(Oh, and I should add the reason for doing the floor now is that, in the wonderfulness that is old kitchens, the tile floor that's there now was added after the fact and is layered on top of the original floor, so they shaved off all the bottoms of the cabinets, built-ins, and doors to the kitchen to make them clear the tile, and cut off all the original moulding. So if we replace cabinets, we want to install new ones on the true floor to avoid the reverse problem.)

Hi artemis,

I have been working on our kitchen for a few years, but at a snail's pace. I'm sure you wouldn't want to do it the way we have, b/c we've been living with no ceiling, a torn vinyl floor, etc, for years.

However, I don't see a problem with doing it in stages except maybe getting the same cabinets later. I'm making ours, so I don't know about that. If you're putting in something unusual, it might be harder to match later. It's probably best to ask at the place you're buying the cabinets. I recommend you think it through carefully, preferably with a carpenter you trust. Otherwise you might end up doing something now, then having to tear it out to redo it later because there's something you didn't think of. (We've done that!)

As long as you know that certain jobs will create a dusty mess while you're living there (ceiling tearout, floor sanding) you can take steps to minimize it. Cover everything that can't be moved out, and seal off the room if possible.

I don't think it makes sense to remodel now only to remodel again later. This is expensive work. It does make financial sense to find out the extent of the damaged areas and get that addressed now.

I don't think I've been much help here, but I just wanted to support you in what you're going through, and in thinking you can do it in stages.

Good luck.

are you sure the terminates were only eating the cabinets? and not the rest of your house? I would get that checked out asap if you haven't already.. you might need to spend more to remedy the termites which would further impact your kitchen budget..

Thanks---yes, we're having this checked out next week as well, of course. There's no visible damage, which is a good sign (we have a small house where joists, etc. are all visible so we confirmed that there's no sign of either past or present activity anywhere but the cabinet, so far---with the big IF that we may find some if we demo the cabinets and expose the wall behind....a reason to do it and a reason not to! ;) So we hope we caught it fairly early! (No swarms, either, so that's a positive.)

I hope for your sake it's a limited infestation. It can be expensive to repair termite damage.

Back to the cabinets...it sounds like you have to replace at least 3 cabinets...one way or the other.

The chancy thing about picking your cabinets and just ordering the one wall now and the second wall later is that the door style and/or finish may not be available a few years from now. The other issue is the possible change in floor plan.

You might consider a few things right now....

1. Look into designing your new kitchen now....not installing it, designing it. We could even help you with that.

   Then, when you have what you think is a close-to-final floor plan, go to a few KDs and be honest with them. Perhaps they can tell you what door styles & finishes most likely will be around 7 years from now. There may be "classic" styles & finishes that never go out of style so are around for decades.

   Once you have a few options (hopefully!), determine what you can afford now vs what will have to wait. Hopefully you'll be able to at least install your sink & DW in their new home. It may mean moving some other things around and having a less-than optimum kitchen for a few years, but if you have a plan, you may actually be able to do bits & pieces over time rather than doing some now and then waiting another 5 - 7 years to do anything else.

Another option is to look into inexpensive cabinets to get you through the next few years....perhaps IKEA would work. Many people here do entire kitchens for only $2500 or so. For one wall, it should be less expensive.

No, there aren't a lot of door or finish choices, but they do have basic doors that might not clash w/what you have now and decent construction so they will hold up well over time.

It would also eliminate the extensive carpentry you mentioned to get a DW.

Another consideration is that many people here have even installed their own IKEA cabinets...saving even more on the cabinet install cost. When you do re-do your kitchens, I bet the cabinets will still be in good shape and could be moved to the garage, basement, laundry room, etc.
You could also go the route of building basic (or purchasing inexpensive) open shelved cabinet carcasses and using them until you're ready for a remodel. If you don't like open shelving you could hang curtains or something in front of them.

If it were me, I would probably do option #2 (IKEA cabinets) since I suspect your floor plan changes probably won't be conducive to a piecemeal approach.

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As to the countertop, I would go with either an inexpensive laminate or butcher block (I prefer laminate, but others have the opposite view....YMMV). For the sink, if you go w/a temporary cabinet solution, get an inexpensive drop in sink.

For a faucet you could either go inexpensive there as well, or buy the one you really want now...faucets are easily moved. Maybe it'll be the thing to keep you on track saving up for the remodel and remind you of what's to come to keep your spirits up. It may also be the one thing to put a smile on your face in what's sure to be a compromise kitchen for now.

Good luck and I hope this has helped!

There is great advice from Buehl above.

On the bright side, no one will ever think that your kitchen screams: 2008-2009-2010-2011-2012...

-Lena

I would do Ikea, with the really cheap doors for now, then buy a full set with the rest of the cabinets. I would strongly urge you not to get any wood or wood veneer now and try to match it later. They'll have Nexus Birch in 5 years, but I have doors I bought a year apart that are slightly different colors.

One thing to beware of- don't get yourself locked into the same layout because that's where the sink is. We got trapped in that, and the room would work so much better if we had moved the plumbing and made it a galley instead of a split U mess.