Kitchen remodeling.

[PingSpike]

Is it possible to get cabinets that match ones that you already have installed? I like the cabinets we have now, but I would like to abolish our breakfast nook and take that space for expanding the kitchen area. The cabinets are 20 years old and just standard old builder grade stuff.

I don't even know where to begin looking. If I had to buy all new cabinets I don't think I would even bother.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: PingSpike
Is it possible to get cabinets that match ones that you already have installed? I like the cabinets we have now, but I would like to abolish our breakfast nook and take that space for expanding the kitchen area. The cabinets are 20 years old and just standard old builder grade stuff.

I don't even know where to begin looking. If I had to buy all new cabinets I don't think I would even bother.

Really hard to say. Depends on the wood & stain type and then door style on the existing ones. You could maybe get close and then see where you are best off on doors. You might get close with the new ones and not worry about, or you could buy new panels for the existing ones to match the new ones and give them an easy refresh.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: IGBT
..stone counters chip and crack easy and require frequent sealing to prevent stains.

..why do you start every post with ".."?

 

[Xavier434]

Is it necessary to seal Quartz as often as Granite?

 

[imported_Imp]

Our kitchen, about 10'x14' was about $10k, and that's by using cheapo fibre-board cabinets with a plastic counter-top. Ikea kitchens go from $5k-$15k, not counting labour.

The dumbass renovators we used actually decided to decrease the square footage of the room (by 5 sq.ft.) to hide a 4 foot section of wall that stuck out farther than the rest.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: Xavier434
Is it necessary to seal Quartz as often as Granite?

Quartz requires no sealing, which is one of it's major advantages along with being stronger than granite because it's a more "pure" slab without natural filler. Plus it's a fabricated product that allows a lot of customization and choice on colors.

 

[TridenT]

I'll be sure to get Quartz countertops then. I don't really understand why cabinets are so expensive.

 

[Xavier434]

Originally posted by: vi edit

Originally posted by: Xavier434
Is it necessary to seal Quartz as often as Granite?

Quartz requires no sealing, which is one of it's major advantages along with being stronger than granite because it's a more "pure" slab without natural filler. Plus it's a fabricated product that allows a lot of customization and choice on colors.

Interesting...

I am the patient type who prefers saving longer to buy better quality when I can. I think I may wait and get some of this stuff instead.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: Xavier434

Originally posted by: vi edit

Originally posted by: Xavier434
Is it necessary to seal Quartz as often as Granite?

Quartz requires no sealing, which is one of it's major advantages along with being stronger than granite because it's a more "pure" slab without natural filler. Plus it's a fabricated product that allows a lot of customization and choice on colors.

Interesting...

I am the patient type who prefers saving longer to buy better quality when I can. I think I may wait and get some of this stuff instead.

Quartz is about the same price as granite. The reason being that quartz sheets are fabricated. So they lack the grains and color variance of granite. The appearance is not nearly as nice.....ends up looking like really nice solid surface stuff most of the time. But, as said, it's a superior material.

I do some woodworking, so I'm actually going to be building my own kitchen cabinets and will just order the doors. Cost will be about $2500 total for materials, but that excludes all my labor which will take about 6 months worth of partial Saturdays. But that will be fun for me anyway.

If I were to buy cabinets I already priced out some nice RTA ones for about $4200, but I really don't like the look of RTA cabinets once they're intalled. Custom fit face-frames just look so much nicer. But if I can end up getting them for closer to what I'll be spending on materials I'd reconsider.

 

[DrPizza]

OP, if you're on a budget, there are other considerations: You can use ceramic tile, or possibly look at using 12"x12" granite tiles (often meant for floors) to make a tiled granite countertop. Hit google images for a while; Even as a "temporary" improvement to last 5 years or so, 12" granite tiles can often be a significant upgrade to what you already have existing. (And, for about $3 per sq ft)

Also: cabinets. There's no shortage of people who will have 5 year old cabinets ripped out of the home they're buying, so that they can put in brand new cabinets of some other more exotic wood (gotta stay ahead of the Joneses). Watch Craigslist, or even put out a "cabinets wanted" ad. You might get lucky & get a $10,000 set of cabinets in mint condition, for pennies on the dollar.

 

[TridenT]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
OP, if you're on a budget, there are other considerations: You can use ceramic tile, or possibly look at using 12"x12" granite tiles (often meant for floors) to make a tiled granite countertop. Hit google images for a while; Even as a "temporary" improvement to last 5 years or so, 12" granite tiles can often be a significant upgrade to what you already have existing. (And, for about $3 per sq ft)

Also: cabinets. There's no shortage of people who will have 5 year old cabinets ripped out of the home they're buying, so that they can put in brand new cabinets of some other more exotic wood (gotta stay ahead of the Joneses). Watch Craigslist, or even put out a "cabinets wanted" ad. You might get lucky & get a $10,000 set of cabinets in mint condition, for pennies on the dollar.

I am really interested in quartz. Any way to get that cheaper?

Interesting idea. There are a lot of people in the area who do have a lot of money for these kinds of things (PDX area)

 

[Turkish]

Well I have no idea as to how much marble countertops cost in the U.S. but we remodeled our home about 1.5 years ago and here are some before and after pics per your request.

Remodeling are tiring but fun... hope you have more of the latter

Old: http://filebox.vt.edu/users/ckizilde/photos/old/
New: http://filebox.vt.edu/users/ckizilde/photos/new/

 

[JMapleton]

OP, who is "we"? Is it your house?

