

[aja8888]

I have always wondered about refacing cabinets .It looks like a great option.

My DW's son-in-law has a business refacing/replacing cabinets here in Houston. Options are refinish existing faces, install better hinges, refinish the cabinets entirely, or even replace the faces with upgraded ones.

He is quite busy. Typically, he will remove the cabinets from the house, take them to his shop and do the work there. Then all he has to do is reinstall the cabinets. He also builds custom cabinets.

 

[pb4uski]

I have always wondered about refacing cabinets .It looks like a great option.

I think the two keys are that you like your kitchen layout so any cabinet changes/moves are minimal and that the cabinet boxes are structurally sound and in good shape. No worries about the doors or drawer fronts as they are all replaced.

 

[Scuba]

We bought our condo brand new in 2003. It had nice finishes (travertine, granite, stainless appliances) but not our taste. We left it alone until a couple of years before ER, when we agreed we wanted to keep it long-term. We gutted it and replaced EVERYTHING. We spent a fortune, love the outcome, and have no plans to remodel again. DH said he will run for the hills if I ever mention “remodel” again!

 

[robnplunder]

I've never remodeled my houses. My rule of thumbs on remodeling is do it to improve my life in the house (e.g, converting a part of my backyard to artificial turf putting green). I wouldn't do it to improve the house value as it is not exactly a sure thing. It is also scary to hire a contractor and sit through their progress. None of my contractors work ended on time. Never! Luckily, my house is in a neighborhood where it will sell no matter how it is.

Personally, I would never trust a realtor who recommends to remodel every 8 years.

 

[FIREd]

For me:

Major remodel (brand new kitchen or bath, etc...): every 25-30 years.
Light remodel (paint, decor, etc...): every 10-15 years.

I recently purchased a 40-year old condo that had last been renovated in the 1990s. I gutted the whole thing and I am replacing everything before moving in. Because I know that, historically, once I live somewhere for a while I can't be bothered to deal with the mess which comes with a major remodel. So it never gets done.

 

[eytonxav]

We renovated 2/3 of our kitchen after 6-1/2 years in a new house.
1. We hated the microwave over the range.
2. We hated the Whirlpool counter-depth refrigerator.
3. We wanted more BTUs from the hob.

Got a Sub-Zero fridge and wine fridge, Miele ovens (love the speed oven), and a Wolf cooktop.

It appears you made a want vs need decision.

 

[NW-Bound]

It appears you made a want vs need decision.

But it's always about want, rather than need.

I got what I needed with the first house I bought, right out of school. Single-family home, 1850 sq.ft., 4 bedrooms. We were just married and had no kids then. That house was big then, for the 2 of us. Ever since, later houses were all about want.

But my wants have been ebbing for a while now.

 

[eytonxav]

But it's always about want, rather than need.

And will depend on the size of your pocketbook

 

[Music Lover]

I would think that many who follow the latest trends may be more apt to remodel when the next trend comes along...be it 8 years or whatever. But these remodels are not really required, someone just wants a different look. A well designed layout with quality products will last for decades and doesn't have to be re-done every decade.

My house was built in 1970, I moved here in 1997 and re-did the kitchen in 2000...it was a 30-year old kitchen with falling apart cabinets and a poor layout. My 19 year old kitchen still looks as good as the day it was done and it likely won't be changed as long as I'm here.

 

[NW-Bound]

And will depend on the size of your pocketbook

Exactly. When people have more money, they suddenly "need" this, and "need" that.

We all do to varying degrees, but when one gets older his "needs" diminish. I think I am there before my time.

 

[brett]

Before putting our home on the market we consulted an interior designer and several real estate agents.

Advice" Paint the place in this beige color, get rid of any old wallpaper, get rid of big furniture. Clean the windows. Get some some bed covering, towels, and sofa cushions. And fold the towels a particular way (go figure). Get some flowers. Plus some other things.

No cooking bacon, brocoli (no fear I hate the stuff) fish, spices, etc. No cooking odors whatsoever.

Don't do any renos. Slight chance you may recoup your money. Changes are the buyer will have their own thoughts/plans.

Sold for market price. As it turned out the new buyer had plans to move walls etc. Any monies that we might have spent on renos would have been wasted.

 

[W2R]

Before putting our home on the market we consulted an interior designer and several real estate agents.
[...]

When I sold my previous house, after buying and moving into my Dream Home, much to my surprise my realtor recommended doing NOTHING - - no remodeling, no staging, no repairs, nothing, and getting it on the market ASAP (because the timing was right in his opinion). Pretty much similar to what you were told, except I had moved. I had already painted it beige five years prior.

It was completely, entirely empty. I asked him if I shouldn't have it staged (knowing that his wife was a stager), but he said "no". I asked him if I shouldn't at least bring a table and chair, but he said "no". Hmm!

I figured, hey, he's the expert, so I followed his advice. I insisted on having it professionally cleaned, but otherwise did nothing.

It sold in four days at my asking price, which was several thousand dollars more than I would have accepted. The buyers only wanted stupid piddly little cheap repairs and ignored the more than $10K in repairs that I had had in mind previously (but didn't do).

For me, the state of the housing market here at that moment in time helped me to sell more than anything.

 

[davebarnes]

And fold the towels a particular way (go figure)..

And, are you going to keep this a secret?

 

[Rianne]

Bottom line, what makes you happy. We spent ~ $60K remodeling our 55 yr. old ranch and we love it. Will probably live out our days here (hopefully). Would we get our $$ back? Have no idea and don't care. Lovely open floorplan, bamboo floors, granite countertops, new appliances, open sun room. We knocked out walls, ripped up 4 layers of flooring, ripped out cabinets and completely re worked the living area. Looks like a different house than the one we bought. IMHO, go with the gut feeling, if you can afford it.

 

[Cassius King]

Starting a kitchen remodel as I type this. Contractor has been hired, designer came to house and got measurements and ideas. Meeting with them shortly to iron out details and choices.
We've been in this house almost 15 years to the date. I've not done too much of anything to the inside. Took care of more major stuff. Brand new roof, siding, trim and insulation. Then a new furnace and central air unit. Turned the screened in patio into a sunroom with all windows.
We're kicking around the idea of moving in maybe 10 years, but the remodel is strictly for us to enjoy the house more while we are here. There will be a bathroom remodel sometime after the kitchen is done, but that should be it.
I'm not remodeling for the investment. In my neighborhood I wouldn't recoup a fraction of what it's costing. But we love the house and want to make the kitchen in our image of what we want.

 

[pb4uski]

One of the things that we like best about our kitchen remodel was putting LED underlighting on the wall cabinets. Also, we chose big drawers rather than cabinets with pullouts... one less step in getting things out and putting things away.