Our old kitchen was demolished yesterday. So far the GC found a support beam where there wasn't supposed to be one. Head guy came over this AM to check it out, haven't heard what happened yet.

Kitchen is approx. 10'x11', will retain dimensions but we'll get rid of the partial wall with pocket doors so kitchen can accomodate a peninsula and an extra pantry.

We've now chosen appliances (mostly, not positive yet), granite (Golden Beach), and backsplash (I'm most excited about this, it's tumbled marble subway tile w/a beveled edge and four colors of 1"x1" glazed tiles as accents).

I'm just hoping the GC can stick to his proposed 3 month timeframe.

We started the may 1st. We have quite a project because we are part insane. Not only is it completely DIY (with the help of my helpful FIL and my incredibly handy dad), we also bought unfinished cabinets. The cabinets took me about 2 weeks which is amazing considering we have two boys under the age of 3. We kept the layout basically the same only we moved our pennisula, changed a door to a window and took out soffits. I guess in 1960 light switches were hard to come by so all the added wiring seemed to take forever. The dust has finally settled from the demolition and most of our cabinets are in. The granite (which we can't decide on) will be 3 weeks yet, so we have old counter tops and the old sink so that the kitchen is usable.
Anyway, we are proud of ourselves for what we have accomplished so far. I hope you all enjoy the pictures of our chaos!

Before:

Now--Still a ways to go but we are getting closer everyday:

We will be starting demo in another couple of weeks. It's a DIY project. Dh is a teacher and I'm on sabbatical, so we figured this is the time to go for it.

We aren't doing any major rearranging of the footprint. We're replacing the cabinets, countertops, light fixtures and flooring. The house is about 20 years old, and the original contractor stuff is crap and really is getting on my last nerve.

I'm expecting to hear from the cabinet/countertop place any day now. We actually should have gotten them delivered by now, but I wasn't pushing it because I was waiting for our economic stimulus check to pay for the countertops. Now I'm starting to worry a bit because we have a very tight schedule once school is out.

I'm looking forward to this and I'm terrified at the same time. Dh does wonderful work, but he tends to do it on a geological time scale. His last project was redoing the family bath down to the studs. It came out great but took almost two years! He still hasn't stained all the trim.

I'm hoping that the lack of kitchen and no decent meals will be motivational, coupled with my being around to nag nonstop. I made some decisions (like laminate flooring instead of the ceramic I'd really love) with an eye in mind to materials that go more quickly. I figure we can update the flooring in five years if I really hate it.

Our cabinets are going in!!! I'll link to the post with my cabinet photos...

Here is a link that might be useful: cabinet photos

I wasn't supposed to be renovating in June...my contractor thought I'd be done in 4 (or at most) weeks, I translated that into 6 to 8 weeks, and I only got running water 2 days ago/8 weeks into the project.

jra2127 - I remember your kitchen from your earlier post when you were working on your layout! (Your brick peninsula is very memorable!) Can't wait to see the finished kitchen!

We start Monday coming up - I will be spending the weekend emptying out the kitchen - where do I put all this Junk??? This is SO NOT DIY!! My DH has had absolutely no interest in this project from the start (when we argued over the layout!). They told me it will take two weeks, but I take that with a grain of salt. I KNOW this project, strangers in the house, the mess, is going to drive DH crazy! He likes a quiet peaceful house....but he's a great guy, really :-) My other big worry is that they'll tear up floor, remove the cabs, or punch holes in my ceiling and find something rotting that has to be replaced for more $$$!!! So, not getting a whole lot of sleep...! I'll be glad to get the show on the road.

My MIL gave us a two-burner 'hot plate' to use in our temp kitchen, and I'm telling you it's 40 years old at least!! I'll have to work on my grilling skills.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cathy's kitchen album

We're pretty much done - took 3 weeks, completely a gut except for walls and ceiling and totally DIY except for coutertop install.

Still waiting on some light moulding, one door that was incorrect, one light, tile backsplash, and paint. I love my new kitchen!

