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

[Sue J]

Ronstar, I love the tile choices. Just beautiful!

 

[Ronstar]

Lovely kitchen! Like you, we have hardwood floor throughout the house. They are so much more comfortable on the feet and my dishes have not broken (yet) when accidentally dropped onto the floor.

Are the cabinets new or did you have them refinished?

Thanks - Cabinets are new. The new appliances would have caused too may modifications to keep the old cabinets.

And I really like the hardwood compared to tile.

 

[Scuba]

I have seen this advice many times but it has never made any sense to me. The easiest amount to recoup is zero, but what if we want a new kitchen? -- particularly if we have no near-in plans to sell the house. Why would we not remodel the way we want to do it? We buy many things where there is no prospect of recouping the cost. Easy example: cars. So why should a kitchen remodel be any different?

I agree with this. We put in our dream kitchen including top of the line Subzero and Wolf appliances. Love using it every day and our custom cabinets are beautiful. Not sure how much the kitchen cost because it was part of a complete home remodel. While our home has likely appreciated 30-40% since we bought it two years ago, if we sold today, we would not recoup the full cost of our remodel. However we love living in it and have no regrets.

 

[Scuba]

You'll need to get someone to look at it. What's underneath will probably be the driving factor. Exposed joists = easy. Concrete slab = not so easy.

I am always saddened to hear statements like this, but I will still try to draw your attention to a new thing: induction cooktops. https://www.consumerreports.org/ele...of-induction-cooktops-and-ranges-a5854942923/ They are fantastic; better than gas.

You can do what we did. Buy a small induction burner like this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FLR0ET8 From Amazon warehouse it was $94.83 with the sales tax. Initially we played with it, now it is DW's go-to burner for cooking; it's sitting on top of our gas burners. DW also arranged to cook a full trial meal at a friend's house where they have a full induction cooktop. Again, fantastic results. Faster to cook, easier to control, instantly responsive to changes in heat setting, trivial to clean up, etc. We will be buying a GE model for our new 2nd home: https://www.geappliances.com/applia...n-Touch-Control-Induction-Cooktop-PHP9030DJBB

We are also thinking about ditching the gas cooktop in our city home in favor of induction. Sadly, our house remodel put most of the kitchen outside the basement and over a slab, so the electrical work will not be cheap. 2nd home is already wildly over budget so we will probably sit tight here for a while, though.

Agree on induction cooktop. We put in a Wolf induction and love it after cooking with gas most of our lives.

 

[Koolau]

Having tasted he nectar of induction, I think I'd back it up with something like this: https://www.campchef.com/cooking-systems/pro-90x.html either tied into the natural gas or to a 100# bottle.

We went much lower "rent" on our back up. We found a small butane single burner at Trader Joes (I think). Never used it yet but it would at LEAST boil water in case the water system were ever compromised. It would boil water for our back-up food as well (bags of stuff that just needs to be boiled to become reconstituted.) BUT at the homestead, we have the old "pilot light" stove (very inefficient in summer) so we're good for all situations. YMMV

 

[skyking1]

If I had to do it over again, I'd go for two separated sinks - one for meal prep and the other for cleanup. Heck, a separate scullery would be ideal.

BINGO!
Our current house does not have the space for it, but the next one? Oh yes!
I have a couple of wish list items.
1) wide open space in front of DW, sink, and fridge so one person at those spots cannot inhibit another's passing in any way.
2) A second sink so someone can be working on a prep project and another can be doing cleanup and the more common sink/DW projects.

 

[OldShooter]

Late breaking idea: Yesterday we took a tour sponsored by the local architects' society. One house had two quite small dishwashers flanking the island sink. One was for dirty dishes, the other was clean-dish storage.

 

[skyking1]

AKA the $1500 drying rack

 

[1242Vintage]

The small glass front bar fridge we included is awesome. It’s out of the way, not in the main walkway in the kitchen. Guest can see the drinks and feel free to grab what they want without bothering the chef … me!!! Within a couple feet of the fridge we have a wine rack tucked up under the island. Wine rack is usually stocked with low to mid-price bottles and all are welcome to open and enjoy whatever they find.

Picture was taken before counter tops and lighting installed. Bar fridge is on the far left of the picture and wine rack is on the island on the left side.

 

[Winemaker]

Late breaking idea: Yesterday we took a tour sponsored by the local architects' society. One house had two quite small dishwashers flanking the island sink. One was for dirty dishes, the other was clean-dish storage.

