Don't forget to include FICA Taxes (Social Security + Medicare) of 6.2% as you write that wage check to yourself *LOL*.

Before and afters of our 1975 kitchen update. It came in a little under 10k. It was the first thing in the house we did when we moved in. We painted the all solid wood cabinets, added additional cabinets, pantry, movable island, lights, back splash, hardware, and counters. The only thing we contract out was the counters. The kitchen has plenty of storage for us and functions well. The dishwasher is staying until it dies. It is the best dishwasher I have ever owned.

I can totally see how doing something you enjoy doing when you have the time to do it is something to be viewed as negative or not worthy of your time. Totally. Good thing we can all just delegate everything. I don't cook my own meals, clean my own house, wash my own dog, heck I don't even encourage my kids to spend time w/me doing the hobbies I enjoy in the hopes they too will find something they enjoy doing in their free time--time is money and they shouldn't be learning how to be resourceful and independent. Such poppycock to think we should do anything for ourselves!

For the non-negative-nancy's and the positive-diy-delberts, thank you for showing what you've accomplished!

Oasisowner, I like the platter behind your stove!

Meh.

I probably spent 5x the amount of time as anyone in here on the actual design aspects of my renovation. And I would and will continue to spend time on things like that "For free" because I enjoy it.

But much as I might enjoy doing plumbing and electrical I am not allowed to if I get permits and it would take me ten years to build cabinets and it would be impossible for me to fabricate countertops.

So my point is that if there is not a ton of kitchens posted it's because people are often required to delegate and as soon as you start paying others costs escalate. So quit judging...Im not.

@Missi Rogge - the platter over the range is a tin tray I bought on ebay. I stole the idea from mama goose's kitchen.

http://thenextfiftyyears.blogspot.com/2012/04/youve-got-to-see-this-kitchen_03.html

Here's a link to my reveal. The kitchen was part of a new I house that I built, mostly single-handed. Scroll down the thread for a few pics added later. The second link is for when I finally put in a backsplash.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/diy-kitchen-reveal-abb-dsvw-vd~3436435

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/at-long-last-backsplash-dsvw-vd~4983996

I believe a mini reno can really work for some people. It is about sacrifice, reality and acceptance. A willingness to get dirty and be flexible. I did my last mini renovation in 2009 for about $15,000. Mostly DIY. I did hire someone do install the granite and restain the floors. But my husband did all the electrical for under and inner cab lighting. He also built some cabs and wired all the appliances and light fixtures.

We kept the cabinets and painted them. We changed the angle of the counter to extend the peninsula. We bought Bosch appliances and had Virginia Jet Mist honed granite installed. It looked like soapstone and was really the star of the show. Our floors were already installed so we only had to have them stripped, sanded and re-stained. And lucky for us they were under the old cabs. We changed hardware but kept the backsplash. We spent money on things we really wanted like a deep single basin sink. And little light fixture above the sink. We saved in other areas, like keeping the dated arched cabinets.

At the time our budget did not allow for a hood. It was even piped for a hood and DH promised me we would upgrade in a year to get the hood I wanted but life got in the way. We took a trip to Europe, we had kids off to college, we forgot about the hood... It was not a priority in our lives. We sold that house and now on to do a renovation in our new place. I miss that cute adorable kitchen and family room. A great place to raise our children.

mushcreek, what a gorgeous job you did! Truly fantastic, wow!

It's so fun to see what can be accomplished w/ingenuity and hard work.

mushcreek, I forgot to ask, how are you guys liking not having upper cabinets?

We don't miss them at all. We've always hated them (my wife is too short, and they're right in front of my face). We have 32 drawers, and haven't even fully utilized them all yet, so storage isn't a problem. Besides, every time we look out the windows at the woods around us, we forget all about uppers!

I wish we had more windows, or at least a bigger window over the sink in the kitchen to see the backyard. I've really been drawn to the kitchens with few or no uppers. My dad freaked out the last time I mentioned it-You HAVE to have upper cabinets! Like it's a rule haha. It just looks..nice, I guess.

Hmmm, ours is a way of life ;^)

We are 4 years into a DIY kitchen, addition and new geothermal HVAC. All told 75,000. Geo was 40,000. Hole aka tall crawl 15,000. Kitchen interior as if a remodel about 20,000. That's a lot more stuff done than the average for remodel of cabinets as seen on Houzz!

