Biggest lesson learned while remodeling a kitchen?
Emily H
6 years ago
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auntthelma
6 years agomark_rachel
6 years agoRelated Discussions
Granite---lesson learned!
Comments (7)Lazygardens and oldryder---I did purchase the granite, which means the fabricator made a double profit if he turned around and resold what I had already paid for. Also, the fabricator should have explained the process and options to me. I made it clear I wanted to use the remnant for the powder room and they told me they would mark it and hold it for me. They never mentioned bringing the remnant when they came to install the counters and leaving it with me or delivering it at a later date or us picking it up for safekeeping, or that they only hold it for 3 months, 6 months, etc.. Marking it with tape that anyone can pull off is just ridiculous and therein lies part of the problem. Had it been marked with permanent marker (on the back) or a "stone pen" or whatever, they could at least contact the party if someone else was interested or they needed to make room for other inventory. This is just poor business practice--period. I paid $5,000 to this company for my counters...a phone call would have been appreciated..but of course they couldnt call me because someone pulled off the tape with our name. I am in customer service and if I treated my customers as cavalierly as oldryder, I would be fired. And what people in the contracting/building businesses fail to get is the power of referrals or non-referrals in this case. I have had contractors not interested in my job because it was too small or not in the ritzy neighborhood, but what they don't seem to get is..it may be a small job now, but next year I might be putting on a $100,000 addition, or have friends in the ritzy neighborhood who are remodeling. Sorry, but IMO I cannot recommend this fabricator because options/timeframes were never presented to me and I was led to believe my granite was there up until a few hours before I was supposed to approve the layout. Terrible way of doing business!! And marking remnants on the back with permanent marker is a REALLY obvious no-brainer!...See MoreKitchen Remodel: Lessons from the Veterans?
Comments (29)The #1 and #2 most neglected items in a kitchen redo are venting and lighting. Venting costs can be almost as much as that prosumer range you may be considering. That's especialy true if there is only a recirculating vent there now and will need to create new penetrations into your home correctly. Most in a northern climate will require the use of makeup air and an ERV to make sure you're not exhausting that expensive conditioned air to the outside. Those costs aren't something that folks think about on the front end, and they become an expensive surprise that eats up any contingency very quickly. Be sure to consult a good HVAC firm to handle the details in conjunction with a knowledgable appliance salesperson who can guide you on the needed CFMs your cooking appliances will need. Lighting is often neglected. The absolute worst form of lighting in a kitchen is a single central fixture, but because many have a big honking fluorescent in that spot that puts out hospital glare, they think they have lighting covered. You need a mix of task (undercounter) general (recessed) accent (pendant) and "mood" (all dimmable) to be able to see all of the beautiful details in your kitchen and to be able to safely work in that space. If you think it looks too bright, then you've probably added enough! Our eyes need much more light as we age, and what's "enough" at 30 isn't at 50, and is positively dim by 70. So, if everything is on dimmers and is airport runway bright, then you or any future buyer will be OK aging in place without modification to the lighting scheme. The third thing that most people don't consider enough is their budget. Materials costs and transportation costs are up for most manufacturers and contractors. Most appliance makers have just had a price increase. Translate that to all suppliers. Even if your area is in a "down" cycle for remodels, don't expect that to be reflected too much in any quotes you may get. If you've got a guy willing to give you a quote for 40% less than another, then he's probably not a good enough businessman to be able to be around next year at this time or he's deliberately misstated his "allowances" to be falsely low and you'll end up paying tons of change orders to upgrade. FInally, there's one quote I want to leave you with. It's from Richard Trethewey, the master plumber that works on most of THis Old House's projects. He said, "Comfort is invisible, and it's not sexy." And that's so true! Many people get excited about the pretty granite countertops and quarter sawn oak trim, and the hand forged knobs, but it's really hard to get excited about upgrading your electrical panel or increasing the insulation in your ceiling. Those details are boring. But they are those invisible "bones" that everyone talks about. Finishes are easy to upgrade later. You can put in that granite countertop later and settle for a laminate one now if that means you are able to actually put in a usable ventilation system into your kitchen. Those are the type of unsexy tradeoffs that will keep your home clean and comfortable long after that $150 per gallon paint has had to be changed out because you don't like the color anymore....See MoreLesson(s) you've learned this year (2015)
Comments (106)I learned having a vegetable garden is great! No kidding, it's my first year having my own. Pretty modest start, with a single 4'x8' raised bed, then again, I don't have a ton of estate on my small suburban lot. What I grew in there: two red tomato plants, three cherry tomato plants, one Italian, three cucumber plants, a few green beans, some shallots. Got a nice steady harvest of cucumber starting in mid-summer. Got plenty of tomatoes from all plants, but season was late for everything and still have lots of green ones on there, but they are plump and large. Have started to eat some a few weeks ago. Had our first frost a couple of days ago, but I cover with a tarp whenever there is a nightly threat. September weather has been really nice so far though, maybe not ideal for kick-starting the ripening process, but it's starting to get a bit crappier now, maybe things will progress a bit faster. I may have 50-60% of my crop still on the plants. I was lucky and did not get any significant pest or disease and I did nothing to prevent it really. For next season, I plan on having two more raised beds of same dimension as well as growing a few plants in large containers/buckets. I learned I should space tomato plants more than 12" apart, as I was told by someone who gave me seedlings. I should also figure out the support scheme before I need it. Same for cucumbers....See MoreWhat's the biggest lesson you learned while landscaping?
Comments (96)My main lesson is: Know when you need help and do not be ashamed to ask for it. I admit, initially I found having to hire someone to be a bit demoralizing. As someone who takes great pride in doing all of my own gardening and landscaping, it took a bit out of me to realize I could not transform my front yard 100% on my own. Due to my status as a single working mother of three, a super busy schedule the month I wanted to tackle my landscaping, and a physical ailment that restricts my free movement at times, calling in back up was the right thing to do. By doing so, I knew I’d get my flower bed looking the way I wanted quickly and with less mental stress and possible physical ailment. best regard bestezy...See Moreeld6161
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