DW and I laughed at that idea years ago; as well as the laundry room on the upstairs floor with the bedrooms, instead of in basement. We compromised on that idea, it's on the first floor and not the basement. I was working steady midnight shift at the time and didn't want to listen to the washer and dryer while trying to sleep.

 

[MC Rider]

The times I have seen double appliances, it was a Kosher kitchen.

 

[skyking1]

@1242vintage the bev fridge is also a great idea. Next kitchen will get one, and that second sink/workstation area that I was already committed to.

 

[FIYes]

We did a kitchen remodel a few years ago. We love it. It has really enhanced the enjoyment of our house. We both love to cook. Our old kitchen was tiny!

We took out a wall to an unused breakfast nook and expanded the kitchen. We got the free designs from both Home Depot and Lowe’s and also from a local cabinet company. The local company was far superior to the big box stores in terms of design and they were no more expensive.

The only thing that I would have done differently is I would have opted for a dishwasher. With staying home and eating in all the time I have gotten a little tired of doing dishes. Also, a couple of years ago we visited some friends and they have a Bosch dishwasher. It actually works well. I had only experienced dishwashers that were loud and didn’t work that well.

 

[pb4uski]

Both of our dishwashers are Kenmore but made by Bosch... quiet and trouble-free.

 

[jeffmete]

Our local Home Depot has a employee with a degree in architecture. He was amazing and he designed and built (using their contractor) a total new kitchen for around 25K . Included changing the floor plan (removed peninsula, moved fridge and oven and added two large pantry cabinets), adding an island, all new cabinets and flooring. What we didn’t do is take out the soffits, as while it would look better, that’s where the real money starts to come in play.

 

[MC Rider]

Our local Home Depot has a employee with a degree in architecture. He was amazing and he designed and built (using their contractor) a total new kitchen for around 25K . Included changing the floor plan (removed peninsula, moved fridge and oven and added two large pantry cabinets), adding an island, all new cabinets and flooring. What we didn’t do is take out the soffits, as while it would look better, that’s where the real money starts to come in play.

We had soffits removed as part of the demo, then the same crew did drywall in that area. They also closed off one of 2 doors to a small bathroom. I don't recall the soffit drywall being a separate line item or costing a lot, but it has been a few years. Gained cabinet space, albeit it up high.


With one big sink you can always throw a plastic dish pan in there for a second sink as needed. Dry it and put underneath when done with it.

 

[meleana]

Our last house we lucked out with a great contractor who also employed a designer. Kitchen was done on time. The guy was fanatical about the timing as he had multiple jobs lined up one after the other.

I loved that kitchen much more than my current one in our new construction cottage. One thing I did make sure I had more counter space and cabinets than the builder was “allowing” in his base price. Researched appliances in Consumer Reports. Made sure no space above the cabinets- former kitchen we had them go right up to the ceiling. This kitchen is different and we had a soffit put in to seal the space.

Don’t get a counter depth refrigerator because they are too small inside. Get pull out shelves inside the cabinets and get a big pantry. Take your time with the tile backsplash- it can make or break the look of the kitchen. Design the kitchen so you don’t have to have anything on the counters. Ex: an appliance cabinet you can store them in.

 

[JT90505]

" If you have an ice maker get a waterline valve so you can turn it off if you go on vacation or if it springs a leak."

Some refrigerators (ours. surprise, surprise.) require water turned off to change the water filter. Fortunately our contractor put a valve in when we did our major remodel.

 

[jeffmete]

We had soffits removed as part of the demo, then the same crew did drywall in that area. They also closed off one of 2 doors to a small bathroom. I don't recall the soffit drywall being a separate line item or costing a lot, but it has been a few years. Gained cabinet space, albeit it up high.
it.

Yeah if it’s just drywall, no big deal. Some soffits hide electric and even plumbing or vents.

 

[indiajust]

I did all my hardwood floors, including subfloor, sanding, finishing. I used both Lowes and HD and picked the HD cabinetry plan. I did plumbing and electrical and gas lines, lighting. I contracted the 3 pieces of granite countertop. But I did the sealing and waxing, backsplashes and tile. I specced all the appliances, most over internet for no taxes. I really miss my built in convection microwave over the convection oven. Looks like double oven but much more useful. Loved the gas cooktop and downdraft vent.

Now that I am older, I really like the full depth pullout drawers in lower cabinets. super easy.

Craftmaid cabinets with veneer in the exposed parts, maple frames. sigh. under and over cabinet lighting very nice and useful. 4 spots to prep food.