Reused all lighting, stove, microwave/vent and dw. Bought French door fridge, was 35 or so...as in years not inches!

Fridge 2,000. Marble floor 4,000. Cabinets rta I painted 6,000. Sink 400. Faucet 350. Hardware 750. Glass 1000. Counter tiles and edging 750. New windows 6,000. Closed cell foam insulation 1200. 25,000

I went crazy on beveled glass and hardware. I wanted to match glass in dining room.....and I fell in love with my swans, I smile when I see them everyday. The windows, well that was another matching issue.

heatheron 40 - love it! Sweet kitchen!

I skirted my basement kitchenette sink but haven't done the kitchen yet. I'm trying to figure out how to attach a curtain to a door and have it look like it is just a curtain because I can't let the dogs get into the cabinet. I've seen some ideas on Pinterest but haven't really attacked it yet.

My kitchen is not a remodel, but a refresh. 2016 into 2017 - I did new counters, apron front sink and backsplash for about $6,000. Previously I spent $1200 reworking a cabinet to a plate rail with spice boxes and adding a hood.

Jhmarie, Love your kitchen! Gorgeous and the island is fantastic. I like the apron farmhouse sink it looks perfect in your space with the new counters.

jhmarie, me too... different fabrics on the 3 stools! same pattern/ different colors?

@function: work station into corner seems fine- prevents some bumping around, with a centered island...? [I don't even have an island]

everdebez - thanks:)

Three different fabrics (four if you include the roman shade) but all with roses - a bit of shabby chic. Flowers make me happy and I only have the real thing in my garden for 6 months of the year - so I have to bring the garden inside. Three Christie Repasy rose canvas prints, one over the pie safe and two on the wall I don't usually show, taken before the island top was changed:

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~47408852

I would like to put something pretty, but still effective over the sink. Click on heatheron40's first pic - love that light. It is not right for my kitchen, but I would love to find something vintage or a little blingy but not over the top. Just keeping my eyes open and love the inspiration of the other kitchens.

everdebz Yes I like a L work space in a kitchen. I find it efficient. My first house the stove was across the floor from the sink. I didn't like slopping pots and pans across the floor from the stove to the sink. Not every kitchen needs an island. If you have sufficient counter space and a place to sit and have a cup a coffee an island is not a necessity. Sometimes islands can be in the way of the work triangle and more of a pain than an help. That is why mine is movable. I can make several configurations with it depending on what I am doing.

Jhmarie, I love your counters. What are they?

Thank you! They are LG White Pearl. They are busier close up - they hide crumbs almost too well, but they do not overwhelm.

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~54988831

@oasisowner

I prefer your original kitchen design, solely, due to the cat which is
missing in the renovated kitchen. I think you should have kept the cat.
Being that the cat is black & white, it would have fit in
beautifully with your new color scheme.

:)

Wow, rebecca. those cabinets are gorgeous. Ya gotta love trying to layout those old cramped kitchens. Our stove is stuck close to a wall, too.

I have to do some pictures.

In the 12 years I've been rebuilding, I've installed, changed my mind, ripped out, built, put in, ripped out and put in again. I consider my DIY time free, because I couldn't afford to pay someone, anyway.

I think I've probably stayed under 20K, but I'm still paying on my own soapstone, which also put it above. I saved for 7 years to reach 1/2, when they install for me. I look at that as a separate budget line labeled "My Dream."

Every single thing in my house right down to my doors and windows, let alone my kitchen is DIY, RTA, CL, H4H, Rebuild Warehouse, someone's barn, my own barn, side of the road and charity. The few RTA pieces I've picked up are always from The Cabinet Joint.com. Even my pine floor is packing crates, 1x6 to 1 x12s ($0.25 a lf) and other stuff from the garage.

Maybe I'll clean off some junk and take some pictures. It's actually coming together after all this time.

Jhmarie, sorry no answers for keeping the dogs out- just used a frame and mounted the rod, it's now a pullout ;^)

Living the dream!

Heatheron40 - yes - That is close to what I was thinking - changing to pull outs and actually, if I left the panel in the door and still attached the curtain, the dogs would stay out.