Before:

After:

inkycrab - I love your new kitchen too!

We have a new fridge (along with sink and faucets) residing in our dining room and other appliances in the garage. Signed the granite contract today. KD assures me cabinets are at her site. We are set to start next Tuesday! (DD has preschool picnic on Monday and GC thought I would want to be there on day 1 so we are starting on the 10th)

We are getting close! Not looking forward to the before work ahead of me - I am procrastinating cleaning out current fridge, I think I better get a move on...

Wow inkycrab - only 3 weeks and you did it yourself? Kudos to you and yours. It looks gorgeous!

Well I'm happy and surprised to say that I just looked at the schedule I posted previously here and we're actually still on schedule. My new walls are being mudded as I type. (Obviously mine is NOT a DIY ;-)

inkycrab, your new kitchen absolutely glows compared to the old! It's gorgeous! Are you putting in a tile backsplash or leaving as is?

inkycrab - what a beautiful kitchen! I can't believe you did it yourselves in just 3 weeks!

Enjoy your new kitchen!

Patti

Congrats to Inkycrab! Your kitchen is lovely!

We are in week 3 of no kitchen. I have an electric skillet, microwave, crockpot, coffeemaker & grill so I'm managing to cook fairly well although we did break down and order a pizza tonight. Progress so far: down to studs demo, removed back wall with sliders (since we have french doors 2' away from previous sliders), new windows installed, plumbing and electrical roughed-in. Inspection tomorrow then we can proceed with insulation. Hopefully drywall next week. I'll show my before & pic of new window. Also, I had the contractor mock up the sink in the cabinet...the cabs on either side of the sink cab are not the ones that will actually go there, just wanted the effect.

Thanks everyone!

Cambro, we are going to tile the backsplash (porcelain mosaic in neutral tones) and are painting as well. I hope to be totally done in the next few weeks.

Inky, I love how you went from blinding white to the warmth of your Maple Shakers. Tres magnifique!

Our kitchen remains in limbo until the cabinets that came with unfinished ends arrive.
At least it is functional with a temporary sink & my stunning 'plywood wrapped with plastic picnic tablecloth' counters.
On the plus side I am really loving how the kitchen works and my new window is great.

Still working on it. We continue to have cabinet issues. By "mutual understanding" we no longer have a cabinet guy. I do believe he was fired. So, now contractor is trying to find someone else to come in and finish. We may look functional, but we're not really. My parents arrive in town next Thursday. I had better be up and running by then AND be able to have my dining room furniture in.

This is where we are at now:

Sorry the pictures aren't resized. When I try to edit them, Explorer shuts down.

I also have to add that it really isn't nearly as dark in there as these pictures would indicate. I guess we need to take some pictures in the middle of the day or with all the lights on. It really gives off a warm vibe - exactly what I was looking for!

ganggreen, don't worry about how dark it is, it is still very pretty.

What issues do you have with your cabinets?

Jujybean: Thanks! My issue with the cabinets is that they're not done. I'm missing one drawer front, none of the drawers slide properly and need to be shaved a bit, cabinet guy screwed up the island, so now none of the drawers on either side of the range will open, hardware needs to be installed, one more set of doors needs to go on, doors need to be aligned, toe kick on the island needs to be installed, quarter round throughout needs to go in. Then, around the corner from the kitchen is a new broom closet; however, cabinet guy screwed that up, so my broom closet will not fit a broom. So, it needs to be redone. Frankly, I can live without that before my parents arrive, as long as everything else is done! At this point, it's all little stuff, but it just needs to get done!

Because all the drawers need to be fixed, I'm not supposed to have anything in them just yet. Well, I have put a few things in a few of the drawers, but everything will need to be taken out yet again when they redo the drawers. I'm trying hard not to add anything else!

On the bright side, we did find 2 pots last night along with the frying pan. I had to borrow a Pyrex casserole from a neighbor Tuesday night and a cookie sheet last night.

ganggreen those are some serious issues and I can see why he was fired. I sure hope that your contractor can find someone to fix those problems, especially with your parents coming soon.

