possible/wise to remove old cabinets and counter and then put back?

2 years ago

I just bought this 1915 house and the bathroom and kitchen were remodeled a decade ago but they are not my taste. When we purchased the house I was thinking - I can deal w the cabinets and countertop I’ll just paint the cabs. What really bothers me is this modern slate flooring. I assumed I could just re tile around the existing cabinets and appliance but multiple people have told me that’s a bad idea and they should go under so appliances can be serviced and so you don’t have two different levels on the floor.

This means I would have to remove countertop and cabinets, and appliances and install new subfloor and tiling. I don’t have the funds for an entire kitchen remodel and I’m satisfied with the footprint/layout though I would like the oven to be vented outside (it currently has one of those under microwave vent situations that clearly isn’t working evidenced by grease up the cabinets)

Am I kidding myself trying to salvage these cabinets and countertops to save myself from an entire remodel, or does it seem possible, and dare I say DIYable?

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Comments (4)

rebasheba
2 years ago
I would try a couple rugs/mats for a while and see if that will do well enough until you might be ready for a full reno someday. Nothing wrong with reusing materials, but the amount of work doesn't seem doable or worth it for the change you would be getting. Unlikely you would get the countertops out without damaging them.

I get why you dislike it, but once you are living in it, have your things in it, I bet you will notice it less. Congrats!
catbuilder
2 years ago
That floor is not slate. It looks like vinyl. If it's a floating floor, you can remove it and replace it with another floating floor in a different color, if that is your objection to it.
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Joseph Corlett, LLC
2 years ago
rebasheba is correct.
dani_m08
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Your kitchen looks nice - if it was my kitchen, I’d remove the backsplash and replace it with new tiles + add some nice rugs (which will really make a big change to the cold look of the thenlarge gray tiles).

catbuilder is correct - the floor is not real slate. It is some type of porcelain or ceramic tile. Actual slate flooring can look ”modern” - or it can look more traditional/transitional. It really depends upon the size of the tiles/the install pattern/size and color of grout lines. Slate has been around for quite a long time.

Regardless, I think that it will be difficult to remove everything (cabinets/countertop) without something breaking.

There are kitchens that are removed - and then sold to others - so, it can be done. Those kitchens are expensive ones (not a jab at your cabinets - your cabinets look nice - but I have no idea what type/brand of cabinets you have) - and they are worth the price tag spent to carefully have them removed (by professionals) - piece by piece - so they can be recycled.

If you try rugs, and that doesn’t help - maybe you could do a floating floor. While the new floor would block appliances into their spots, I assume that pieces could be removed if you needed to replace an appliance later. I’m just speculating about this - I’ve never seen/walked on a walked on a floating floor - much less had one installed and/or pieces removed. It’s my understanding that pieces can be replaced if they are damaged - so, logically it seems like they could be removed when needed for other reasons.