Martha I love your kitchen. Warm and inviting with a little edge. Your kitchen is a lot better than some kitchens I have seen by pros. I want a kitchen that says welcome, not don't touch me.

functionthenlook, me too!!

Martha, your Ikea cabinets, is that the "medium brown" color? The Grimslov ones I've been looking at come in medium brown and an off white. I've seen real life pictures of the off white, but the brown is hard to find. Those might be a different style (Adele I think was the name a couple years ago?) but the color might be the same?

I'll call mine a refresh, too, since there were no structural changes. "Before" photos are from previous owner.

I spent approximately $8K for: new dishwasher, hardwood floors, quartz countertops, paint, recessed lighting and new fixture over table, and wood blinds. I also moved the washer and dryer from the basement (due to my knee problems) into the pantry on the left in the second "before" photo. To replace that lost storage, I put an entire wall of free-standing shelves and cabinets with doors in the garage, just outside the door from the kitchen (just past the frig on right in second "before" photo). This gives me 16' of storage just outside my kitchen so there is room for everything I would have put in pantry plus items like good dishes, etc. that had been in my basement (and never used) in my previous house. Another good decision was to not have overhang on the countertop on the island. With the table close by, the seating is not needed and it opened up the space in front of frig.

that looks so nice, ceh!

Marta, this is what I think they replaced Adel w/ http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90268155/  If the color is like yours, I'd be ok going that route. Hard to tell w/those awful website pictures/colors.

That's what I'm hoping for as well..if it *is* like yours, then I will try to get the husband on board. I've been hoping one of my friends that lives more local to a store could take pictures (we're 4 hours away). When I look it up online, mostly I see the Adel cabinets.

6 years ago, I did a reface on our kitchen in FL prior to selling the house. I made new cabinet doors and drawer fronts, painted the frames, and paid a guy to do laminate counter tops. No new appliances, as we had bought new ones fairly recently. We spent less than $1K to freshen it up.

Cefreeman please do post some images!

I'm starting to clean up, eam, so I plan to.

And shoot. I'm frikkin' destitute. DIY is NOT an option, it's a necessity. If I were to factor in money for my time? I'd still not have a kitchen. Just that microwave, the freezer side of a side-by-side, plywood floors, no walls, no sink, but a rolling dishwasher with the drain pipe stuck in the hole in the floor. Oh - and ex-DH's beer cases on top of the mouse-ridden stove that didn't work. Nice, huh?

I'm not sure why people get all "up" about the DIY costs of time. It's pretty obvious to me that most would farm things out if they could afford it. The others don't farm out because they don't want to. I don't need to factor that in, myself, because my time is the only thing that's gonna get me a kitchen. Sure as heck not my good looks. And very few people work for beer 'n burgers.

Bottom line is I could spend more months sitting on the couch, dreaming on Pinterest, or I can get my dead butt up at least once a week and do SOMETHING to move my projects forward. I get paid for neither, but one shows progress the other an ever-widening bummy from too much couch potatoing. And, I can afford myself. Even though Reese's cups, cookie dough, espresso and good wine don't run cheap.

Not including my soapstone, for which I'm still paying, I think I'm under $20K. I'll figure it out next time I'm procrastinating, and Pinterest pics start to repeat themselves.

Ok. If I don't crash after work I'll try some pictures. I sure owe 'ya.

Missy - have you tried looking on Instagram for #ikeacabinets or #ikeakitchen? You mentioned you are kind of hitting a dead end online of IKEA pics. There are thousands of posts from actual people hastagging their own kitchens. I am seeing lots of non-Adel kitchens there. You can even follow these hashtags too to always get updated. I used this method to learn about the stove and vent hood I wanted. Hope that helps!

Oh heck, I never thought about IG! Jeez you smarty, thanks for the tip!!

I'm loving these kitchens - just shows what creativity (and determination and patience) can get you!

PSA: Ikea kitchen person told me the other day they're bringing out a new gray door in the Grimslov profile. Probably April.

I love these kitchens. Thank you for sharing.

Bumping this up, 2018 was not that long ago.

Cheers to all!

What a fantastic thread, THOR. Thanks! Really enjoyed seeing these kitchens.