After I hit the submit message button on my previous post, I did notice that you were missing a drawer front.

Well, now that you asked, we are a week into the project, removing walls, moving doors, and prepping for new hardwood throughout the upper level. We are living in our lower level, which has now become a cramped two-bedroom apartment, since we needed to move all furniture and 'stuff' down there. We appear to be about seven weeks away from being able to enjoy our new kitchen and floors.

Here's the old kitchen

And here's where we are now

passed plumbing, electrical & building inspections this week. ON TO DRYWALL :-)

For those who have just started their remodel or into it a week or two, How are you doing so far? An inquiring mind would like to know!

Our kitchen is almost completed. Not without some problems along the way! We had to send back six of the cabinet doors because they used a different color glaze on them. Ended up with only 16 inches between the top and bottom cabinets when it was supposed to be 18. We were sent the wrong color toe kick for our peninsula. These and a few other little problems delayed the rennovation, but the end is in sight! I still don't have a backsplash or lighting picked out, so I'll probably be asking for opinions on those in the near future. Hopefully, I'll have pictures soon.

We're almost done too. Paint is almost done (the color choosing was killing me). We need some trimwork, backsplash, and a light for over the sink. The end is in site!

Here is a link that might be useful: Remodel blog

jagl and inky, I hear ya!

I am not getting much say in the kitchen color. Back splash is up and that is why I am not getting to pick. My resident painter says what goes on the walls whether I like it or not.
switch and outlet covers yet to be picked out. Trim work finishing on Monday nite.

One potential disaster averted! Realized *last night* that one of the recessed cans was installed too close to the fridge cab and would have to be moved before the cabinet is installed MONDAY! Fortunately I have a really nice electrician who came today and not only moved the can for me but added an outlet in a last-minute addon cab where I plan to plug in our dustbuster and iron. PHEW!

Week one is done and we have all cabinets up except for about 3 feet of crown molding that wasn't ordered - fortunately they ordered too much soffit board and they can use that as baseboard around my peninsula which will be nice.

Next week is lighting, flooring,and countertops. I am really impressed with how quickly it is all happening!

I am so excited! Its turning out great. Got soft close drawers as a free upgrade for ordering my cabinets in April and am loving it! They are full extension too which I didn't expect...do the two go together?

We slid the range into place since they are not doing the floors until Wednesday.

Inky, gang and cambro your kitchens look great! Congrats on the progress!

I am in a somewhat holding pattern. Old kitchen demo'd.

Took everything down to the studs.

New cabs are in but decided to extend the fridge into the garage (back side of kitchen) six inches to better recess my new french door fridge. It won't stick out quite as far into the small kitchen. Cabs are beautiful and they are frameless, full extension, soft close for the doors and drawers. I love the door one as DB (dear boyfriend) doesn't have a quiet bone in his body and slams the doors. I jump, and scream every time as it scares me, since I am not expecting it. Sounds like a shot going off to me (I have very sensitive hearing).

Went and templated granite on Friday. I LOVE my slabs. They are just beautiful! They had some "new" Yellow River granite at the stoneyard. Hated it. No movement at all.

Lowe's has totally screwed up my appliance order. So now we have to reorder which will take a few weeks. That is delaying things. So flooring will be going in this and next week. Not looking forward to this at all. Have to try to cram everything I have in the kitchen, living and dining room into my bedroom and another bedroom. Not sure how this is going to work at all. Was hoping to have the kitchen done first before the flooring went in. So, I may have to transport practically everything I own in my car to my boyfriends garage and back again, when kitchen and flooring is complete.

Shame, shame, shame on Lowe's. They noted in the invoice the range was NOT what I ordered and didn't send it back (thought I wouldn't notice a wall oven wasn't the same as a range). The hood was smashed beyond anything recognizable but they thought I would want it anyway. So, I am without a kitchen for another month.