 

[68bucks]

We did a complete remodel of our kitchen when we moved in 5 years ago. Custom cabinets, high end appliances the whole deal. Here are my thoughts in hindsight. We installed 2 sinks, someone mentioned that, great idea if you can fit it in. We have had many people here for dinners and so forth and everyone say "what a great idea." To be honest there where 2 here already though completely different layout. Both are cast iron apron sinks. Don't skimp on fixtures.

Appliances were expensive. We installed a Subzero fridge with panels to match the cabinets. Viking frechdoor wall oven. Viking dual fuel range, gas cook top, electric oven. Viking microwave, Bosch dishwasher. So that said the fridge is great, love it. The dishwasher is really good. We have an open concept room and it's really, really quite. You can watch tv 10' away and barely hear it running. Now Viking another story. I would never buy another Viking appliance. Between the 3 appliances we spent close to $13k. The range and the wall oven have both given us issues. I had to put more than $1500 in repairs in the wall oven last year. I don't think it was ever right. Tried to get Viking to cover the burner element under warranty, $500+, that is good for 5 years. I was within a couple days of that 5 year date. So far I have been stonewalled by Viking. Contacted them several times via phone and email, got a couple replies but mainly have been ignored.

As far as design it's not that hard. We did all ours ourselves. I have an engineering background so I laid everything out on CAD but you could sketch it on graph paper just as easy. Any cabinet shop can work from a sketch and will give you a drawing of the layout. If you have selected appliances they will know the sizes and allow spaces where needed. If you have a lot of electrical work or significant structural changes you might need some help with that. If it's only minor stuff like move a few outlets and switches an electrical contractor will help with that. I don't think an architect is necessary unless its a new space being built. I hired an architect for a 1500 sf addition were working on and I now have a full set of construction plans and it cost me less than $1500. That does not include electrical plans. I'll just mark up a set of plans with locations for outlets, switches and the like and another set for lighting. An electrical contractor will work just fine with that. Plumbing is sort of a no brainer. If you want to tear our supporting walls or major stuff like that consult a structural engineer.

 

[Deuce]

Retired custom builder here, one thing I would recommend is using as many drawers as you can on the lower cabinets. It’s really easy to store pots and pans and things that you want to get to quickly.

 

[Koolau]

Retired custom builder here, one thing I would recommend is using as many drawers as you can on the lower cabinets. It’s really easy to store pots and pans and things that you want to get to quickly.

So true. We tried to add as many drawers as possible but our kitchen is quite small. There's never enough storage space.

 

[HMMY]

We just completed a gut reno, including kitchen, 2 bathrooms, new floors, doors, closets, recessed lighting, light fixtures. The only thing we didn't touch were the windows. Labor was $79k + $6k for change orders. The work took 8 weeks after the plans were approved. My GC recommended a kitchen place that sells counters and cabinets and does design for free. Not sure how much the kitchen part of the labor cost, but the cabinets, quartz counter top, peninsula, and backsplash were ~$12k. The cabinets are soft close plywood boxes with solid wood fronts. One cabinet had a nick and another had paint that was peeling and both were replaced 2 days later. I have a corner lazy susan, pull-out spice rack, under cabinet LED lighting that makes the quartz backsplash and counter sparkle. I knocked down walls, expanded the kitchen, changed the layout, did all new electric, recessed lighting, floors, and appliances ($7k). Appliances are french door fridge, 5-burner gas stove with convection oven, dishwasher with 3rd tray, all Bosch because that was what was available for immediate delivery. I had no supply issues because I only chose items that were in stock.

 

[Argus]

Sorry I didn't read through the entire thread, but I do have recent experience with a total kitchen remodel: demo to studs (and removal of 2 walls, one with a structural beam between kitchen and dining room), new cabinets, oak floor, electrical, plumbing, quartz countertop, and new gas/elec 36" range. We reused dishwasher and refrigerator.

Our old kitchen was OLD! 50 plus years: vinyl tile floors on top of sheet vinyl floor on top of plywood. 4x4 tile countertop that was falling apart... cabinets that didn't shut, etc. it was a mess...

Our original plan was to do it ourselves until i finally said to DW that I couldn't give her the kitchen she deserved and wanted.

We decided to use a one-stop shop (Norfolk Kitchen and Bath). They do everything but paint, which we did. We decided this direction because we didn't want to deal with multiple contractors and schedule and having 1 point of contact was paramount.

We had a few additional costs that we anticipated; structural support of roof and subfloor. But we budgeted 20% of the estimate that covered most of it.

We live in a high COLA area outside of Boston and in the end the cost came in around $85k. It took the contractor(s) 4 months for the entire project but it was money well spent given the complexity of the work.

Sometimes the point-and-pay approach works out.

Good luck!