Starting to look like a kitchen again

The counter tops finally arrived. The installation was a two day job which worked out well since one of the pieces broke in transit. They installed the main side in one day and had to reorder the other side. It took a surprisingly short amount of time to get the new piece and a few days later it was in.

We were really lucky because they cut the piece in the near side of the photo above in one chunk and it was heavy as crap and barely fit. The floor installer was over to take a look and he ended up helping the counter installer manhandle the piece in place. It never would have gone in if there wasn't some auxiliary testosterone in the house.

The general contractor that did my demo and reinstallation had trouble with my dishwasher and fancy new faucet so I had to hire a plumber for that. It worked out since I wanted a real plumber to put in the new RO unit.

Just 5 months later and I have a functioning kitchen again!

Houston- We Have New Cabinets

I decided the design differences in the cabinets were something I just couldn't get over. There was one corner that I couldn't cope with and I decided the time to do it was now rather than live with it and regret it forever.

The first version of the cabinets had a nifty corner unit with the bi-fold door which was snazzy. But I didn't spring for the big lazy suzan in it so I had a little opening to a cavernous cupboard. Couldn't get anything big through the door. I also had a skinny cookie sheet cabinet on one side and a little regular cabinet on the other side with a little drawer.

The new ones have the old-fashioned blind cabinet that tucks behind its neighbor, but the door is big enough for my mixing bowls and the neighboring cabinet is larger so now I have two good sized drawers instead of one tiny one. I'm happy with my decision to redo it and can't wait to unpack!

The counters will be templated this week and installed at the end of the month.

I called the floor place to let them know when I'd be wanting my floors so they can order the materials if need be, and discovered my wood is on sale again. Now its even cheaper than it was when I picked it out! Its going to save me $300. When does that happen?

Houston, We Have Cabinets

The truck showed up yesterday morning and in less than two days, the cabinets are finished.

There are some minor differences in design that I'm going to have to get used to but overall, its fantastic. My old cabinets were made of junk but were well designed; these are made of quality material, but the box frames take up more space than the old so the door openings are smaller. Feels like I have huge cabinets with tiny doors.

They're coming to make a template for the counter tops on Friday and two weeks later I should have counters and a sink again.  They had to take out my shop sink to install the cabinets so that means two weeks of no water in the kitchen. Fun.

Construction Must be Preceeded by Deconstruction

My new cabinets left the factory last Wednesday so they should be here any minute, but before the project could move forward the last of the old cabinets had to come out. I hired a contractor recommended by the great guy at Idlers who designed my kitchen and he did the last of the deconstruction and patched the drywall that was damaged by the water and the cabinet removal.

 

They also got rid of the tile and what they called an "absolute crap-ton" of thin-set used to install it for a fraction of what the floor guy wanted to charge me in preparation for the new floor installation.

He even finished the drywall my ex didn't bother to put in when we built the addition on the front of the house so the cabinet installers would have an even surface to work with.

The kids helped me touch up the paint and we are prepped and ready to go! Now where the hell are my cabinets?

We have a plan

 

The cabinets have officially been ordered! I've upgraded materials and we cam up with a smarter design... all within my budget. The construction estimate is 4 to 5 weeks and I've got a guy lined up to do the last of the demo and rip out my kitchen tile a few days before that. I couldn't be happier.

 

Progress... Sort of

I met with the cabinet designer today and saw a mock-up of his ideal design. Its fabulous, and within my budget. How on earth did that happen? He needed a couple measurements to give me an exact price on the counter tops, and when his bid is written up I'll go back to cement the details. I picked out real wood cabinets, painted white to coordinate with the built-ins in the living room, and I'm leaning towards Corian counter tops that look like beach sand with a fused-in Corian sink. No more white that shows every crumb and the pale sand color will look good with my new floors.

I also went in to the flooring place and got an invoice for the materials for my hardwood floors. Its fabulous and the wood is on sale so its within my budget. How on earth did that happen? I picked out a carbonized woven bamboo. Its purrrdy.

So, once the final details of the cabinets are picked out and they can be ordered, it will be 6-8 weeks for construction. In the mean time, I have to get the old tile out, take down the old crown molding over the remaining cabinets and prep and paint the walls and ceiling so its all done before they hang the new cabinets.

Bills

I was expecting my water bill to be much higher this month but it was actually less than the previous bill. I guess it doesn't take much water to do a ton of damage.

Interestingly though, it takes an extra $200 worth of electricity to dry that little bit of water.