OK, I just had to add on to this thread because I know there are others just as frustrated as I am. May 30th was our finish date, and of course I am still not in my new kitchen!! The last details are taking forever, there are 8 people in my house again today painting, trim work, fixing installs etc. I have a range hood 4 weeks on backorder after we had to change at the last minute when our old one did not fit, backsplash to go in, etc. I really thought I would be one of those publishing "finished pictures" by now. We are starting to run over budget with all these delays and the financial stress is not helping either. Big sigh- I feel better now:)

I was just wondering how many are done and how many ran into problems. I feel so bad for you that have delays. My delays didn't affect me getting back in and being functional.

My reno was a DIY and my dh has run out of steam. This is his busy time at work so he doesn't have much energy or time to finish my kitchen. We just have trim work, grout, and a light to deal with now. I gave up trying to decorate for now.

Well, I notice that I posted back on May 10 that we were "any day now" on our permits and had been for two weeks. They finally came through on June 12 - needless to say, both we and the contractor are not happy with the county, but what can you do?

At least we did get them, though, and are now 4 weeks into a 6ish month project. Old kitchen is demo'ed but nothing happening yet with the new one, since they are working on framing the new areas we're adding onto the house. But it's nice to see others finishing and making visible progress!

snowy, jen - I feel your pain! Although I noted in my post on this thread that this would be a slow process, living through the reality is something else. Like snowy, this is an addition. STARTING to see progress on our "hole" (aka new kitchen), if you compare this pic to the one I originally posted. This pic was taken on July 1. We're *just* about ready to put in the basement floor.

Looks like our six month project will stetch to at least an extra month...

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Wow, it's nice to see that this post is still hopping even though it's mid-July. As the original poster, I too started my demo in mid-May and two months later we're not in our kitchen! Blame it on the first time we stained our floors and they were wrong, wrong, wrong, and we had to wait weeks to book another hardwood refinisher and everything got delayed. Our cabinets are being installed in the evenings as our subs have another job during the day! I really feel for them as it wasn't their fault (the flooring guy was a guy that we sourced).

Luckily there is a ton of progress. Our cabinets are being installed, granite measurements happened this morning and templating meeting on Monday night. Pretty soon, we will be putting the finishing touches and choosing a backsplash, buying stools and a kitchen table and chairs, pendants and window treatments.

Click here to see a post with our cabinet installation in progress.

I've been done for awhile, other than puck lights and paint. So to me that is finished. I should have posted my pictures sooner, but I want more angles and features, but I can post a couple. I think everyones kitchens are going to be spectacular when they are completed.

Jujybean, wow, looks great! I can only dream about the day. I really like your backsplash.

Elizpiz, it's nice to know someone else is in it for the long haul, too. Here's ours as of two days ago. They've finished excavating and foundation, done the plumbing and HVAC underneath and just started on framing. DH said they actually started on walls yesterday, but I didn't make it over there to see and take pictures. But it's nice to see some progress!

Awesome kitchen, Jujybean! It turned out great!

I guess the last time I posted, the cabinets were just going in. This past Friday our granite was installed (except for the backsplash). The photos are here.

Good luck to those who are adding additions! We were looking at just a foundation last December (but for a whole house build). I can't believe we're almost at the end of our build!

Patti

Bellsrus,
Looks great! What color is the paint?

Beachcomber3 - The paint is SW Oyster Bay...

We started our project on June 11 (so about 4 1/2 weeks ago). It was a full down to the studs renovation, including removal of our back stairs and an old, unused chimney that broke up the wall. During demolition the contractor removed 4 layers of ceiling and 5 of flooring - we also ended up having to move a pipe and fix a leaking vent pipe. Oh, and we also moved and replaced all our windows and a door to the outside so it is a completely different layout. As of today, we have all the cabinets installed and our granite folks are coming to template tomorrow. My contractor says the whole thing should be done in 2 1/2 weeks (trim, appliances, granite, finish electric & plumbing, backsplash and the outdoor work - new stairs & putting in new siding & window trim from where things were moved).
All I can say is that my contractor has been outstanding. I never expected such quick, thorough work -he is amazing. Can't wait to be back in the kitchen which is shaping up beautifully!!

