I assumed the upper cabinets would be removed over the island. I'm confused about your question though: "Would you have a pantry cabinet or a regular cabinet and shelf on the wall side of the island?" Where is the wall side of the island?

I think she means the wall the peninsula is currently anchored to, since the peninsula wouldn't be there, anymore.

I like pull out pantries much better than walk in pantry but IMO the first thing I would change is go to a counter depth fridge . Then put the pullouts on the same wall as the fridge.I must be crazy but see no reason for a walkway where the DW is if I am understanding this right . I love galley kitchens if designed right they are very functional I think you should get a KD right now to help with this.

If you are gutting the area, I would move away from the galley style and open the whole thing up with a large sit at island. The dining area looks very large. You could extend the kitchen into some of that area. The little room would be a great pantry with a desk area. You need a kitchen designer to help you figure out how to configure the space.

Lucky for you and your bank account, it does not appear that there will be any major structural issues requiring extra support beams. But be prepared for some sticker shock when it comes to your choices.

Oops! Spoke too soon. Opening the wall between the living room and patio could be an issue. I hear you about the gas. Where are you going to live during the remodel? This will take a while.

As far as walk-in pantry vs. pull-out, I'd go for walk-in every time if space allows. I store more than cereal and cans in mine. All my appliances are in there. I need deep shelves.

what a great home! with such potential, I'm guessing you are redoing the floors as well?

we did our whole upstairs, flooring, kitchen, no bathrooms, it took 6 months. no major issues, just took longer than expected

Are you removing the wall behind the dishwasher (circled in red below)? If so, then add what makes sense for you. Do you need more storage or a coffee/wine bar? If you don't need a beverage station, I would add a pantry cabinet (otherwise the counter will just become a landing spot for mail, etc).

I store every small appliance I own and there are many in pullout pantries KD is a kitchen designer and really this is a huge eandeavor and IMO you need someone to guide you through the process to make this an amazing space

We've been working on our addition since May and it won't be done this year. You must have all your finishes line up already?

"I sure hope it doesn't take 9 months. New homes can be built in 4 months."

Building NEW is far easier than a remodel because the build is set up so nothing gets in the way of what is going on.

Risa - we did a major remodel before moving in - structural, huge kitchen, removing walls, powder bath, flooring paint, ac, plumbing, etc. etc. Took 8 months construction. Not including architect, engineer, design drawings and permits. The general contractor, very experienced, said 4 months. In our case, major city, the old adage "twice the time and twice the money" was right on.

My husband is the general. We had hoped to be finished by October 31. There are always unexpected hold ups of some sort (some of it is of our making, lol). We want it done right and if that takes longer, so be it.

Be prepared.

Maybe smaller town GCs aren't as busy, which is good. But products have to be shipped in, which may take longer. Have you started shopping for your kitchen finishes, appliances, fixtures, lighting, flooring, sinks, toilets, doors? I don't mean purchasing, I mean selecting, sourcing. The kitchen designer will help you, but its good to get some ideas before the rush. Here custom millwork can take more than 2 months.

Be aware, the only thing the bank is going to "inspect" is the construction "milestones" being met so they can approve the "draw", they are NOT inspecting quality etc. I assume you understand that, but just mention it in case you have never done this before. We have really fast builders around here and the only thing they can build in 4 months is a townhouse type deal. Some do their smallest (3 BR, 2bath in 6 months, but 4 months? Not. Just prepping the site, allowing proper soil compacting, getting permits can take 4-6 weeks or more depending on the weather. Just assume this is going to take at least 7 months. I would bet more, but maybe you will be the exception. If you plan for more, you won't be in a dither or scramble. Hope you do everything well and you are extremely pleased with your outcomes.

Exactly what Flo said.

I would recommend hiring a kitchen designer! They can maximize the space and give you the best layout to get the most out of your new kitchen.

But Risa - you aren't doing an addition are you? Can you use the foundation in the patio area or do you need to redo it? I guess my point was you wouldn't need a lot of site work and weather shouldn't be an issue. So its just a matter of lining up the trades and having something happening everyday at your job. The hiccups come when you find out that you need to repipe the whole thing or rewire it or reroof it or tent it. Some of what we ran into was being told if you're ever going to do it, you should do it now. That extended the scope and the timeline and the expense. Also, I was shocked to discover that everything I really liked was the most expensive stuff.

Do you have a floor plan or dimensions of the space?

How is the market for your house is your area? We couldn't list our house until we had moved out. We pushed back our move date two weeks twice because our new house needed so much cleaning before they could oil the floors, then the floors needed to cure for 5 days. I think the floor should have cured even longer because there were marks from moving in the furniture. Fortunately, our old house went into escrow and closed within about two months. If you think you can sell fast, maybe wait until you know the new house is almost done.

My cousin just completed a home remodel in which they added on and raised the roof. Her contractor was very detailed. He said it would take 6 months and I think they went over by a week, maybe 2. They were definitely over budget though. I agree with suzyq53. I plan for double the time and double the budget, just so I'm not disappointed. If your contractor said it will take 3 months, plan for at least 4. Even with the best contractor, something always comes up. Is your office/pantry open to the right of the desk or are there solid walls on both sides (of the desk)?

The Pantry/Office Nook is a great idea. The shelving in the third photo looks ideal for what you are trying to accomplish. If it were me, I'd also want a small pantry area in the kitchen for more used foods and store the non-perishables in the office nook. If you need any help with your sink design or installation, we would love to help!

If you have to keep the short wall behind the dishwasher, here's how I would lay it out:

Could you put wall ovens in across from the fridge where the little wall is? Or would that be horrible placement?

@risaM if you go to your city hall ask for the records department and they will have plans on file of your home. It would be a good idea to get those plans to see if there was any illegal work taking place without pulling proper permits.

Well, that would be a matter of public record. Whether they are still living is the question.