 

[TridenT]

Originally posted by: Turkish
Well I have no idea as to how much marble countertops cost in the U.S. but we remodeled our home about 1.5 years ago and here are some before and after pics per your request.

Remodeling are tiring but fun... hope you have more of the latter

Old: http://filebox.vt.edu/users/ckizilde/photos/old/
New: http://filebox.vt.edu/users/ckizilde/photos/new/

Both styles are not my taste.

 

[nonameo]

Over $9000 dollars. Seriously.

 

[CraKaJaX]

Originally posted by: Imported
A co-worker of mine just spent like $70k to remodel her kitchen a couple months ago.. :Q

My aunt and uncle just got done in October with theirs. They spent 92k on it... knocked down walls to make it huge, everything new, heated floors, etc. But damn....is it beautiful.

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: Turkish
Well I have no idea as to how much marble countertops cost in the U.S. but we remodeled our home about 1.5 years ago and here are some before and after pics per your request.

Remodeling are tiring but fun... hope you have more of the latter

Old: http://filebox.vt.edu/users/ckizilde/photos/old/
New: http://filebox.vt.edu/users/ckizilde/photos/new/

That server on dial-up?

 

[TridenT]

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: Turkish
Well I have no idea as to how much marble countertops cost in the U.S. but we remodeled our home about 1.5 years ago and here are some before and after pics per your request.

Remodeling are tiring but fun... hope you have more of the latter

Old: http://filebox.vt.edu/users/ckizilde/photos/old/
New: http://filebox.vt.edu/users/ckizilde/photos/new/

That server on dial-up?

It was not terrible for me. Virgina Tech.. Hmm, you would think they would have good servers.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Marble is used by hard core chefs due to its density. The thing is, it is porous.

Granite is the commonly used material and probably what you want.

Having talked to enough people, I am convinced that Marble is an inferior product to many laminates. Granite requires more cleaning/maintenance that laminates and even if I win the lottery, I doubt I'd get granite.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: richardycc
most full kitchen remodel cost around $40k-$50k, don't ask me how, that's the figure I keep hearing, anything around $20k is 'cheap'.

I have a relatively small kitchen. The cabinet/counter area is about 25 linear feet including space for the stove and refrigerator. We're currently remodeling so I've recently priced a lot of this stuff. A lot of this is hazy in my memory

Cabinets - $3000 (cheap), $10k (decent, but still laminate with wood fronts; some nice features and specialty cabinets), $25k (custom-built wood)

Counter - ~$3k for granite

Sink - $100 (cheap), $400 (midrange), $700+ high-end
Faucet - $50 (cheap), $150 (midrange), $300+ high-end

Floor - ~$8/sq ft including installation, so ballpark it to $1500. Cost can range from half that to double that.

Oven - start around $400, $1000 for a midrange model and $2k+ for top of the line
(When I say top of the line, I'm not referring to the pseudo-professional appliances that rich people pay an arm and a leg for; I'm talking about high-end consumer appliances)

Dishwasher - start around $300, $700 for midrange and $1k+ for top of the line

Refrigerator - start around $400, $1000-1500 for midrange, $2-3k for top of the line
(again, not talking about sub-zeros)

Microwave - $30 for basic countertop model, $100 for nice countertop model, $300+ for over the range

Furniture - $100 (Ikea) up to a few grand for nicer stuff


You can save a lot of money by installing stuff yourself obviously. I can see how someone could spend $40k on a kitchen that's a bit bigger than mine and outfitted with higher-end stuff. I do think you can get a nice looking kitchen for $20k though, because that's about where we'll end up when all is said and done (my protests about the $10k cabinets land on deaf ears). That'll get us a MUCH nicer kitchen than what the builder put in 20 years ago, but it won't be so overdone that we we lose money on it when we sell the house (considering the neighborhood).

Edit: People who call $20k "cheap" have a pretty narrow view of the world. You can buy a house for that much in some places.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: TridenTBoy3555
I'll be sure to get Quartz countertops then. I don't really understand why cabinets are so expensive.

Just try building some, then get back to us.

 

[TridenT]

Originally posted by: AlienCraft

Originally posted by: TridenTBoy3555
I'll be sure to get Quartz countertops then. I don't really understand why cabinets are so expensive.

Just try building some, then get back to us.

If I had the tools, I would certainly try... Unfortunately I don't have a big ass plainer or uh... What do you call it, it's the thing where you slide wood down it and it straightens/chips-off the pieces of wood until it is straight. I haven't been in a wood shop for a while...

EDIT:Jointer!

 

[DrPizza]

Hindsight is 20/20, but we recently found out we could have gotten custom built cabinets from the Amish for a fraction of what major retailers sell cabinets for. Real Amish, not pretend Amish = big corporation that highers Amish to work in the factory so they can call them "Amish made."

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: TridenTBoy3555
I am really interested in quartz. Any way to get that cheaper?

Interesting idea. There are a lot of people in the area who do have a lot of money for these kinds of things (PDX area)

Why are you asking? Your parents are not going to spend this much money to renovate their kitchen and you shouldn't care b/c you're only living their for another year or two.

 

[PieIsAwesome]

I can't give you an estimate, but I'm sure you can find a creative way to get an awesome-looking kitchen without spending thousands upon thousands of $$$.

If I were to do something like that my goal would be to build it as cheap as possible so I can brag about it.