4 layers of ceiling and 5 of flooring! Wow!! How old is your house, afr66? That's a huge project to be so far along in such a (relatively) short amount of time!

Patti

I have been renovating since December through June... does that count?

My kitchen had a horrible layout. Exterior door to deck (to right of the stove) breaking up counter space. Fridge against a load bearing wall that will come down. Sink and dishwasher will also move. Who wants to look in a mirror while at the sink?

Also had flourescent lights in the kitchen. Ugh.

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Demo load bearing wall, replace with LVL beam.

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Note the location of the two double-hung windows. Patio door going in where those are.

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And on the other side, a double hung window to replace the old exerior door. The kitchen sink will be relocated under this window. Also exposed the wall where the plumbing lived, demo'd the soffits. Had to move part of the vent stack as they hid it in the soffits.

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Plumbing roughed in.

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Can't see it here but I had the entire ceiling re-hung, taped and mudded. It was old popcorn ceiling that needed to go. Also had ceiling and wall electric roughed in and then had the same guy hang, tape and mud these walls. Drywall is one of those things I will always sub out.

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After I painted the walls I was free to continue the hardwood floor install.

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Then the electrician came back and we turned on the recessed lights.

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And then yesterday the cabinets went up!

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Undercabinet lighting and in cabinet lighting (on those uppers where glass will be) still to come. Still deciding on the countertop. Any suggestions?

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Toe kick and matching crown molding have not been installed yet. Microwave going up this weekend. Have to change the swing on the fridge doors. Have to order and install island cabinets and then hang up sink and island pendant lights. And decide / install backsplash.

Also need to extend the deck so that I don't fall to earth after going through the patio doors. This kitchen is on the 2nd floor.

(What is CRAZY is how much my kitchen is starting to look like inkycrab's (above)).

Inkycrab's kitchen:

Identical layout and I have the same size island coming...

Wow, that is very close! Make sure you post again when it's all done so I can see it. Did you get similar hardware too?

Congrats to everyone on their progress--there are some awesome kitchens going in! My plumbing is being hooked up as I type and I've already started loading stuff back in. I'll take pics once I get the plywood & blankets that are protecting my island removed.

catamount90 - it's looking great! That is so funny how it looks so much like inkycrab's kitchen!

Patti

Bellsrus, our house is 1890 and it seems none of the previous owners bothered to remove old ceilings or floors before "upgrading". No wonder there was a dip in the kitchen floor!
Flooring guy dropped off our plank flooring to cure today and granite guys said they will come Tuesday to put in counters. We are really picking up steam now!

1890! No wonder you had so many layers! My dad was born in 1895 (he was 65 when I was born; died when I was 4).

You sure are moving along quickly! I'm just hoping our house is done when the movers show up here 2 weeks from today!

Patti

Catamount90, What species of wood and what color/finish is on your gorgeous hardwood floors. I just love your new kitchen so much.

Everyone's renovations are amazing. Thanks for giving me ideas. One day, I hope to have a kitchen I am so proud of to share. I do love my new LG Stainless Steel French Door Refrigerator and my beautiful solid wood table with the wheatback chairs in a cherry finish. But the rest of my kitchen needs a lot of work especially the floor.

Lynn2006, thank you very much for the compliments! I'm a single guy doing a lot of this by myself as I go so it is taking a longer than I had hoped. I buy what I can, wait a few months, repeat.

Anyway the floor is prefinished 3/4" x 3.25" Red Oak called Long Island Red Oak by Mohawk. Not terribly expensive.

Inkycrab, I have not ordered hardware yet but I really like your pulls. Can you tell me where they are from? I have to decide on an island too. I'm thinking that 4' x 3' is about all I have room for.

The pulls are Hafele 11795630. My pics stink but they're 5" long and have a flattened area in the middle instead of the traditional arc. I got them through my cabinet shop for less than $7 each.

Thanks I'm going to look into those. I was thinking knobs at first but I like the way yours look!