Cheap & quick remodel - anyone else?

18 years ago

Remember my post titled "KD says the cabinets I like are UGLY"? Well, shortly afterwards dh accepted a job transfer and we are moving soon!

So over the next 4 days we're remodeling the kitchen as cheaply as we can, but also as nicely as reasonable (meaning we are very short on time and don't want to overspend).

We are using off the shelf cabinets and laminate counters. Bought a nickel faucet, reusing the stainless steel sink. Will find some cab handles on Ebay. Bought a new door for the pantry. And discovered we will have to re-tile the floor because we can't find replacements to match the existing tile. Will keep the black and ss stove/oven, and buy a new dishwasher to match. Not sure about replacing the white fridge - that's a big expense that I'm not sure would pay off, but might be necessary to make the room look pulled together.

Add some paint and we'll be done. I think I picked the counters and cabs out in about 5 minutes - didn't sweat too much. Very unlike the months of thinking, dreaming, planning, and research I had already put into designing *our* new kitchen. Such a different mind set when the remodel needs to be done quickly and 'neutral' for someone else.

So far we've only spent about $3,500 - I'm sure the new dw and misc. will put us over $4k. That seems like plenty to give away to a new owner. And in a way I wonder why we didn't just do it this way 4 years ago when we moved in!

Is anyone else going this route in their kitchen? I assume not everyone is spending tens of thousands of dollars and several months time on their kitchens?? Any advice for us?

We were in the middle of tearing out the old kitchen, removed a corner wall and drywalled over one doorway/entrance. The next few days are going to be so much fun! (not!)

Here is a link that might be useful: KD says the cabinets I like are UGLY

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Comments (8)

mary_in_nc
18 years ago
I remember during Thanksgiving week someone was doing a DIY total remodel job in a week. They did an amazing job. The thread has fallen off but I was able to Google and find it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Weedyacres Thanksgiving week DIY total remodel
ladynimue
Original Author
18 years ago
Wow, that's an impressive link, thanks for that. Makes me hopeful that we *can* get this done in 4 days - our kitchen isn't as big and we don't have to put together cabs.
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kitchenkelly
18 years ago
Good luck! Make sure you post the "afters."
mscarol
18 years ago
wish you the best & post photos please. We just left the KD in sticker shock and might have a work week of DIY. LOL
pbrisjar
18 years ago
At least you found out early in the game. Good luck with the remodel and the move!
Nancy Adamopoulos
18 years ago
I'm actually wrapping up a cheap and quick remodel this week(hopefully!)... We are also selling.

We've spent a bit more than you, but I pretty much hired out all the work...

here's the breakdown:

Update 25 y.o. cabs with crown moulding and new raised panel doors with blum hinges and new shelving. $1300

Professional painting of the cabinet doors and cabinet faces $2400

new hardwood floor to match the entire house (tried to stain and refinish the old Hartco parquet floor- but it got shot down by every floor refinisher I interviewed... so a new floor for $800 more...) $1600

Granite tile counters with new undermount sink. Got a great deal on their special order granite tile from HD--they were having a 20% off sale- so total was $7.20/sq foot for the tile (the local tile store wanted $15.00/sq foot) $1200

New tile backsplash to replace the old almond colored laminate/formica backsplash(ugh!) $460

New slide-in stainless range and OTR MW (the old ones were 25 years old and falling apart) $1400

Kept the DW (2 y.o. Bosch)

Bought a new stainless panel for the 15 y.o. Subzero to replace the old almond colored one- voila! brand new fridge(at least from the outside!) $360

Total cost is just under $9000. Total time - about 1 month (most of the delay was scheduling the contractors to come in and do the work)...I plan on posting pics once it is completed. I'll eventually post pics of my new house kitchen too(which i spent much longer planning out!)
ladynimue
Original Author
18 years ago
Oh I wish we could hire some help! But none available here, I'd have to book weeks, if not months, in advance. It's tough having to do it all ourselves but in the end I think it's best money wise - I doubt we would get any of the expense back when selling. The work we're doing I view pretty much as just making the house saleable.

Right now we're still doing 'boring' stuff - putting up drywall & mud, sanding, cutting holes for electrical outlets, etc. Hopefully we'll get some of the cabinets installed later today. I actually *hope* to have them all installed....I'm probably dreaming, lol.

The flooring has been an issue, we keep going back and forth on it. We were just going to put in new tile, but now I'm thinking maybe we should lay down laminate wood. See the whitesh gray tile? That's in just the LR. The other tile is in the kitchen, the entry, the DR (on the right side of the picture), and in the Sun Room (which is on the other side of the DR).

What do you all think? Any suggestions? I was thinking if we put the laminate wood in the kitchen and the entry way it would tie together better (better than a 3rd color/style of tile?!). Plus carpet over the gray tile in the LR? How does that sound?

Here's a couple more pictures for reference -

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{{!gwi}}
The DR - open to kitchen, LR and the sun room is there to the right. Sun room is viewable from the LR, but not open to it. So the DR and LR form the long side of an L - the sun room would be the short end of the L.

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{{!gwi}}
This is the LR - you can barely see the start of the entry way on the right.

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This is a view of the sun room looking from the DR, but an old picture.

The floors are driving me crazy!
ladynimue
Original Author
18 years ago
Updating -

This is what we had done as of Tue. night, the last of our 4 day work time. Obviously still many finish projects remain but most of those will have to wait for another two weeks - after dh returns from his business trip. The work was tedious, but not at all hard, and it was really fun to work together.

We drywalled over an entry that was at the back left. Moved the dishwasher from the left side to the right. Moved the sink and plumbing so it would center under the window. Installed new cabinets (one base cabinet still needs to go in place); hung upper doors; installed new sink, new faucet and new dishwasher. Removed some floor tiles where the old entry was - so the new cabs in that spot would sit flush with the others - and started painting.

Still remaining - counter top installation, cabinet & base trim, one base cab to install next to the stove, cab handles and lower doors. Plus whatever we decided to do with the floors. I changed my mind twice about the counters, otherwise they'd be done already ;) Total spent so far is $4,396.89. Sure hope we get some of it back when we sell!

{{!gwi}}

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