Watch some episodes of "Renovation Realities" on the DIY network to see some of the problems amateurs run into when they attempt kitchen remodels.
If you decide to do this anyway, before you start get some books with detailed descriptions of various kitchen remodeling techniques. The ones published by Readers Digest are actually quite good and have excellent photos and step by step directions. Don't rely on videos or websites -- you NEED BOOKS! There is nothing like having those illustrations, pages and tables of contents right in front of you on the table to study and refer to. I learned kitchen remodeling to some extent from my ex boyfriend who was a pro who had his own custom kitchen contracting company, but I learned more from collecting remodeling books and studying them as I planned the jobs and while I was doing them. I gutted, reconfigured and completely redid the kitchen in my last house completely by myself and it cost my around $3,500. (But I'm a licensed electrician and also know how to do my own copper plumbing lines.)
If you insist on trying this anyway, here are tips:
1. EQUIP YOURSELF Make sure you have the tools you need and that you know how to use them. Demo pry bars, crowbars, a couple of good full sized hammers, a reciprocating saw and a skilsaw (circular saw) are necessities. For installation you will need a 30' heavy duty tape measure, a 4' level, a good quality rechargeable battery drill (Dewalt or Ryobi are my preferences) and a regular power drill plus sets of drill bits, including a couple of hole saws, and a set of screwdriver bits for the battery drill. Also a portable jigsaw and set of blades.
2. PLAN Long before you start demo, measure the existing kitchen very carefully and draw a detailed layout of it, with exact locations of where the plumbing and electrical connections are. I don't recommend that beginners try to relocate appliances, plumbing or wiring without paying professionals to do it. You will save a huge amount of hassle, work and money by leaving the sink, stove and fridge where they are now and just replacing the counters and cabinets and flooring. Look in books and magazines for a kitchen style that you like and then start looking for cabinets. Stick with something simple. If there is an IKEA store in your town, go and look at their kitchen cabinets. They have some inexpensive types that are good looking and they are easy for beginners to work with, also pretty good quality for the money. I have done a couple of kitchens including my present one with their units. If you choose to go the home store route, choose their in stock cabinets and they will be cheaper. They come in increments of 3" wide (like 9", 12", 15", 18", 21", 24", 30" etc. Make sure you keep that it mind in designing your layout. Your dishwasher needs 24", most stoves are 30" and refrigerators vary in width and height. Stick with laminate countertops and have a pro contractor build and install them for you. It is not all that expensive. I had a contractor do all mine for $650.
3. ALLOW ENOUGH TIME! Can't stress this enough. I cringe when I watch the shows where inexperienced homeowners think they can gut and rebuild their entire kitchens in a week, even in 4 days! not gonna happen. Set up a temporary kitchen somewhere in your house, like the dining room. Move the fridge in there and put a microwave and electric frying pan and toaster oven on a table so you can cook. Plan to eat out or keep things simple for the duration and figure it will be at least a month or two before you are far enough along to use the new kitchen. Unless you can both take 2 weeks off work to do the project full time, it is going to take 4 to 8 weeks to complete if you are going to do it right.
4. LET THE PROS DO THE HOOKUPS Don't try to do plumbing, wiring or HVAC connections yourself. It is well worth the money to pay licensed pros to do these things. Stick with doing demo, cabinets and flooring yourself. You don't need fancy tile backsplashes either, despite the brainwashing that the TV remodeling shows try to convince you. They are expensive. If you are on a budget, you can get textured vinyl wallpaper that looks just like tiles. Later on when you have more money and skill you can always pull off the wallpaper and redo it with tile. I used a tile- look wallpaper in my last kitchen and everyone who saw it thought it was the real thing.
5. DON'T RUSH Stuff can take a while to accumulate. Get things like the sink, dishwasher, fridge and stove in advance so they are on hand and in the house as you do the remodel. In fact, start cruising the clearance departments of home stores now to find deals on such items. There are also discount remodeling supply places where you can get good deals. I got a $300 granite look double kitchen sink for $75 at one such place, and a new fridge in the "scratch and dent" section of Lowe's for $250 off (you couldn't see the dent on the side once it was installed anyway.)
6. BE PATIENT Don't work when you are tired, keep the days short at first. Clean up the area COMPLETELY every day or evening when you are done so there isn't junk all over the floor and debris and dirt. Keeping the construction zone tidy will make it easier and safer to work and make it actually go faster.
Anyway, I probably have already used up too much space here. Good luck, and I hope it turns out for you.
surprisingly you can do very well by buying a used kitchen
http://newjersey.craigslist.org/wan/4540...
almost all kitchens are modular, its simply a question of removing the benchtop and unscrewing the cabinets
of course they are heavy and bulky so helpers and access to a large vehicle and trailer or a largish truck is helpful
some used kitchens will have been removed already which can be better but dont be afraid of uninstalling yourself - with some decent helpers its not too bad
once you have measured and established your requirements, working out whether a used kitchen will suit your circumstances isnt too hard .. even different configurations can still be made to work for you
with a used kitchen you may still need to replace appliances and the sink but you can be lucky - its astonishing what some people decide to upgrade from
as for the flooring and walls, tiles can be best but of course theres many options
at your end, youll need an electrician, a plumber and maybe a carpenter to help set up the new kitchen (money well spent for the modification and set up for one day)
anyway
look around, discuss with other cando people, renovations are fun
I would suggest going to www.houzz.com . They have alot of ideas and most importanty articles for remodling. You can search their website and they have alot of great things to remember regarding safety and what you need to remember when dealing with a contractor or even DIY stuff. (I.E. getting all the tile boxes from the same lot number so all are kiln-fired in the same batch and look the same...). They are my go-to for ideas and advice for remodeling.
Good Luck
How big is the kitchen? You can buy flat-pack ktichens for about $2k - which are easy to put together.
What is the floor? Timber? Concrete? Rubber tiles are a good option for kitchens.
My boyfriend and I are remodeling a house together and I was wondering if anyone had any insight they'd like to share.
We're probably going to remodel the kitchen first and I was wondering how you go about doing that. I want to replace the cabinets, the sink, the countertops, and possibly the flooring. Can anyone give any advice about where to go to look for cheap renovation ideas? And maybe an estimate.
Don't say "it depends." I know it depends.
If we were to do this on a pretty small budget, can anyone guess the least amount of money we'd be spending?
Sorry if this is a horrible question. I'm 18 and clueless :/ Researching online isn't helping much.
Thank you!!!
Any other advice (at all) is very much welcome and appreciated :)
