Mini Reno -- Should I Hire a KD?

15 years ago

I have a brand-new kitchen, but wasn't able to pick what I wanted (the builder did), so I'm planning a mini-renovation, including:

--stripping and re-staining the cabs a dark espresso color

--removing granite and installing marble countertops

--removing SS sink and installing a Shaw's apron front (including retrofitting the sink cab)

--potentially removing the cooktop and installing a Wolf rangetop (and retrofitting the cabinet below & above)

--adding pantry pull-outs, adding pull-out trash cabinet, changing all drawers to accommodate Blum glides

--installing new faucets, insinkerator, cold water filter, cabinet hardware

I've been talking to various contractors and there's a bit of coordination required on my part (granite has to come out before cabs are re-stained, marble to go in after staining, sink must be ordered before sink cab is retrofitted, which must be done before re-staining, etc.). There also always seems to be some issue when dealing with contractors, whether they're installing landscaping, flooring, tile, etc. Sometimes it works out fine in the end and sometimes not as you expected.

I wasn't thinking of hiring a KD due to cost and the fact that I know what I want in terms of design. Does anyone have any experience with this sort of situation and would a KD be recommended? It would certainly remove a bit of stress if I didn't have to manage/coordinate the whole thing.

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Comments (6)

caryscott
15 years ago
Doesn't sound like a lot of design work, wouldn't a General Contractor be of more use?
User
15 years ago
Stripping the cabinets and restaining them is a CHORE and a half! While it's DIYable, it's about 6 months of hard night and weekend work. THe labor price to have that done will reflect that and shock you. You might look through the past posting for Celticmoon's method of using gel stain to achieve a dark look without stripping and consider DIYing. It's still a LOT of work, but it's much easier than stripping.

As far as your other question goes, you'd be better off hiring a custom cabinet shop for your cabinet remaking and just coordinate that with the granite guys and plumber yourself.

But, really, what you are proposing is gonna be quite expensive. Maybe as much as ripping out what you have and completely starting over with all new like you want it from the beginning. It's a lot harder to repurpose and redo than start from scratch, and the labor prices will reflect that. There's not going to be much "savings" to keep the cabinets you have if you can't DIY this transformation.
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Ditto, KD first. However, be SURE to interview your KD for the job! Don't be too nice/shy to ask for references and have a list of tough questions ready. Maybe even start a new thread asking for peoples suggestions re: what to ask a potential KD. I started w/one "KD" and it was a big waste of time (most precious) and a few hundred dollars in the "design fee" that I paid her. Relatively an inexpensive lesson learned. The designer I ended up with was pretty good, but there are still some issues I wish we'd clarified more at the design phase (he didn't center the panels on my SZ sxs fridge b/c he left room for the handles w/out consulting me and I hate it. Also, the "finished" panels for a very wide entryway look TERRIBLE - hard to describe why.) You really need to go over and understand every little tiny detail so you understand what you are buying! Also, be sure you work out a reasonable payment plan. Deposit, amount on delivery, another amount when fabrication ready, and be sure to hold back enough for the punch-list of finishing items at the end. I'm sure others will chime in with more helpful suggestions. Oh, and I wouldn't take the KD's recommendation for a GC. Maybe gather a list after speaking with her references. I would only take a GC recommendation from a homeowner who had used that person and would only consider hiring a GC after seeing at least 4 of his jobs in person. For both KD and GC, change their standard contract to include things to protect you throughout the process!!! Pay minimal deposits and be sure to hold back enough $ from the GC to be able to finish the job with someone else in the event of a disaster! OK, I hope I haven't scared you too badly, but be careful out there!
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sailormann
15 years ago
I am not sure if it would be much cheaper to rip things out and put new ones in, but it will sure be a lot faster.
Refinishing takes a long time to do properly. When it comes to dismantling a kitchen, you have to be very careful not to damage things you'll want to use again.

I don't think you need a designer, unless you feel you'd like to hire one. It depends on what you are budgeting and how happy you are with the current layout.

I am not sure if any of the designers who post here do consulting work via email, but that might be an option for you to consider too...

It may be worth your while to hire a contractor, as was suggested above. There are some costly errors that can occur if you have not done this before.

Some KD's may also handle the tasks usually performed by the GC's.

If you want to do everything yourselves, take your time, plan each step and determine what has to happen when. After you have completed each task look and think about how the rest of your planned additions are going to work with what you have done. ie: is there room to open a door ? Can the electrical circuits handle the loads you are planning for them ? Is the floor solid enough to handle ceramics ?

There are a lot of really knowledgeable people here in the forum, and they are a warm and encouraging group, so if you spend time here reading and asking lots of questions you may be fine on your own. It seems that they are always more than willing to share their expertise.

Good Luck !
ella_socal
Original Author
15 years ago
I didn't really think about hiring a GC w/o a KD. I'll look into that since I'm definitely looking for someone to oversee the process, not really design anything.

I'm actually trying gel stain on my laundry room cabinets. Our entire house has "caramel" stained maple cabs. So, ALL the cabs are being re-stained (linen closet, bathrooms, stair rail, window seats, etc). That was one of my conditions to purchasing the place.

The price to replace the cabinets is definitely more than re-staining. The actual cost of the cabinets themselves is about equal to re-staining, but by the time you add in demo, replacing the backsplash (which I want to keep), installation and re-installation of everything (cabs, appliances, etc.)... Might be worth it, though. I'm actually not sure how much the demolition and re-installation of appliances is (the quote only included cabinet installation). And, perhaps they could keep most of the backsplash since I'd just keep the current layout...
sailormann
15 years ago
Demo is something you can absolutely do yourselves. Unless you are disabled or quite affluent, there is no excuse for paying people to do it.

Installation of appliances is not at all difficult. You plug the fridge in, plug the range in (or hardwire if need be - for about $250.00) and connect the dishwasher hoses. Any reasonably handy husband can take care of it - or borrow someone else's from down the street if you don't have one.

Putting in the cabinets requires a lot of time or an experienced crew - but is it certainly going to be cheaper than hiring someone to strip cabinets while they are in place. :)
lightlystarched
15 years ago
Try the gel stain idea. That may give you the look you want without the hassle of stripping. I think its great (from an environmental standpoint) that you want to reuse your existing cabinets.

Can the granite be taken out without serious damage to the cabinets? I thought they were held on with epoxy that will tear the wood. When I removed some built-ins, I couldn't even get the counter to come off. We had to dismantel the cabs and take them out in pieces - still firmly attached to the counter.

Good luck! You sound like you know what you want the finished product to look like so a GC would be a better bet than a KD.

Mini Reno -- Should I Hire a KD?

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caryscott

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Mini Reno -- Should I Hire a KD?

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caryscott

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